Free · Validity guide · UK (IPAF scheme; also used internationally)

How long is an IPAF card valid?

Updated 25 Oct 2026Sources checked
Issuer ruleSet by IPAF, not by lawUK (IPAF scheme; also used internationally)

5 years

An IPAF PAL card is valid for five years. Renewal must be done before the expiry date, and from 1 January 2026 operators need at least 60 logbook entries over the five years to sit the renewal test. Miss either and you retake the full operator course.

Work out your IPAF PAL card expiry date

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If you know the expiry date printed on the card or in the ePAL app, track that date instead.

Enter a date to see when it expires, how many days are left, when to book the renewal, and to add reminders to your calendar.

Validity
5 years[1]
Renewal
Must be done before the expiry date[1]
Logbook from 1 Jan 2026
At least 60 entries over 5 years[1]
If missed
Full operator course again[1]

Who needs an IPAF PAL card

Operators of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) such as scissor lifts and boom lifts, where the employer, hire company or principal contractor requires IPAF training as proof of competence. The PAL card is issued per MEWP category, so check the categories on the card match the machine on site. Employers still need to authorise and familiarise operators on the specific machine.

What happens if it expires

  • IPAF says all renewals must be done before the expiry date. After that the operator has to complete the full operator course again, and a demonstrator has to complete both the full operator and full demonstrator courses.
  • Operators without an up-to-date logbook are not eligible for the renewal test, even if the card is still valid.
  • Sites and hire companies that check cards can refuse access to the machine until training is current.

How to renew

  1. Check the expiry date and categories

    Look at the card or the ePAL app for the expiry date and each MEWP category you need to keep.

  2. Count your logbook entries

    From 1 January 2026 IPAF requires evidence of at least 60 entries over the five years. Fill gaps in the paper logbook or ePAL app now, not the week before the test.

  3. Book a renewal with an IPAF training centre

    Contact an approved IPAF training centre and book the renewal before the card expires.

  4. Record the new expiry date

    Update your training records with the new card number, categories and expiry date as soon as the new card is issued.

When to book

9

weeks

Check the logbook about three months before expiry and book the renewal at least eight weeks ahead, so a missing entry or a full training centre does not push you past the date. This is our suggestion, not an IPAF rule.

A simple reminder plan: 120 days, 60 days, 30 days, 7 days before the expiry date. The calculator above puts these in your calendar.

Evidence to keep

  • Each operator’s PAL card number, MEWP categories and expiry date.
  • Logbook evidence (paper or ePAL) showing the entries needed for renewal.
  • The employer’s written authorisation and familiarisation record for each machine type.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the card expire by a few days, which turns a renewal into a full course.
  • Not filling in the logbook, then finding the operator cannot sit the renewal test.
  • Assuming one card covers every MEWP. It covers only the categories printed on it.

For teams and managers

Managing IPAF cards across crews and subcontractors?

Record every operator’s PAL card, categories and expiry. ExpiryEdge reminds the operator and supervisor months ahead, so there is time to check the logbook and book a renewal, and collects the new card by upload link without a login.

See subcontractor and operative compliance
FAQ

IPAF PAL card questions, answered

An IPAF PAL card is valid for five years. Where an operator licence period of two years applies in a region, IPAF sets a separate logbook requirement of 24 entries for renewal.

No. IPAF says all renewals must be done before the expiry date. If the card has expired, the operator has to complete the full operator course again.

From 1 January 2026 IPAF requires evidence of a minimum of 60 entries over five years. Operators who have not kept their logbook up to date are not eligible for a renewal test.

No law names IPAF, but employers must make sure MEWP operators are trained and competent, and most hire companies and principal contractors accept the PAL card as that evidence.

Sources

Every rule on this page comes from these official sources.

  1. 1.

    PAL card renewal and logbook requirements

    IPAF · ipaf.org · checked 25 Oct 2026

Guidance, not legal advice. This covers UK (IPAF scheme; also used internationally) and reflects the sources as checked on 25 Oct 2026. Check the official source or take professional advice for your situation.

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