Is my White Card still valid?
Most White Cards have no expiry date, but the card lapses after 2 years out of construction work. The rule in each state, and what to do if yours has lapsed.
Written byEdway
The short answer
Most White Cards carry no expiry date. What matters is recent work: your card lapses once you have been out of construction work for 2 or more years.
If you have worked in construction in the last 2 years, your card is current. A few states word the rule their own way, and the Australian Capital Territory does not use the 2-year rule at all.
When your card lapses
The rule is about the work you have done, not a date printed on the card. Once you have been out of the construction industry for 2 or more years, your card is no longer current.
If that has happened, completing the construction induction training again gives you a current card. The unit is CPCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industry.
The rule in each state
| Where your card came from | What keeps it valid |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | No expiry. Lapses if you are out of construction work for 2 or more years. |
| Victoria | No fixed expiry. The same 2-year out-of-industry rule applies. |
| South Australia | Valid while you have worked in construction within the last 2 years. |
| Western Australia | No expiry. Invalid if you are out of the industry for 2 or more consecutive years. |
| Tasmania | No fixed expiry. Valid indefinitely unless you are out of the industry for 2 or more years. |
| Australian Capital Territory | Does not expire — indefinite unless cancelled by the ACT WHS Commissioner. |
Those are the six states and territories with a White Card course on this site. If your card came from somewhere else, check the rule with the regulator that issued it.
Moving interstate
A valid construction induction card from any state or territory is recognised across Australia. You do not need a new card just because you move. This comes from the model Work Health and Safety Regulations, regulation 318.
Worksites can still run their own site induction. That is separate from your card and does not replace it.
There is no Queensland White Card course on this site, and you do not need one — a valid card issued in another state lets you work on Queensland sites.
Old cards with other names
Construction induction cards have gone by different names. New South Wales called it the Green Card, Victoria the Red Card, and Western Australia the Blue Card.
A Victorian Red Card issued before 1 July 2008 is still valid in Victoria. If you hold one, read Swapping an old Victorian Red Card for a White Card.
Next step
Choose your state on the White Card course page to see your state's validity rule, how the course is delivered and who issues your card.
Sources
- Safe Work Australia — Model Work Health and Safety RegulationsMutual recognition of a construction induction card across Australia (regulation 318)
- SafeWork NSW — White cardsNew South Wales card process and validity
- SafeWork SA — White cardSouth Australian validity: the card stays valid while you have worked in construction within the last 2 years
- training.gov.au — CPCWHS1001 Prepare to work safely in the construction industryUnit code and official title
