How to Get My OSHA 10: Provider, Card, and State Rules

To get your OSHA 10 card, enroll in a 10-hour outreach training course through an OSHA-authorized provider in the industry track that matches your work, complete the class over at least two days, and wait up to 90 days for the Department of Labor to mail your plastic card.¹ The training itself is voluntary under federal rules, but many employers and several states require the card for construction work, so your job site may treat it as mandatory even when OSHA does not.

Pick the Right Industry Track First

OSHA runs separate 10-hour courses for different industries, and the card you earn is specific to the one you take. If your employer says “OSHA 10” without specifying, they almost certainly mean construction. Ask before paying, because switching tracks after you finish means starting over.

Construction covers the hazards in 29 CFR Part 1926, including fall protection, excavation, electrocution, and struck-by hazards. This is the track states point to when they mandate OSHA 10.²
General Industry covers 29 CFR Part 1910 and applies to manufacturing, warehousing, healthcare, and other non-construction workplaces.³
Maritime applies to shipyard employment, marine terminals, and longshoring.⁴

Find an OSHA-Authorized Provider

This step matters more than any other. A course from an unauthorized source will not produce a legitimate Department of Labor card, regardless of how polished the website looks or how much you paid. OSHA keeps a searchable directory of authorized classroom trainers and approved online providers.⁵ If the provider you’re considering is not in that directory, do not enroll.

Trainers have to keep their credentials current through an OSHA Training Institute Education Center. As of October 2024, OSHA eliminated the grace period for expired trainer authorizations, so a lapsed trainer cannot legally run a class or issue cards.⁴ OSHA also authorizes a separate list of online providers to deliver the construction and general industry courses in Spanish.⁶

Avoiding Fraud

Scam providers sell fake cards, promise “instant certification,” or offer the credential with little or no coursework. A few things to watch for: anyone claiming you can finish the 10-hour course in a single day is violating OSHA’s daily training limits; any site offering a card without actual class time is a scam. OSHA does not run a national card verification database, so the only official way to check a card is to scan the QR code on the back, which routes to the Education Center that issued it.¹ To report a trainer operating without authorization, call the OSHA hotline at 847-297-4810.⁷

Choose a Format and Expect at Least Two Days

You can take the course in person, in a live virtual class with an instructor, or as a self-paced online course. All three formats produce the same Department of Labor card. Prices are set by the trainer or online provider. Online courses typically run $50 to $150, and in-person classes usually run $150 to $250. The card fee is normally included.

OSHA caps training at 7.5 student contact hours per calendar day, which means the 10-hour course cannot be finished in one sitting. It takes a minimum of two days.⁸ A 10-minute break is required after every two consecutive hours of instruction, and any session over six hours needs a meal break of at least 30 minutes. Breaks do not count toward the 10 hours.

Live virtual classes require both the trainer and every student to keep cameras and audio on throughout the session, and classes with more than 20 students need a proctor. Self-paced courses use built-in time tracking so you cannot skip ahead, and trainers must make a reasonable effort to verify your identity.⁸

The construction curriculum devotes most of the hours to the leading causes of construction fatalities (falls, electrocution, struck-by, and caught-in-between hazards), with additional time on personal protective equipment, health hazards, and electives like scaffolding or ladders chosen by the trainer.⁹ OSHA requires training to be interactive. Videos cannot make up more than 25 percent of the instructional time.⁸

Who Pays

Federal OSHA does not require employers to cover outreach training, because the program is voluntary at the federal level.¹ Many employers pay anyway because they require the card for the job. Before paying out of pocket, ask whether your employer will reimburse you or arrange a group class. Some unions provide OSHA 10 training to members at no charge.

Pass the Course and Get Your Name Right

To earn the card you have to attend the entire class and complete all required topics for the minimum contact hours.⁸ Online providers typically include quizzes and a final assessment, often with a passing score around 70 percent. The number of attempts allowed and the deadline to finish vary by provider, so read those terms before you enroll. Failing with no attempts left usually means paying to re-enroll.

When you register, use your full legal name and a mailing address where you can receive mail for several months. Your name on the course records must match your ID, and the address is where the plastic card gets sent. Correcting a misprinted card later takes time and may cost an administrative fee.

Receiving Your Card: Up to 90 Days

Most providers issue a temporary completion certificate as soon as you finish. It serves as valid proof of training while you wait for the plastic card, and job sites that require OSHA 10 will generally accept it. Save a copy on your phone and print one.

The permanent card is a plastic Department of Labor card processed and mailed by the OSHA Training Institute Education Center that authorized your trainer. Trainers are required to issue it within 90 days of your course completion date.¹ Some arrive much sooner, but plan for the full window. If 90 days pass and nothing has arrived, contact your trainer directly.

State Rules That Make the Card Mandatory

Federal OSHA treats the 10-hour course as voluntary, but several states have passed laws requiring it for construction workers, particularly on public works projects. States with some form of mandate include Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, and West Virginia. Some also require the 30-hour course for supervisors and foremen. Check with your state labor department or your employer, because showing up to a covered job site without the card can mean being turned away or fined.

Expiration, Replacement, and Verification

OSHA 10 cards do not expire under federal rules.¹ A card from five or ten years ago is still valid to OSHA. Some employers and state laws require workers to retake the training after a set number of years. If your employer says the card is good for five years, that is an employer rule, not a federal one.

If your card is lost or damaged, contact the original trainer for a replacement. OSHA allows one replacement per student per class, and the original training must have been within the past five years.¹⁰ The Education Center charges an administrative fee for the replacement. Past the five-year mark, your only option is to retake the course.

To verify any card, scan the QR code on the back. It routes to the Education Center that processed the card, and that center can confirm whether it is legitimate.¹ No national database exists, so the QR code is the only official check.

1
Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA Outreach Training Program FAQs
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eCFR. 29 CFR Part 1926 — Safety and Health Regulations for Construction
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eCFR. 29 CFR Part 1910 — Occupational Safety and Health Standards
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Outreach Training Program
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Find a Trainer
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA-Authorized Online Outreach Training Providers in Spanish
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U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA Establishes Watch List to Strengthen Integrity of Outreach Training Program
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Outreach Training Program Requirements
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). 10-Hour Construction Industry Designated Training Topics
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Occupational Safety and Health Administration. I Recently Completed an Outreach Training Program Class