What documents do subcontractors need to work on site in the UK?

The baseline document list

There's no single definitive list -what you need depends on the type of work, the site, and what the principal contractor requires. But for most UK construction sites, these are the documents you should collect from every subcontractor before work starts:

• CSCS card (or ECS card for electrical operatives)
• Public Liability Insurance certificate
• Employers Liability Insurance certificate (if they employ anyone)
• Method Statement and Risk Assessment (RAMS) specific to the work
• Any plant or equipment inspection certificates (LOLER/PUWER)
• Asbestos awareness certificate (if working in older buildings)
• COSHH assessments (if handling hazardous substances)

Some principal contractors will also require CPCS cards for plant operators, working at height certificates, or confined spaces training records. Always check the site-specific requirements before mobilising.

CSCS and ECS cards -what they prove and when they expire

A CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) card proves that the holder has the relevant training and qualifications for their role. Most principal contractors require every worker on site to hold a valid card -an expired or invalid card is grounds for refusing site access.

How long does a CSCS card last? Most are valid for five years, though some (such as the Green Labourer Card) require renewal every three years. The expiry date is printed on the card.

ECS cards are the electrical equivalent -issued by the Joint Industry Board (JIB) for electricians and electrical operatives. ECS cards are valid for three years and must be renewed through the JIB before they lapse.

The problem with both card types is that they expire without warning. CSCS does not notify the holder, and the JIB does not alert you. If you're managing a dozen subcontractors each with their own renewal cycle, the only way most contractors find out a card has lapsed is when someone gets turned away at the gate.

Public Liability and Employers Liability Insurance -what to check

Public Liability Insurance covers claims made against the subcontractor for injury or damage to third parties. Most sites require a minimum of £2 million cover; higher-risk sites or larger principal contractors typically require £5 million or £10 million. Always check the site-specific minimum before accepting a certificate.

Employers Liability Insurance is a legal requirement for any business that employs staff -including subcontractors who take on their own workers. The statutory minimum is £5 million, though most policies provide £10 million as standard. If a subcontractor employs anyone at all, they must hold this.

Both insurance types typically renew annually. When you collect a certificate, note the expiry date -not just the issue date. An insurance certificate that expired two months ago offers no protection in the event of a claim, and the subcontractor's insurer will not notify you when a policy lapses.

When checking a certificate, confirm three things: the name of the insured matches the company you're contracting with, the level of cover meets your site requirements, and the policy period covers the dates the subcontractor will be working.

Method Statements and Risk Assessments -who is responsible?

A Method Statement describes how a task will be carried out safely. A Risk Assessment identifies the hazards and control measures. Together they're known as RAMS -Risk Assessment and Method Statement.

Under CDM 2015, the subcontractor is responsible for producing their own RAMS for the work they're carrying out. As the principal contractor, you are responsible for reviewing them, ensuring they are site-specific rather than a generic template, and keeping a record that the review took place before work started.

Do RAMS expire? Formally, no -there is no statutory expiry date. But a RAMS document becomes stale when the scope of work changes, when site conditions change, or when there has been a significant gap since it was written. As a practical rule: request fresh RAMS for any new mobilisation, even if the subcontractor has worked for you before.

Never accept a generic RAMS that could apply to any site. A method statement that says “work will be carried out safely” without specifics is not compliant with HSE guidance and will not protect you if something goes wrong.

Plant and equipment inspection certificates

Any lifting equipment (LOLER) and work equipment (PUWER) must be inspected at regular intervals. If a subcontractor is bringing plant onto your site -excavators, scissor lifts, telehandlers -ask for the current inspection certificate before it arrives.

LOLER inspections are typically required every 6 or 12 months depending on equipment type. PUWER inspection frequency varies by equipment and risk level. The certificate shows the last inspection date, the next due date, and whether the equipment is fit for use.

If there is an accident and inspection records cannot be produced, both the subcontractor and the principal contractor can face enforcement action from the HSE.

What to do when a document is missing or expired

The short answer: do not let work start until the issue is resolved. That is uncomfortable when you have a programme to keep to, but allowing someone on site with expired insurance or no valid CSCS card creates a liability that far outweighs any schedule pressure.

In practice, most issues can be fixed quickly if you catch them early. An insurance certificate that expired last week can often be replaced within 24 hours. A CSCS card renewal takes longer -the operative needs to apply, pass any required tests, and wait for the card to arrive. That process can take two to four weeks.

The only reliable way to catch these issues before they cause problems is to track expiry dates proactively. A reminder 30 days before a CSCS card expires gives the subcontractor enough time to renew without disrupting your programme. Chasing certificates the morning before mobilisation is not a system.

Keeping everything in one place

Most contractors start with a spreadsheet. It works for five subcontractors. It starts to break down at fifteen. By thirty, the spreadsheet is something nobody fully trusts, expiry dates get missed, and the whole system depends on one person remembering to check it each week.

The core problem with a spreadsheet is that it's passive -it tells you what you go looking for. What you actually need is something that alerts you: an automatic reminder when a CSCS card is 30 days from expiry, a live view of which subcontractors have outstanding documents, and the ability to export a clean compliance record when a principal contractor asks for it.

That is what ExpiryFlow does. Add your subcontractors, upload their documents, and the system tracks every expiry date and sends reminders before anything lapses -to you, and optionally to the subcontractor directly.

Track all of these documents automatically

ExpiryFlow tracks CSCS cards, insurance certificates, RAMS, and more for every subcontractor. Automatic reminders 30, 7, and 1 day before anything expires.

No credit card required