ATCP launches Certified Arborist credential

The Association of Tree Care Professionals has introduced a new Certified Arborist program aimed at raising standards for safety, professionalism and accountability across the tree care industry. The credential is open to a wide range of tree care workers in the U.S., with a future sales-focused designation also in development.

Why it matters: - The new ATCP Certified Arborist credential is designed to give tree care workers a way to prove technical skill, safety knowledge and ethical standards. - ATCP is targeting more than just owners, which could broaden professional recognition across crews, climbers, operators, sales staff and estimators. - The program is meant to raise accountability in an industry where storm response, emergency work and client-facing decisions can carry safety and legal risk.

What happened: - The Association of Tree Care Professionals announced the launch of its ATCP Certified Arborist program on Sept. 2, 2026, in Austell, Georgia. - The certification is open to anyone working in tree care, including crew members, climbers, operators, sales staff/estimators and owners. - ATCP says the exam is currently available only to members in the United States. - Candidates must hold an active ATCP membership to sit for the exam. - ATCP is preparing the exam for remote, proctored delivery.

The details: - The exam covers arboriculture practices, ANSI A300 pruning standards, ANSI Z133 safety requirements, emergency tree response standards, professional ethics, biology, plant healthcare and sales practices. - Passing the exam signals that a professional understands both the technical and ethical sides of tree care. - Luke Vandervort, ATCP Education Committee Chair at VanDervort Tree and Forestry, said the certification is different from other credentials because it reaches parts of the industry that are often overlooked, including storm response, general client relations, sales and emergency response procedures. - Stefano Devigili, ATCP founding board member and secretary, said the credential is meant to show clients and officials that members take the industry seriously and hold themselves to a higher standard. - Mark Goodpasture is also listed as a founding board member of ATCP. - ATCP says the certification can help members stand out with commercial clients, homeowners, insurance commissioners and attorneys general. - ATCP also said a future ATCP Certified Sales Arborist designation is under development for client-facing and sales roles.

Between the lines: - ATCP is positioning the credential as both a technical qualification and a professional signal, not just a test of tree biology or pruning rules. - By including ethics, sales and emergency response, the program appears aimed at shaping how tree care work is sold, explained and performed in the field. - A remote, proctored format could make the exam easier to scale once ATCP expands access beyond the current member-only audience.

What's next: - ATCP will announce the Certified Sales Arborist credential once development is complete. - The association has not yet said when the remote, proctored exam will open for broader use. - More information is available at the association's website.

The bottom line: - ATCP is trying to create a broader professional benchmark for tree care workers, with safety and ethics built into the certification from the start.