What Happens If You Fail the SMSTS Course?

When You Book Multiple Courses.

If you fail the SMSTS exam, you can usually resit without retaking the full five-day course, provided you scored above CITB’s minimum threshold and resit within 10 working days. If you scored well below the pass mark, CITB requires you to attend the full five-day course again before resitting. The resit is significantly less expensive than the full course, and most candidates pass on their second attempt with focused revision.

This guide covers exactly what happens, what your options are, and how to pass the resit. We will also cover the rules around safety critical questions, which is the part that catches most people out.

Quick facts

SMSTS pass mark: 80% overall (at least 20 out of 25 questions correct)
Safety critical questions: All must be correct. Get one wrong and you fail regardless of overall score.
Resit window: Typically within 10 working days of the original exam
Resit eligibility: Score must be at or above CITB’s minimum threshold
Pass rate on resit: Strong. Most candidates pass second time with targeted preparation.
Certificate impact: A failed first attempt does not appear on your final SMSTS certificate

What does failing the SMSTS actually mean?

Failing the SMSTS exam means you did not meet CITB’s required standard on the final-day written assessment. There are three ways this can happen.

1. You scored below 80% overall

The SMSTS exam contains 25 questions made up of 18 multiple choice and 7 short written answers. You need at least 20 correct to reach the 80% pass mark. The exam lasts 35 minutes. You cannot use reference materials in the first 20 minutes, but you can refer to the GE700 Construction Site Safety book and the XA6 SMSTS Delegate Workbook in the final 15.

2. You answered a safety critical question incorrectly

The exam includes around five safety critical questions. These cover scenarios where the wrong decision on site could directly cause serious injury or death, typically in the areas of working at height, excavations, lifting operations, fire safety and emergency procedures.

You must get every safety critical question correct, regardless of your overall score. A candidate scoring 23 out of 25 (92%) still fails if just one of the incorrect answers was a safety critical question. CITB applies this rule because site managers carry direct legal responsibility for everyone on site.

3. Your trainer review or case study was unsatisfactory

The final result is not based only on the written exam. Your tutor also assesses participation throughout the five days and a case study task. Poor engagement, missed sessions or an incomplete case study can contribute to a fail even if your written exam score is borderline.

Will I be told straight away?

In most cases, no. Your tutor marks the exam after the course ends and submits the result to CITB for moderation. You will normally be informed of your result within 5 to 10 working days, by email or phone from your training provider. CITB does not contact delegates directly.

What are my options if I fail?

Option 1: Resit the exam (most common)

If your score was close to the pass mark and you did not fail through misconduct, you are eligible for a resit without repeating the full course. The resit involves sitting a new exam paper covering the same syllabus, usually within 10 working days of your original course end date.

The resit is normally arranged through your training provider. At Target Zero Training, our team will contact you to discuss next steps and book your resit at the earliest available date, typically by joining the final day of an upcoming SMSTS course to sit the new paper.

Option 2: Retake the full course

If your score was significantly below the pass mark, CITB requires you to attend the full five-day course again before being allowed to resit. This is the less common outcome. Most candidates who fail do so by a small margin and qualify for a resit alone. If a substantial knowledge gap has been identified, repeating the course is the right route to addressing it properly.

Option 3: Appeal the result

If you believe your exam was marked incorrectly, or there were exceptional circumstances on the day such as illness, disruption, or a problem with the exam paper, you can request a review through your training provider. This is rare, but it does happen, particularly where a single disputed question would have changed the result.

Resitting the SMSTS exam: what does it cost?

Resit fees vary by provider but are significantly less expensive than retaking the full course. The exact cost depends on which provider you originally booked with and whether you are sitting the resit at the same provider or a different one.

If your employer pays the CITB levy, they may be able to claim a grant towards the cost of either route through the CITB Employer Network in 2026. Speak to your training provider about how to claim. For current resit fees with us, call 01245 379496 or email sales@targetzerogroup.co.uk.

How long do I have to resit?

CITB requires the resit to take place within a defined window, typically 10 working days from the original course end date. Some providers can arrange a slightly longer window in exceptional circumstances, but you should not assume this. If you let the window pass, you will need to attend the full five-day SMSTS course again.

Does a failed attempt show on my certificate?

No. The SMSTS certificate issued by CITB after a successful pass does not record any previous failed attempts. Your CSCS Black Card application, your employer and any future employer will see only your final pass result. This applies whether you passed first time, on a resit, or after retaking the full course.

How to pass the SMSTS exam second time around

If you have failed once, you already know the format and the topics that caught you out. Use this to your advantage.

1. Get your tutor’s feedback in writing

Ask which areas you scored lowest on. CITB does not release individual question marks, but tutors can usually indicate the broad topics where you struggled, such as the legal framework, CDM 2015, working at height, excavations, fire, or COSHH.

2. Focus revision on the safety critical topic areas

These are non-negotiable. Working at height, excavations, lifting operations, fire safety and emergency procedures must be completely solid. Use the GE700 Construction Site Safety book and the XA6 SMSTS Delegate Workbook (both included in your course fee) to revise these specifically.

3. Use the free SMSTS mock test to identify weak spots

Take our free SMSTS mock test under exam conditions: 35 minutes, no notes for the first 20 minutes. If you score below 80%, revise the relevant module before trying again. Repeated mock testing is the single highest-impact thing you can do between fail and resit.

4. Practise writing short answers in full sentences

A common reason for marginal fails is losing marks on the written section by giving one-word answers. Each written question expects a structured response covering the relevant legislation or control measure, and each carries up to 2 marks. If you only answer one part correctly, you may score zero for that question.

5. Treat the resit as the priority it is

A failed SMSTS can delay a job offer or a project. Block out revision time, score your mock tests seriously, and arrive at the resit fully rested.

Common reasons candidates fail the SMSTS exam

In our experience supporting thousands of site managers through SMSTS, the most common causes of a failed first attempt are:

Time pressure. Spending too long on early questions and rushing the written section.
Misreading safety critical questions. Giving a “site practice” answer when the question is asking for the legally required response.
Confusing CDM 2015 duty holders. Mixing up the responsibilities of the principal contractor, principal designer and client.
Vague written answers. Writing “follow the regulations” instead of naming the specific regulation and what it requires.
Tiredness on day five. The course is intensive, and the exam is the last thing on the last day. Many delegates underestimate how much five days of new information takes out of them.

Recognising these patterns is the first step to avoiding them on your resit.

Can you fail the SMSTS Refresher course?

Yes, but it is much less common. The SMSTS Refresher is a two-day course with a shorter assessment that builds on knowledge you already hold. The same resit rules apply. If you fail by a small margin you can resit. If you fail substantially you must retake the full two-day refresher.

If your original SMSTS certificate has already expired and you fail the refresher, you may need to take the full five-day SMSTS course again. This is one of the strongest arguments for booking your refresher well before your certificate expires.

What if my certificate has already expired?

If your SMSTS certificate has expired before you book a refresher, you cannot take the refresher course at all. You must complete the full five-day SMSTS again. CITB does not allow a refresher to renew an expired certificate, even by a few days. We recommend booking your refresher around three months before expiry to give yourself a comfortable buffer. Read more in our guide on what happens if your SMSTS certificate expires.

Frequently asked questions

How many people fail the SMSTS course?

CITB does not publish a national pass rate. In our experience as a CITB-approved provider with over 9,100 Trustpilot reviews, the vast majority of candidates pass first time when they engage fully with the five days and complete the practice materials.

Can I take the SMSTS exam on its own without doing the course?

No. The SMSTS exam is only available to candidates who have completed the full five-day course or the two-day refresher for renewals. There is no exam-only route.

How long do I have to wait between exam attempts?

Resits are usually scheduled within 10 working days of the original course. If you need to retake the full course, you can book onto the next available course date, typically within 1 to 4 weeks at most providers.

Will I have to pay again to resit?

Yes. There is a resit fee, but it is significantly less than the full course fee. Speak to your training provider for their specific resit pricing.

Does a failed SMSTS affect my CSCS card application?

No. Only your final passed result is recorded on your SMSTS certificate, and CSCS bases your card application on the certificate alone.

Can I get a refund if I fail and don’t want to resit?

No. Course fees are not refundable based on exam results. The fee covers tuition, materials, the exam and the certificate (if you pass), not a guaranteed pass.

Does my employer find out if I fail?

Only if you or your training provider tells them. CITB does not notify your employer of a failed attempt. However, if your employer is paying for the course, they will usually be informed of the outcome as part of the booking process.

Is the SSSTS resit process the same as SMSTS?

Broadly yes. The SSSTS exam follows the same rules around safety critical questions and an 80% pass mark, with a similar 10-day resit window.

Need to resit your SMSTS? We can help

At Target Zero Training, we are a CITB-approved training provider rated 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot from over 9,100 reviews. We run the SMSTS course at venues across England including Chelmsford, Peterborough, Crawley, Sheffield, Stratford, Waltham Abbey, Barking and London, as well as live online via Zoom.

If you have failed the SMSTS exam with another provider and need a resit, get in touch. Our team will help you understand your options and book you onto the next available exam date. Call 01245 379496 or email sales@targetzerogroup.co.uk.

Ready to retake the full course? View available SMSTS course dates and book online.

Renewing rather than resitting? View SMSTS Refresher dates.