How long is the ISA TRAQ qualification valid?
ISA's program guide says seven years, with no recertification by CEUs. This page lays out the validity rule, who can take the course and how the exam works.
Checked against the sources at the bottom of this page on October 8, 2026. Rules, fees and pay change: the source has the last word.
ISA's Tree Risk Assessment Qualification program guide gives the ISA TRAQ credential a seven-year life. At the end of each seven years, reinstating it means retraining and retesting. The wider guide to every ISA credential is ISA credentials, one by one. This page answers the validity question and the questions that come with it.
What the guide says about validity
- The credential is valid for seven years, and renewal means retraining and retesting.
- A reminder is sent within an 18-month window before the expiration date.
- An extension past the expiration date is not available, according to the guide.
The guide is on ISA's site as a PDF and was revised in July 2026.
Why TRAQ renews differently from a certification
ISA's page on the types of credentials separates a certification from a qualification. A certification covers a broad body of knowledge, is assessed apart from any training course, and carries recertification such as continuing education. A qualification covers a narrow body of knowledge with specific learning objectives, often as a classroom course followed by an assessment. ISA says qualifications have no recertification component: they are valid for life, or the course and assessment are repeated at the end of a set period. TRAQ is the second kind, listed by ISA as the one qualification in its program.
Course, exam and eligibility
The standard course is a two-day in-person training followed by a half-day exam. The exam has two parts.
- Written. 110 multiple-choice questions in two hours, with a passing score of 75 percent. The guide breaks the content into assessment methodology at 61 percent, basic tree assessment and risk analysis at 21 percent, and reporting at 18 percent.
- Performance-based. An outdoor tree assessment at the training site, in one hour, scored by an ISA-approved instructor and evaluator.
Holders of the ISA Certified Arborist, Board Certified Master Arborist, Certified Urban Forest Professional, Certified Arborist Utility Specialist and Certified Tree Climber credentials are listed as readily eligible. The guide names other paths: a degree in arboriculture, urban forestry, forestry or horticulture, a national certification or certificate in arboriculture, or an approved licensing or certification granted by a state or province. The application fee is US$40 for ISA members and US$50 for others. Course prices are set by each course host.
Retakes and CEUs
The guide says a retake of the written or performance exam costs US$120 each, and is available for one year counted from the date the original program started. After that the whole program is taken again. Holders of an ISA certification can earn 14.5 ISA CEUs for completing the course, provided they attend at least 80 percent of the training part.