What is a Certified Treecare Safety Professional (CTSP)?
TCIA's safety credential for tree care: who it is for, who can enroll, what the program costs, how the exam runs and what renewal takes, as TCIA words it.
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.
The Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA) runs the Certified Treecare Safety Professional program. TCIA says no other credential in tree care is held by an individual for safety in this way, and that it counts more than 3,000 CTSPs in the United States, Canada and Mexico. It is a safety-leadership credential, a different thing from a climbing or arborist certification. For the wider picture of TCIA training see the Tree Care Academy ladder.
Who can enroll
Eligibility is set out on the TCIA CTSP page, which says a candidate meets at least one of three requirements.
- Three years working in tree care in the field, with at least one of them carrying safety duties, such as crew leader, trainer, safety committee member, emergency responder or CPR and first aid provider.
- Six months of field work in arboriculture plus a year in a professional safety job in a different industry, such as construction or industrial fire rescue.
- A two-year or four-year degree in arboriculture, forestry, horticulture, natural resources, industrial hygiene, occupational safety or a related field, with an internship that gave technical field experience.
TCIA recommends the OSHA 30-hour course for the second and third routes. Membership in TCIA is not required, and municipal and utility arborists get member pricing as a professional courtesy.
Cost and steps
TCIA lists the program cost as US$648 for members and US$874 for non-members. The fee covers enrollment, the study guide, the workshop and the exam. The steps TCIA names are enroll, register, prepare, take part in an advanced safety and behavioral workshop, take the exam, and certify.
- Enrollment applications are reviewed within three to five business days.
- The workshop is offered virtually and covers safety leadership, coaching skills and behavioral safety concepts.
- The exam is online and proctored. The candidate has five days to complete it, starting the day after the workshop. The ANSI Z133 standard may be used during the exam.
- A candidate who does not pass may retake up to two times within 12 months of enrollment, at US$60 per retake. There is no waiting period.
- Refunds for cancelling: full up to 30 days before the workshop, 50 percent from 30 days to two weeks before, none inside two weeks.
Keeping it current
On the TCIA recertification page, TCIA says a CTSP earns 30 CEUs in each three-year period and pays a renewal fee: US$153 for members, US$305 for non-members. At least 15 CEUs come from continuing education such as meetings, workshops and training events, and at least 15 from delivering safety training or developing safety program elements. From January 1, 2026 TCIA accepts only a Manager Verification Form or a Tailgate Training Log as supporting documents. An event counts if it lasts at least 15 minutes, and CEUs are granted in 0.25 steps.