Cards expire, usually at an inconvenient moment. If you hold an IPAF PAL Card or a PASMA card, this guide explains how renewal works and what to do if you have left it late.
How long do the cards last?
Both are valid for five years from the date of the course. The date is on the card. Many teams diarise renewals a few months ahead, because a site will not accept an expired card and a course takes a day, plus the time to find a space.
How do you renew an IPAF PAL Card?
You take the course again before the card expires. For most operators that means the IPAF 3a and 3b refresher: a one-day course, 3a and 3b together, which covers scissor lifts and cherry pickers and ends with a theory test and a practical. Pass and you get a new PAL Card valid for five years.
If your card covers other categories, such as 1a or 1b, say so when you book and we will tell you which course or courses you need. You can see all of them on the IPAF training courses page, and read the detail on the IPAF 3a and 3b course page.
How do you renew a PASMA card?
The same way. Retake the Towers for Users course before the card runs out. It is a one-day course, with a theory test and a practical build, and the new card is valid for five years. See the PASMA Towers for Users course.
What if my card has already run out?
Do not guess. Call us on 01472 230244 or send us the details: when it expired, which categories it covered and how much you have used the machine since. We will tell you which course is right for you. Until you have a valid card, you should not be operating a MEWP or building a tower on a site that requires one.
Can we renew a whole team on our own site?
Yes, and it is often the neatest way. We run IPAF and PASMA courses on your site using your machines or your tower anywhere in the country, so a team can renew in a day without travelling. If you tell us the expiry dates we can group people by date and book the course around them.
What does it cost?
Prices are on the course pages, and a renewal is generally shorter than a first course. For a group, ask for an on-site quote. There is more on what affects the price in how much IPAF and PASMA training costs.
Where next?
Book a renewal on the IPAF 3a and 3b course or the PASMA course. If you are new to either, start with what IPAF training is or what PASMA training is.