Licensing of Tree Experts and Tree Care Operators

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Licensing legislation was proposed by industry groups and passed by the New Jersey legislature on January 16, 2010. The legislation is known as the Tree Expert and Tree Care Operators Licensing Act and on April 17, 2017, the Tree Expert and Tree Care Operators Licensing Law's rules were adopted and promulgated.

The Act creates a licensing program under which individuals may become Licensed Tree Experts (LTEs) or Licensed Tree Care Operators (LTCOs) by passing an examination and demonstrating good moral character. Licensees will be required to complete continuing education requirements, abide by standards of professional conduct and ethics, and adhere to safety standards, as well as industry practice standards. No individual shall represent himself or herself to the public as a licensed tree expert or a licensed tree care operator or use any title, designation, word(s), letter, or abbreviations tending to indicate that such individual is a licensed tree expert or a licensed tree care operator without obtaining licensure as a tree expert by the Board of Tree Experts.

Tree care services in New Jersey are defined by the Act as meaning tree care operator services and tree expert services as established by N.J.S.A. 45:15C-11 et seq. Licensed Tree Experts can perform tree expert services which means and includes tree pruning, repairing, brush cutting or removal, tree removal, stump grinding or removal, tree establishment, fertilization, cabling and bracing, lightning protection, consulting, diagnosis, and treatment of tree problems or diseases, tree management during site planning and development, tree assessment and risk management, and application of pesticides or any other form of tree maintenance. Licensed Tree Care Operators can perform tree care operator services which means and includes tree pruning, repairing, brush cutting or removal, tree removal, and stump grinding or removal.

Licensing can be obtained through the LTE/LTCO examinations ( LTE/LTCO Test Application) or the Board may, at its discretion, grant a license through Reciprocity to any person who is the lawful holder of a substantially equivalent license or certification issued by another jurisdiction. The License by Reciprocity application form must be used in this instance.

Download a Reciprocity Application you can fill-in, then print: License by Reciprocity Application fill-in form.
Download a Reciprocity Application you can print out then fill-in: License by Reciprocity Application form - static version.

Licensees will have to abide by adopted industry standards: ANSI A300 American National Standard for Tree Care Operations – Tree, Shrubs, and Other Woody Plant Management including Part 1 through Part 10, ANSI Z60.1 American Standard for Nursery Stock, ANZI Z133 Safety Standards for Arboriculture Operations, OSHA, Federal Motor Coach Safety and FHA regulation set forth in Z133 and each of the Best Management Practices published by the ISA.

Licensees will also abide by the Canons of Professional Ethics and Standards of Conduct for Licensees.

Consumer Protection

The Law and the adopted rules set industry tree care standards within New Jersey and empower the New Jersey Board of Tree Experts to remedy complaints against both licensed and unlicensed individuals that seek to defraud the public by revoking or suspending licenses or instituting civil penalties.

Exam Qualifications

The following requirements must be met in order to be eligible to take the NJ Licensed Tree Care Operators examination:

The licensed application fee and completed LTE/LTCO Exam Application, including three letters of recommendation, must be received by the Board office prior to the posted deadline.

Any verification documents specifically requested by the board must be received by the board no later than two weeks prior to the date of the examination.

A candidate for the examination must meet the following qualifications. He/she must be:

a person 18 years of age or older
a person of good moral character
provide three (3) letters of reference from professionals in the field of arboriculture or in a closely related field, who have first-hand knowledge of the candidate's work and moral character
high school diploma, GED equivalent or
a person who has been continuously employed in the practice of arboriculture for at least three years immediately preceding the date of his/her test application
Include the License Application Fee of $50.00 with the completed exam application

The following requirements must be met in order to be eligible to take the NJ Licensed Tree Expert examination:
The license application fee and completed LTE/LTCO Exam Application, including three letters of recommendation, must be received by the Board office prior to the date of examination.

Any verification documents specifically requested by the board must be received by the board no later than two weeks prior to the date of the examination.

A candidate for the examination must meet the following qualifications. He/she must be:

a person 18 years of age or older
a person of good moral character
provide three (3) letters of reference from professionals in the field of arboriculture or in a closely related field, who have first-hand knowledge of the candidate's work and moral character
a graduate of a four-year college with a degree in forestry, arboriculture, ornamental horticulture, botany, nursery production, plant biology, plant physiology, ecology, horticulture, environmental planning and design, landscape architecture, natural resources, or the equivalent (as determined by the Board of Tree Experts) or
a person who has been continuously employed in the practice of arboriculture for at least five years immediately preceding the date of his/her test application or
a person who has completed two years of college, with passing grades in at least three college courses related to arboriculture, such as botany, soils, plant science, plant biology, plant pathology, plant physiology, entomology, forestry, natural resources, ecology, horticulture, plant propagation, landscape construction or dendrology and has been continuously employed in the practice of arboriculture for at least three years preceding the date of his/her test application.

Include the License Application Fee of $50.00 with the completed exam application.

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%.

Exam Subject Matter

Licensed Tree Experts Examination - Knowledge of the following subject matter is tested during the written section of the examination.

General tree knowledge and safety
Tree physiology, including the functions of all parts of a tree and their interrelationships
Proper tree planting procedures and theories
Soil characteristics, including how factors such as fertilizer, lime, soil amendments, pH and soil organisms affect the health and appearance of trees
General pesticide procedures and usage
General tree health and maintenance, including proper methods of pruning, fertilizing, soil aerating, soil amending and pesticide applications
Impact and remediation techniques to trees from construction activities or other man-made impacts to a planting location
Insect and disease damage and control methods
Abiotic (environmental) factors and impacts affecting trees, such as pollution, drought, etc
Structural repair or preventative measures to trees, such as cabling, bracing, bark tracing and lightning protection
ANSI Z133 for safety standards and ANSI A300 for practice standards
Tree Pruning
Tree Climbing and related equipment (saddles, ropes, snaps, carabiners)
Tree Removal and Rigging
Limbing and Bucking
Chainsaw Safety and Operation
Chipper Safety and Operation
Aerial Lift Safety and Operation
Stump Grinder Safety and Operation
Electrical Hazard Awareness
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Knowledge of the following subject matter is tested during the field section of the examination.

Tree identification (dendrology) including common and botanical names
Insects and insect problems that affect trees and a recommended course of action. Recommendations can include both chemical and non-chemical procedures
Disease and disease problems that affect trees and a recommended course of action. Recommendations can include both chemical and non-chemical procedures
Abiotic (environmental) and cultural problems affecting trees and recommendations
Structural problems of trees and recommendations

Licensed Tree Care Operator Examination - Knowledge of the following subject matter is tested during the written section of the examination.

General tree knowledge and safety
General tree health and maintenance, including proper methods of pruning
Impact and remediation techniques to trees from construction activities or other man-made impacts to a planting location
ANSI Z133 for safety standards and ANSI A300 for practice standards
Tree Pruning
Tree Climbing and related equipment (saddles, ropes, snaps, carabiners)
Tree Removal and Rigging
Limbing and Bucking
Chainsaw Safety and Operation
Chipper Safety and Operation
Aerial Lift Safety and Operation
Stump Grinder Safety and Operation
Electrical Hazard Awareness
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

For recommended reading on the Licensed Tree Expert Examination, download this study guide.
For recommended reading on the Licensed Tree Care Operator Examination, download this study guide.

Exam Prep Courses

The New Jersey Society of Licensed Tree Experts will offer four one-day Preparatory / Educational Sessions open to all individuals who either wish to take the Licensed Tree Expert examination, need CEU's, pesticide credits, or just want to update themselves to current problems and solutions. The intense four-day course will cover such topics as Tree Identification, Tree Anatomy, Tree Physiology, Insects, Disease Cycles, General Tree Care and a sample examination plus review.

All those who wish to benefit from this unique opportunity must register by April 4, 2020. Send in the registration form below along with a check, money order, or PO made payable to "NJ Society of LTE" and mail to NJSLTE, 101 West Veterans Highway, Jackson, NJ 08527. Lunch will be provided for those who register by the above deadline. Late registrants MAY be accepted if space and materials are available, however late registrants will not be guaranteed a lunch. Prep Courses will be held RAIN OR SHINE, so dress appropriately!

Due to limited space at sites, handouts and scheduling, registrations are on a first come, first served basis. Class size is limited to 50. Don't get shut out, register now!

Same day registrations will not be accepted, send this in TODAY!

April 18th (Saturday)
Rutgers University, Geiger Center, Turfgrass Education Center, 20 Indyk-Engel Way, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
NOTE: For GPS use 102 Ryders Lane, NOT 20 Indyk-Engel Way
Topics: Plant Pathology, Insect & Disease ID and Life Cycles and Controls, Biotic vs Abiotic Problems, and Plant Health Care

May 2nd (Saturday)
Robert A. Winters Arboretum, Meadow Lakes Meeting Room, 300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ 08520
Topic: Tree Identification

May 16th (Saturday)
Robert A. Winters Arboretum, Meadow Lakes Meeting Room, 300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ 08520
Topics: Soils, Fertilization, Chemical Compositions, Tree Physiology and Anatomy, Pruning and ANSI A300 and Tree Risk Management

June 6th (Saturday)
Robert A. Winters Arboretum at Meadow Lakes, East Windsor, NJ 08520
Topics: Lab samples, Outdoor sample exam, IPM Practices, Cabling, Bracing, Lightning Protectoin, Plant Selection, Establishment and Mulching. Question and Answer Panel, Sample written exam and review.

Download course information and driving directions: LTE Four 1-Day Prep Sessions Registration Form
LTE Prep Course 1 Agenda
LTE Prep Course 2 Agenda
LTE Prep Courses 3 & 4 Agendas and Driving Directions