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SPA Passports have a three year expiry date.
After the successful completion of the two day Core and sector course a passport will be issued with a three year expiry date.
A one day refresher/renewal course can be completed by delegates ONLY if the renewal course falls within a nine month window, all except Petrol Retail. (Please read importance notice below!).
Six months prior to the passport expiry date and three months after the passport expiry date. This nine month window allows plenty of time to arrange a suitable date for refresher training.
We would recommend a date is booked to allow for unforeseen circumstances. A planned refresher course may have to be cancelled last minute and the next available course may run after the expiry window has ended. This will lead to a delegate having to sit the full two day course again!!!
There will be no time gained or lost when renewing a passport as only the year of expiry will change, the date will continue to fall on the original date.
For example:
A delegate successfully completes an SPA Core and Sector passport on 12th & 13th March 2012 The delegate will continue to keep the original anniversary date of the course. The delegate will require a refresher/renewal course to fall within: 13th September 2014 (6 months prior) and 13th June 2015 (3 months after) The delegates’ passport will have an expiry date as 13th March 2015.
ONLY if a delegate fails to complete a refresher/renewal course within the 9 month window will the date of the passport expiry change to the new course date.
The current SPA Renewal guideline of 6 months before and 3 months after on expiry of passport was discussed at the recent sector management meeting. It was felt that 6 months is adequate forewarning to renew a passport and, that the 3 month after was not in the best interests of contractor safety or client liability.
Consequently, it was decided that with effect from Monday 2nd April 2012 the 3 month grace period will end and the expiry date will be the definitive cessation of the passport.
