OSHA doesn't keep a lookup database that workers can use to print a new card. The process runs through whoever taught your course.
The rules
- Contact the original trainer or online provider. They are the only ones who can request a replacement.
- Within five years. Replacement cards are only available for training completed within the last five years.
- Only once. OSHA policy allows one replacement card.
- Expect a fee and a wait for the plastic card. Many providers can send a temporary certificate in the meantime.
What if the trainer is gone?
If the trainer retired or the provider closed, ask the OSHA Training Institute Education Center that issued the trainer's cards. Some can help. If the class was more than five years ago, there is usually no replacement. Retaking the course is the only way to get a new card.
Don't let it happen again
The card on the back usually has the trainer's name and contact information. Take a photo of the front and back today and store it somewhere other than your phone. Employers: keep that photo in your tracker so the trainer's details are not lost when a worker loses their wallet.
Step-by-step: requesting a replacement card
- Find the trainer or provider's name. It is printed on the back of the card. If you no longer have the card, look for the course completion email, a receipt, a certificate, or ask your employer, who may have a photo on file.
- Check the date. Replacements are only possible for training completed within the last five years. If you took the class in 2020 and it is now 2026, you are past the window.
- Contact the trainer or provider directly. Online providers usually have a "replacement card" page or a support email. In-person trainers may need your name, the class date and the location.
- Confirm your identity. Expect to give your full name as it appeared on the course, your date of birth or the last digits of an ID, and the course type (10 or 30 hour, Construction or General Industry).
- Pay the fee, if any. Fees are set by the trainer or provider, not by OSHA.
- Ask for a temporary record. Many providers can send a letter or certificate showing you completed the course while the plastic card is being produced.
- Wait for the card. Plastic cards are produced through the trainer's Authorizing Training Organization and mailed. Allow several weeks.
Once you have the replacement, photograph both sides and keep the photo somewhere safe. You cannot get a second replacement.
Why there is no national lookup
People often search "OSHA card lookup by name" expecting a government database. OSHA does not run a public national database of student cards. Records are kept by the authorized trainers, who must keep class records for five years, and by the OTI Education Centers and other Authorizing Training Organizations that issue the cards.
Newer plastic cards include a QR code on the back. Scanning it takes you to the Authorizing Training Organization that processed the card, which can confirm it. That helps employers verify a card, but it does not help you if the card is gone, unless you or your employer saved a photo of it.
Online course versus classroom: what's different
Online courses. The provider has your account. Log in and look for "replacement card", "order duplicate card" or a support link. If you cannot log in, contact support with the email address you used. Online providers typically process replacements faster because the records are already digital.
Classroom or on-site courses. The trainer is an individual. Their name and contact details are on the back of your card. If you only know the company that hosted the class, contact them: they may know the trainer or have the class roster.
Union or apprenticeship courses. Ask your training center. They usually keep records of the class and the trainer.
What if the trainer won't respond?
Give it a reasonable time and try more than one channel, such as email, phone and the organization that hosted the class. If you still get nothing, contact the OTI Education Center or Authorizing Training Organization that issued the trainer's cards. They may be able to help locate the record. If the class was more than five years ago, retaking the course is usually the only option.
When you need proof today
Lost cards always seem to be discovered the day before a new job starts. Options while you wait:
- A temporary certificate or letter from the trainer or provider, if they can issue one quickly.
- A photo of the card your employer saved, which many employers accept for their own records.
- Retaking the course online if the deadline is real and the replacement will be slow. An OSHA 10 takes at least two days because of the 7.5-hour daily limit.
Some jobs are stricter. On Rhode Island public works, workers must carry the card itself. In Nevada, a new hire has only 15 days to produce a card, so a slow replacement can mean retaking the course. See do OSHA cards expire? for the rules that set time limits.
Damaged, faded or wrong-name cards
- Damaged or faded: treat it like a lost card. Ask the trainer for a replacement within five years.
- Name misspelled: contact the trainer or provider soon after you receive it. They can usually correct it through the issuing organization.
- Name changed (for example after marriage): ask the trainer or provider. Keep documentation of the name change with the card, because employers match the card to your ID.
Advice for employers
Lost cards cost employers time and money too. A worker who cannot prove training may be removed from a public job site in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, or may delay a certified payroll submission in Connecticut. Prevent it:
- Photograph every card at hire, front and back. The back has the trainer's details you need for a replacement.
- Record the completion date, so you know when the five-year replacement window closes.
- Remind workers to keep cards safe, especially on jobs where they must carry them.
- Plan retraining for anyone whose card is past the replacement window and who works on jobs requiring the card.
A crew card tracker keeps photos and dates together, so a lost card becomes a quick email to the trainer instead of a new course.
Replacement versus retaking: which is cheaper?
If you are within five years and the trainer responds, a replacement is usually cheaper and faster. If you are past five years, near the end of the window, or the trainer cannot be found, retaking the course may be the better choice:
| Situation | Best option |
|---|---|
| Class 2 years ago, trainer known | Request a replacement |
| Class 4 years 10 months ago | Request a replacement now; it closes soon |
| Class 6 years ago | Retake the course |
| Trainer unreachable, job starts Monday | Retake online if the job requires the card |
| Moving into a supervisor role | Take OSHA 30 instead of replacing an OSHA 10 |
If you are retaking, make sure the provider is authorized. The online OSHA course checker explains how to check, and our guide to OSHA card cost shows typical prices.
Sources and further reading
Card replacement rules are set by OSHA and applied by trainers and providers.
- OSHA Outreach Training Program: replacement rules and the five-year limit.
- OSHA-authorized online Outreach providers: contact points for online students.
- OSHA Outreach FAQ: answers to common card questions.
- Your trainer or provider's records, which are the starting point for any replacement request.