Exam Overview

The Board of Tree Experts has developed examinations for the Licensed Tree Expert (LTE) and the Licensed Tree Care Operator (LTCO) to evaluate the knowledge, ability, and fitness of applicants to perform as tree experts or tree care operators, respectively. Examinations will be held at a minimum of twice a year and will be announced on the web-site as to when and where the examinations will occur. The Licensed Tree Expert examination is composed of two separate parts: a written section and a field section. The field section is generally given outdoors during the morning and the written section indoors in the afternoon. The Board of Tree Experts may change the time of day the test sections are given due to weather conditions; however, the test will be held on the scheduled day rain or shine. The Licensed Tree Care Operator examination is comprised of a written examination only. Once a candidate has been qualified by the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts to take the licensure examination based on their submitted LTE/LTCO Application for Examination, a candidate will receive written notice from the Board that they are qualified to take the licensure examination. A qualified licensure applicant shall then register using the Examination Registration Form (to be posted soon) to take the for the LTE written, the LTE field and the LTCO written (posted soon).

For the LTE examination, the candidate is allotted 3 hours to complete each section (field and written) of the test. The combined passing grade for both sections of the examination is 70%, with a minimum of 70 % for the written section and 65% for the field section. For the LTCO examination the candidate is allotted 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete the written examination. The passing grade on the LTCO examination is 70%.