Ultimate Guide to OSHA Certification by State

July 12, 2026

Here’s the short answer: most U.S. workers do not need an OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card under federal OSHA law, but some states, cities, and public contracts do require it. If I were checking a worker for a job today, 07/12/2026, I’d look at five things first: the OSHA plan, the project type, the worker’s role, any local/public contract rule, and the card date.

In plain English:

Federal OSHA does not require OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 for most jobs
OSHA 10 is usually for workers
OSHA 30 is usually for supervisors
Some places turn that into a legal rule, especially on public works
State plans matter because rules can change by state
Local rules matter too, such as New York City, Miami-Dade County, and Philadelphia
OSHA cards do not expire federally, but many jobs still want training done within the last 3 to 5 years
Providers keep class records for 5 years, so lost-card issues can become a problem later

A few places stand out right away:

Nevada: OSHA 10 for construction workers and OSHA 30 for supervisors, usually within 15 days of hire
New York State: OSHA 10 on some public works at $250,000+
New York City: many larger sites need a 40-hour Site Safety Training package
Massachusetts: OSHA 10 on public works starting at $10,000
Connecticut: OSHA 10 on public building work at $100,000+
New Hampshire: OSHA 10 before work on some state-funded public jobs at $100,000+
Missouri: OSHA 10 or a state-approved equivalent for on-site public works workers
Georgia, Texas, and much of private-sector Illinois: no statewide OSHA card law; rules often come from the contract or employer

OSHA Certification Requirements by State: Quick Reference Guide

Is OSHA Federal or State? The Answer Depends on Where You Work

Quick Comparison

Place	Rule Type	Who It Hits	Trigger
Nevada	State law	Construction workers and supervisors	Most construction work over $1,000
New York State	State public works rule	Covered workers/some supervisors	Public works at $250,000+
New York City	Local rule	Workers on many larger sites	Site Safety Plan-covered work
Massachusetts	State public works rule	Workers on covered public projects	$10,000+
Connecticut	State public building rule	Construction workers	$100,000+
New Hampshire	State-funded public work rule	On-site employees	$100,000+
Missouri	State public works rule	On-site employees	Public works contracts
Miami-Dade County	Local rule	County-funded construction workers	Over $1,000,000
Philadelphia	Local rule	At least one supervisor on licensed crews	Local licensing rule
Georgia	No statewide card law	Contract-driven	Varies by job
Illinois	No private-sector statewide card law	Contract-driven	Varies by job
Texas	No statewide card law	Contract-driven	Varies by job

Bottom line: I would not treat “OSHA certification” as a license. It usually just means an OSHA Outreach card, and that card is only one part of jobsite compliance. You still need to match the right training track – Construction or General Industry – and check state, local, and contract rules before sending anyone to work.

Federal OSHA Training Rules: The Baseline Before Checking State Requirements

Federal OSHA does not require every worker to carry an OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card. But employers still have to provide the hazard-specific training required under the OSHA standard that applies to the job. That baseline matters, because state rules often build on top of it.

When OSHA 10 vs. OSHA 30 Is Typically Required

OSHA 10 is meant for entry-level workers. OSHA 30 is usually for supervisors, foremen, and safety leads.

Here’s the key point: Federal OSHA does not require either card for general employment. In most cases, the card requirement comes from state law, contract language, or site rules. Nevada is one clear example. The state requires OSHA 10 for construction workers and OSHA 30 for supervisors within 15 days of hire. The next section shows where states turn those common expectations into legal rules.

Pick the training track based on the work being done, not the company’s label. A business might call itself an energy company, utility contractor, or plant operator. That doesn’t decide the track. The job itself does.

Work Type	Correct Track	Governing Standard
Building construction, bridges, highways, heavy civil	Construction	29 CFR 1926
Utility line installation, trenching, new pipeline construction	Construction	29 CFR 1926
New well pads, compressor stations, pipeline builds	Construction	29 CFR 1926
Plant/facility maintenance, manufacturing, warehousing	General Industry	29 CFR 1910
Terminal operations, midstream facilities, ongoing production	General Industry	29 CFR 1910

When the work is mixed or not crystal clear, Construction is usually the safer default. Why? Because it covers higher-risk tasks such as scaffolding, excavation, and steel erection.

Accepted Training Formats and Proof of Completion

OSHA Outreach training can be delivered in a classroom, by live video, or through authorized online training from OSHA-authorized providers. OSHA 10 takes at least two calendar days, and OSHA 30 takes at least four.

After finishing the course, workers get a federal Department of Labor (DOL) wallet card. Before accepting that card, employers should check a few things:

The industry track matches the job
The provider is still authorized
The course date meets any state or site recency rule

A General Industry card does not match a construction job. It’s that simple.

It also helps to keep verified card images and trainer details in one system. That way, dispatchers can confirm compliance before a worker is assigned to a site. Once the format and card check out, the next step is looking at each state’s rules.

OSHA Certification Requirements: All 50 States

How to Read Each State Entry

Each state entry uses the same format, which makes side-by-side checks much easier.

Here’s what each field means:

Plan Type – Whether the state runs its own OSHA-approved program or stays under federal OSHA
Coverage/Sectors – Which workers the rule applies to
Required Training – Whether the rule calls for OSHA 10, OSHA 30, or a state-approved equivalent, and whether that rule comes from a statute, regulation, or contract language
Project Threshold – The project value or project type that triggers the rule
Completion Deadline – When the training has to be done
Renewal Interval – Whether the state requires recertification or just employer retraining
Notable State or Local Rules – Extra requirements, like NYC Local Law 196 or state-specific course content

Use those fields to answer a simple jobsite question: can this worker start now, or do they need training first?

Selected State and Local Rules

Most OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 requirements don’t come straight from statewide law. They usually show up in public contracts, local ordinances, or licensing rules. The entries here focus on places where OSHA card rules move beyond a common jobsite policy and become an actual legal requirement.

Nevada is one of the clearest examples. The state requires OSHA 10 for construction workers and OSHA 30 for supervisors within 15 days of hire. It also adds 3 hours of Nevada-specific content, which brings the totals to 13 hours or 33 hours. If an employer doesn’t follow the rule, the noncompliant worker must be suspended or terminated.

New York State requires OSHA 10 for workers on public works contracts advertised at $250,000 or more. New York City goes further. Under Local Law 196, workers on many large construction and demolition sites covered by a Site Safety Plan must complete a 40-hour Site Safety Training package.

A few other places have direct OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 rules worth flagging.

Massachusetts requires OSHA 10 for workers on public works and public building projects funded in whole or in part by the Commonwealth. The threshold starts at $10,000.

Connecticut requires OSHA 10 on public building construction contracts of $100,000 or more. On top of that, many owners and agencies expect workers to retrain every 5 years.

New Hampshire requires all on-site employees to complete OSHA 10 before they begin work on public construction projects costing $100,000 or more when those projects are funded in whole or in part by state funds. If a worker shows up without it, they must provide proof of completion within 15 days or be removed.

Missouri takes a strict approach through the Construction Safety Training Act. All on-site employees on public works contracts must complete OSHA 10 or a comparable state-approved program. Workers who still haven’t met the rule after 60 days must be removed, and penalties can reach $2,500 plus $100 per calendar day per employee.

At the local level, Miami-Dade County requires workers on county-funded construction contracts over $1,000,000 to complete a 10-Hour Construction Course. An OSHA 30 Construction card also satisfies that OSHA 10 rule.

Philadelphia uses a narrower local rule. Licensed contractor crews must have at least one supervisory employee who completed OSHA 30 within the past 5 years.

By contrast, Georgia, Texas, and most private-sector construction in Illinois do not have statewide OSHA card mandates. In those places, training rules usually come from the employer, the owner, or the contract itself.

Selected State and Local Requirements

Statewide rules and local rules are split out below so you can check the right source fast.

Jurisdiction	Who Must Be Trained	Project Threshold	Completion Deadline	Renewal / Notes
Nevada	Construction workers; supervisory employees	All work over $1,000	Within 15 days of hire	No formal expiration; Nevada adds 3 state-specific hours, for 13 or 33 total hours
New York State	Workers on covered public works; supervisors on certain contracts	Public works advertised at $250,000 or more	As required by the contract	NYC Local Law 196 adds a 40-hour Site Safety Training package for many large sites
Massachusetts	Workers on public works and public building projects	$10,000 and up	Per project requirements	Public works/public buildings funded in whole or in part by the Commonwealth
Connecticut	Workers on public building construction	$100,000 and up	Before work begins	Many owners expect 5-year refreshers
New Hampshire	All on-site employees on covered public construction projects	$100,000 and up, funded in whole or in part by state funds	Before beginning work; noncompliant workers must provide proof of completion within 15 days or be removed	Exempt roles exist under the statute
Missouri	All on-site employees on public works contracts	Public works contracts	Per contract	Noncompliant workers are removed after 60 days; penalties can reach $2,500 plus $100 per calendar day per employee
Miami-Dade County (local)	Workers on county-funded construction contracts	Over $1,000,000	Before site access	OSHA 30 Construction satisfies the OSHA 10 requirement
Philadelphia (local)	At least one supervisory employee on licensed contractor crews	Licensed contractor crews	OSHA 30 must be completed within the past 5 years	Local rule
Georgia	No statewide mandate; contract-driven	No statewide mandate	Employer- or contract-driven	Federal OSHA jurisdiction
Illinois	No statewide mandate for private-sector workers; contract-driven	No private-sector statewide mandate	Employer- or contract-driven	Federal OSHA jurisdiction for private construction
Texas	No statewide mandate; contract-driven	No statewide mandate	Employer- or contract-driven	Federal OSHA jurisdiction

Renewal, Recordkeeping, and Multi-State Compliance

When OSHA Cards Expire and When Retraining Is Required

Once you confirm the rule in a given state, the next step is simple: make sure the card still meets the job’s timing rules.

At the federal level, OSHA Outreach cards do not expire. An OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 card serves as proof that the worker completed the course. But there’s a catch. OSHA does not keep the class records. Authorized providers keep them for five years, and once that period ends, replacement cards can’t be issued.

That’s where state and project rules start to matter. Public work often adds its own recency standard. Some public works jobs require OSHA 10 Construction to have been completed within the last five years. On top of that, many owners and general contractors set internal rules that call for refresher or supplemental training every 3 to 5 years. Before you send anyone to a site, read the bid or solicitation language closely for any recency requirement.

What Employers Should Keep on File

Good records make inspections and jobsite audits a lot less painful. Even when a rule doesn’t strictly require a record, it still makes sense to keep one.

At a minimum, keep:

OSHA 10/30 cards
Training dates
The name of the authorized trainer or provider

It also helps to keep refresher course logs and toolbox talk records with the date, topics covered, trainer, and attendees. For workers assigned to state-funded or municipal contracts, connect each worker to the exact project and document any site-specific orientation completed before site access. If retraining happens after a near miss or a recordable incident, track that in a separate log.

For multi-state crews, put everything in one digital system and keep it for at least five years, or longer if another rule says so. That kind of setup cuts down on last-minute issues when workers move from one state to another.

Using ABLEMKR to Track Worker Credentials Across States

For mobile crews, manual tracking can fall apart fast. A worker cleared for one state’s public project may still need a different document set or a more recent training record in another place.

ABLEMKR is built for that kind of problem. ABLEMKR matches pre-vetted workers to job sites based on certifications, safety training, availability, and location. Employers also get built-in compliance tracking tied to integrated payroll workflows, which helps teams confirm worker readiness before dispatch. That check can help crews get moving faster for shutdowns and remote repairs.

Conclusion: What to Check Before Sending a Worker to Any Job Site

Before dispatch, confirm which rule set applies and whether the site calls for OSHA 10 or OSHA 30. A quick check up front can save a lot of trouble once the crew is on the road.

Use these five checks before you release a worker to a site:

Confirm whether the state operates under federal OSHA or an OSHA-approved state plan.
Verify whether the project requires OSHA 10 or OSHA 30, and match it to the worker’s role.
Check whether a public works threshold, local ordinance, or contract rule triggers training.
Verify any recency rule; many sites reject cards older than 3 to 5 years.
Keep the course type, completion date, card number, and provider on file.

Missing documentation during a site audit or OSHA inspection can delay deployment.

These five steps should be a standard gate in every mobilization workflow, not something you deal with after a crew is already en route.

FAQs

Do I need OSHA 10 or OSHA 30?

OSHA 10 is meant for entry-level workers, including laborers and apprentices. It covers basic job site safety, such as hazard recognition and personal protective equipment.

OSHA 30 is aimed at supervisors, foremen, and safety managers. It goes deeper into safety rules, risk management, and compliance.

The right course depends on your role. In some cases, employers or local jurisdictions require one of these courses for site access.

Which OSHA training track fits my job?

It mostly comes down to your job.

The OSHA 10-hour course is meant for entry-level workers. It covers the basics, like hazard recognition, proper PPE use, and worker rights.

The OSHA 30-hour course is geared toward supervisors, forepersons, and safety professionals. It goes deeper and fits people who oversee crews or handle jobsite safety.

Both courses come in industry-specific versions, such as construction or general industry. On top of that, you may need task-specific training for certain duties, like operating equipment or working in confined spaces.

Can an old OSHA card still be accepted?

Yes. Federal OSHA 10- and 30-hour cards do not have an official expiration date, so an older card may still be accepted.

That said, local rules, employers, or project owners may ask for refresher training every three to five years. If a card is older or seems unusual, verify it through the issuing trainer or the OTI Education Center.