Don’t Let Your SST Card Expire: Why You Must Renew It Before the Deadline
- Admin
- Nov 21, 2025
- 3 min read
If you work on a major NYC construction site that requires a Site Safety Plan and a Site Safety Professional, your Site Safety Training (SST) card is your legal authorization to be on the job site. But it doesn’t last forever. SST cards expire after five years, and the NYC
Department of Buildings (DOB) is very clear:
👉 You can only renew an SST card while it is still active.
Expired SST cards cannot be renewed under any circumstances.
If your card expires, you must retake the full initial training program from the beginning.
Official sources:
1. What the NYC DOB Officially Says About SST Renewals
According to DOB:
Worker and Supervisor SST cards are valid for 5 years from the date of issuance.
Cards may be renewed only while they are still active.
If a card has expired, it is not eligible for renewal.
To renew an active card, a worker must complete the required refresher training within the 12 months prior to the card’s expiration.
Source: DOB Service Notice
This means the safest time to renew is 6–12 months before your card expires, leaving enough time for training, processing, and issuing the updated card.
2. What Training You Need to Renew Your SST Card
Renewal requirements depend on which card you hold.
Worker SST Card (40 Hours): 8-Hour Refresher Required
To renew a Worker SST card, DOB requires 8 hours of refresher training, completed within 12 months before the expiration date.
According to the official Service Notice, you may complete one of two DOB-approved combinations:
Option 1 (8 hours total)
4-Hour Fall Prevention
4-Hour Supported Scaffold User & Refresher
Option 2 (8 hours total)
4-Hour Fall Prevention
2-Hour Tool Box Talks
2-Hour Pre-Task Safety Meeting
Supervisor SST Card (62 Hours): 16-Hour Refresher Required
Supervisors must complete 16 hours of DOB-approved refresher training.
DOB allows several combinations. One example listed in the Service Notice is:
Example Combination (16 hours total)
8-Hour Fall Prevention
4-Hour Supported Scaffold User & Refresher
2-Hour Tool Box Talks
2-Hour Pre-Task Safety Meeting
3. What Happens If Your SST Card Expires
DOB states this clearly and explicitly:
👉 If your SST card expires, you cannot renew it.
👉 You must complete the entire initial training program again.
That means:
For workers → retake the full 40-Hour SST Training
For supervisors → retake the full 62-Hour SST Training
Even if you completed the refresher coursework but your card expired before the renewed one was issued, DOB still considers the card invalid — and you must start over.
4. Why You Cannot Work With an Expired SST Card (and the Fines)
Under Local Law 196, all workers and supervisors on specific NYC construction sites must carry valid SST cards.
If DOB finds workers without valid SST training:
$5,000 civil penalty per untrained worker – Issued to the Owner, Permit Holder, and Employer
$2,500 civil penalty if the Permit Holder fails to maintain proper training logs
While penalties target employers, an expired card means:
❌ You cannot enter the job site
❌ You cannot be assigned to work
❌ Your employer is legally required to deny you access
This can result in lost workdays, loss of employment, or the need to repeat weeks of training.
5. Practical Step-by-Step Checklist to Renew on Time
✔ Check the expiration date on your SST card
✔ Schedule refresher training 6–12 months before expiration
✔ Ensure your provider is DOB-approved and listed as an SST provider (official list )
✔ Complete the required:
8 hours (Worker)
16 hours (Supervisor) ✔ Submit training documents promptly ✔ Confirm your new SST card is issued before the current one expires
If the expiration date passes — even by one day — renewal is no longer possible.
Final Takeaway
Your SST card is your legal access to work on NYC construction sites.
The DOB makes the rules simple:
Renew only while your card is active
Expired = must start the full training over
Refresher training must be completed within 12 months before expiration
Working with an expired card is not allowed and leads to fines for employers
The best strategy?
With HighRise Safety you can renew early, plan ahead, and keep your certification active to avoid interruptions in work and unnecessary expenses
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