Please contact the CTSP team at CTSP@tcia.org if you have additional questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be a member of TCIA to enroll in CTSP?

No! Membership is not a requirement. But TCIA members save money on enrollment and workshop costs. Learn more about what TCIA membership can do for you.

Please Note: If you are a municipal or utility arborist, your employers are ineligible for TCIA membership. However, the CTSP program extends TCIA member pricing to you for enrollment and certification workshops as a professional courtesy. Please call 800-733-2622 for details.

What is considered an assumed “safety-related” experience?

Experience requirements may be satisfied by arboriculture-related or by non-arboricultural safety-related degrees and/or practical experience.

The following eight experience areas from disciplines outside of arboriculture are considered “safety-related”:

  • Safety & Health
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Emergency Management
  • Fire & Rescue Service
  • Security Service
  • EMS and/or advanced life-saving training and/or experience
  • Risk Management
  • Occupational Health and Environmental Sciences

There is no waiting period to re-take the CTSP exam.

You must obtain 30 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) and submit a renewal fee every 3 years. This fee is payable every three years on the anniversary month of receiving your CTSP certification. The Renewal fee is for Members $125.00 and for Non-members $250.00.

You will be kept up to date on your certification status in several ways. CTSP CEU reminders are emailed to all CTSPs quarterly. You may review your records and download your transcript online.

In addition, you will be notified three months, two months and one month before your certification expires if you have not obtained the required CEUs.

If you fail to accumulate the necessary contact hours or fail to pay the recertification fee when it is due, then your certification is considered void. To regain your CTSP status, you must go through the study and examination again. You may appeal for re-certification to the CTSP Council. The Council considers appeals on a case-by-case basis.

Your certification is considered void if you do not accumulate the necessary CEUs or fail to pay the recertification fee when it is due. To regain your CTSP status you must go through the study and examination again. If you feel there are compelling reasons that you did not obtain CEUs or pay the fee on a timely basis, then you may appeal for re-certification to the CTSP Council. The Council considers appeals on a case-by-case basis.

CEUs take up to three weeks to be processed once they are submitted online.

If you have questions or would like more information about the CTSP program, contact the CTSP Department at 800-733-2622 or CTSP@TCIA.org