How to get CHAS approved in 2026: a UK contractor's step-by-step guide

Getting CHAS accreditation in 2026 takes most UK contractors 3-6 weeks from application to certificate. The bottleneck is rarely the assessment itself - it's having the right documentation in place before you submit. This guide walks through exactly what CHAS asks for, how to prepare each section, what causes most first-time rejections, and how to pass at the first attempt.

Before you start: is CHAS the right scheme

CHAS is the most commonly required SSIP accreditation in UK construction tendering, especially for public sector and large commercial work. It is not the cheapest option (SMAS Worksafe is around half the price for sole traders) but it is the scheme buyers most often name. If you bid for council, NHS, education or major commercial work, CHAS is the safest bet. If your work is mostly domestic or small commercial, you may not need any SSIP scheme at all.

If you are still deciding, see our comparison of CHAS, SafeContractor and SMAS.

The CHAS application process at a high level

The process from start to certificate breaks down as follows:

Buy CHAS membership: apply online, pay the fee, get access to the CHAS portal
Submit documentation: upload all required documents through the portal
Initial review: CHAS assessor reviews submission and either approves, rejects, or asks for clarifications
Clarifications: respond to any questions or document requests from the assessor
Final review: assessor confirms acceptance and issues certificate

Total elapsed time: typically 4-8 weeks. Pure assessment time (not waiting for documents from you): typically 1-2 weeks. The rest is waiting for you to find or produce the documentation the assessor needs.

What CHAS asks for

CHAS Standard tier requires the following:

1. Health and safety policy

A written H&S policy signed by the most senior person in the business. Must contain:

Statement of intent (the company's commitment to safety)
Organisation (who is responsible for what)
Arrangements (the procedures for managing specific hazards)

The H&S policy must be current (signed within the last 12 months) and proportionate to the size of the business. A 1-page policy works for a sole trader; larger businesses need 5-15 pages typically.

2. Insurance certificates

Public liability insurance: minimum GBP 5 million for most CHAS submissions
Employers liability insurance: GBP 5 million minimum (legal requirement if you have employees)
Professional indemnity if applicable to your trade
Contractor all-risks insurance for major projects

All certificates must be in date at submission and must clearly show the company name, policy number, expiry date and cover amounts.

3. Accident and incident records

If your business has been trading for more than 12 months, CHAS will want to see your accident records. Submit:

Accident book or digital accident records
RIDDOR submissions (if any)
Incident investigation reports

If you have had no accidents, that's fine - submit a statement saying so. If you have had accidents, do not hide them - hidden accidents discovered during the assessment are an instant fail. CHAS expects accidents in any active business; what matters is how you handled them.

4. Risk assessments and method statements (RAMS)

You must provide example RAMS for the typical work activities your business performs. CHAS will want to see:

RAMS that are project-specific, not generic templates
References to current legislation (CDM 2015, Work at Height Regs, COSHH 2002 etc.)
Trade-specific hazards rather than generic 'construction hazards'
Proportionate scope - not 50 pages for a 1-day job

Most CHAS rejections at this stage are because the RAMS are clearly downloaded templates that have not been adapted to actual work. Better to submit one excellent RAMS for your most common activity than five mediocre RAMS that look copied.

5. Training records

Evidence of competence for your workers:

CSCS, ECS, CISRS, Gas Safe, NICEIC, NAPIT or other trade-relevant cards
First aid trained personnel (at least one for site work)
Asbestos awareness training where applicable
Manual handling training
Fire safety training
Trade-specific training certificates

Submit a training matrix showing every worker, every relevant qualification, and the expiry date. Generic 'we train our staff' statements without backing evidence fail.

6. Equipment inspection and maintenance records

Evidence that your plant and equipment is properly inspected and maintained:

PUWER inspection records for power tools
LOLER inspection records for lifting equipment
PAT testing records for electrical tools
Vehicle MOT and service records for any work vehicles
Manufacturer service records for major plant

7. Subcontractor management procedures

If you use subcontractors, CHAS will want to see:

Subcontractor approval procedure (how you check competence)
Pre-start checklist used with subcontractors
Subcontractor RAMS approval procedure
Site induction procedure for subcontractors

8. COSHH assessments

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health assessments for any chemicals you use:

List of hazardous substances
Risk assessment for each
Control measures and PPE requirements
First aid and emergency procedures

9. PPE policy and records

Evidence that PPE is provided, maintained and used correctly:

PPE policy
Issue records for workers
Inspection and replacement procedures

10. Site setup procedures

How you arrive on a new site safely:

Pre-start site visit checklist
Welfare arrangements
Emergency procedures
Permit-to-work procedures (where applicable)

How to prepare each section to pass first time

Health and safety policy: keep it proportionate and signed

Sole trader: 1-page policy with statement of intent, who is responsible (you, for everything), and arrangements for the main hazards in your trade. Sign and date.

SME: 5-15 page policy with role-by-role responsibilities, named individuals, and arrangements for each major hazard category. Sign and date by the company director.

Both: review and re-sign annually. Out-of-date policies are a common rejection cause.

RAMS: submit your best, not a copy of a template

Submit RAMS for the activities CHAS is most likely to ask about. For a scaffolder, that means a scaffold erection RAMS. For an electrician, that means a domestic rewire or commercial installation RAMS. The submitted RAMS should:

Reference the actual British Standards your trade follows
List trade-specific hazards (not generic ones)
Show controls in HSE hierarchy (engineering, administrative, PPE)
Include a method statement with step-by-step sequence
Be 8-15 pages (not 1 page, not 30 pages)

If your existing RAMS are generic templates, this is the time to upgrade them. AI-generated RAMS through Complys produce trade-specific, legislation-referenced documents in under a minute. Generic free templates from the internet are the most common reason for CHAS first-time rejection.

Training matrix: show every worker, every qualification, every date

A spreadsheet works. Columns for worker name, role, CSCS/ECS/CISRS card number, first aid certificate, asbestos awareness, manual handling, trade-specific training. Rows for each worker. Each cell shows certificate number and expiry date. CHAS assessors look for completeness more than depth.

Insurance: get the right cover before you apply

Public liability cover at GBP 5 million is the minimum for most UK construction work. Some main contractors require GBP 10 million. Check your policy schedule and upgrade if needed before submitting CHAS - amending mid-application creates delay.

Accident records: be honest, be thorough

Submit your accident book exports, RIDDOR submissions if any, and a brief narrative of how each incident was investigated and what changed afterwards. If you genuinely have no accidents, submit a one-line statement saying so. CHAS does not penalise small accidents handled properly - it penalises hiding accidents or not investigating them.

Subcontractor procedures: written procedure plus example records

One-page subcontractor approval procedure. One-page induction checklist. One example completed checklist for a recent subcontractor engagement. That triumvirate covers the documentation requirement.

Common reasons for first-time rejection

Generic RAMS

Templates clearly downloaded from the internet, not adapted to the actual work. Solution: produce project-specific RAMS using AI tools or in-house knowledge.

Out-of-date H&S policy

Policy signed more than 12 months ago. Solution: update, re-sign, re-submit.

Missing accident records

Business has been trading 5 years but submits a blank accident book. Solution: submit real records, however small.

Insurance certificates not in date

Certificate expired during the application process. Solution: renew before applying, build a buffer between renewal and submission.

Training records too thin

Statement that workers are 'trained' without evidence. Solution: produce a training matrix with cards, certificates and expiry dates.

No RAMS for hot works, height, or other specific hazards

Submitting a generic RAMS without addressing the specific hazards your trade faces. Solution: produce hazard-specific RAMS for the activities your business does (e.g. scaffold erection, lead works, hot works, work at height etc.).

How long does it really take

From decision to apply to receiving the certificate, plan for 6-10 weeks if your documentation is in good order at the start. If you need to update or produce documents from scratch, 8-16 weeks is more realistic.

Rough breakdown:

Week 1: register, pay, set up portal access
Weeks 2-4: prepare and gather all documentation
Week 5: submit, wait for first assessor response
Weeks 6-7: respond to clarifications
Week 8: receive certificate

Plan applications well ahead of any tender deadline that requires CHAS - rushing the application is the most common reason for failure.

Renewal: keep it current

CHAS is annual. Renewal requires the same documentation refresh as initial application. Plan to start renewal preparation 8 weeks before the expiry date so you do not face a gap in cover. Lapsed accreditation while bidding for tenders is a common reason for late tender disqualification.

How Complys helps with CHAS

Complys is built around the operational documentation that UK contractors need for CHAS, SafeContractor and SMAS. The platform:

Tracks H&S policy version and signature date with renewal alerts
Holds insurance certificates with expiry alerts
Generates project-specific RAMS in 30 seconds via AI
Maintains a training matrix with expiry alerts on every certification
Stores accident records (with RIDDOR escalation tracking)
Manages subcontractor compliance with approval workflows
Bundles documentation into shareable links for assessors

Most contractors who have used Complys for CHAS preparation report a 40-60% reduction in time to certificate. Start the 90-day free trial.

FAQ

Can I prepare my own CHAS application?

Yes. CHAS is designed to be self-prepared. Consultants can help if you have no internal H&S capability, but the application itself can be done in-house by any competent person.

Do I need a consultant?

Not for most applications. Consultants charge GBP 500-1,500 for CHAS preparation. If you have a clean documentation set, save the money. If you are completely starting from scratch with no policies, RAMS or training records, a consultant can accelerate the process.

What if I fail the assessment?

You get specific feedback on what was missing. Address the gaps, resubmit, no extra cost in most cases. Failures are part of the normal process - many businesses pass on the second submission.

Can I appeal a rejection?

Yes - CHAS has an appeals process. In practice it's usually faster to address the feedback and resubmit than to formally appeal.

How long is the certificate valid?

12 months from the date of issue. Renewal requires submitting updated documentation each year.