Construction safety · New York City
NYC SST card renewal: five-year cards, a one-year grace period, and refresher hours
NYC Site Safety Training cards are valid for five years from issuance. For cards that expire on or after May 3, 2026, workers have one year after expiration to renew, but they cannot use the card on a job site until it is renewed.
Who needs an SST card
Local Law 196 of 2017 requires a Site Safety Training (SST) card for construction and demolition workers on job sites that need a Site Safety Plan and a Construction Superintendent, Site Safety Coordinator, or Site Safety Manager. Workers need 40 hours of DOB-defined training. Supervisors, including competent persons, need a Supervisor SST card with 62 hours (NYC DOB SST information; Local Law 196). The card is required whatever the size of the company or whether the worker is a subcontractor. Generally, sites for minor alterations or new one-, two-, or three-family homes do not need one, and DOB lists security officers among roles that do not need a card (DOB FAQ).
How long an SST card lasts
SST cards are valid for five years from the date of issuance (DOB). The renewal course hours depend on the card:
| Card | Renewal hours | Course options |
|---|---|---|
| Worker, option 1 | 8 | 4-hour Fall Prevention plus 4-hour Supported Scaffold User and Refresher |
| Worker, option 2 | 8 | 4-hour Fall Prevention, 2-hour Mental Health Awareness, and 2-hour Tool Box Talks or Pre-Task Meeting |
| Supervisor | 16 | Three options, built from Fall Prevention, Site Safety, Supported Scaffold, Mental Health Awareness, and Tool Box Talks or Pre-Task Meeting |
The Mental Health Awareness course was added to certain renewal options effective August 1, 2026 (DOB; DOB follow-up FAQ). Holders of active cards do not have to take it unless it is part of the option they choose for renewal (DOB Local Law 10 FAQ). Take the courses from a DOB-registered course provider that also issues SST cards (DOB provider list). DOB's FAQ says renewal courses must be taken within the 12 months before the renewal. Parts of that FAQ predate Local Law 10, so confirm the timing with DOB (DOB FAQ).
The one-year grace period
Local Law 10 of 2026 took effect May 3, 2026. For SST cards that expire on or after that date, workers have one year after expiration to take the refresher courses and renew. During that year the card cannot be used on a job site, and it shows as expired in the Training Connect app until it is renewed. A card that expired before May 3, 2026 cannot be renewed, so the worker applies for a new one. A worker who misses the one-year window also applies for a new card (DOB; DOB FAQ).
Some older DOB and training-company pages still say an expired card cannot be renewed. That was the rule before this change, so check the dates on the page you are reading.
Employer and site-owner duties
- Validate every card. Each SST card submitted at a site must be validated in the Training Connect app before the worker may enter (DOB FAQ).
- Penalties. For untrained workers, DOB issues violations with civil penalties up to $5,000 per untrained worker. They go to the site owner, the permit holder, and the worker's employer, and not to the worker. A permit holder without a log showing all workers are trained faces a $2,500 penalty (DOB FAQ).
- Mitigation. DOB says penalties can be mitigated if an employer sponsors training for the untrained worker (DOB FAQ). The city's Department of Small Business Services also lists a free SST training program (DOB).
Time-sensitive: Redcode, Inc. cards
On September 8, 2026 the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office announced an indictment of Redcode, Inc. over the issuance of SST cards. DOB is invalidating all of the company's SST certificates. Affected cards stay active through December 7, 2026, and workers must retake the training with a DOB-registered provider by then or the cards are revoked on December 8 (DOB notice; DOB Redcode FAQ). The notice also reaches SST cards that other providers issued using Redcode certificates, and OSHA cards taught by Redcode's owner, so check your roster for those as well as cards from this provider.
What to track for each NYC worker
- Card type (worker or supervisor), issue date, and the expiration date five years later.
- The issuing course provider, so a notice like the one above can be matched to your crew quickly.
- A renewal reminder about 12 months before expiration, because DOB's FAQ says refresher courses must fall within the 12 months before renewal (confirm the timing with DOB).
Frequently asked questions
What is an NYC SST card?
It is the Site Safety Training card that the Department of Buildings requires under Local Law 196 of 2017. The DOB SST card is proof of 40 hours of training, or 62 for supervisors.
Can I get an SST card online?
DOB lets registered providers offer approved virtual live or on-demand SST courses. The provider must have DOB approval for the format first (DOB FAQ).
How long is a Site Safety Training card good for?
Five years from issuance.
What does SST NYC cost?
Registered providers must publish their course costs and whether the fee includes the card (DOB FAQ). The city's Department of Small Business Services also lists a free program.
Rules change. This guide summarizes public sources and is not legal advice. Confirm current requirements with the NYC Department of Buildings before acting on them.