Is the practice test really free?

Yes. No account, no email and no card. Your answers stay in your browser.

How many questions are on the ISA Certified Arborist exam?

200 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours, across the ten topics in the table above. The pass mark is commonly cited as 76%; ISA sets the official scoring.

Are these real ISA exam questions?

No. They are original practice questions written to the published exam outline, the same ones as in our free topic guides. Arborist Practice is independent and not affiliated with ISA.

How is the test weighted?

Each topic gets a share of the 20 questions that matches its share of the real exam: Safe Work Practices and Pruning get 3, the other topics 1 or 2. A retake draws new questions.

What should I do after the test?

Study the topics you missed in the free guide. When you want a real read on exam readiness, take full mock exams of 100 or 200 questions in Arborist Practice.

Free ISA Certified Arborist practice test

20 questions across all ten exam topics, weighted like the real exam. No signup. When you finish, you’ll see your score against the 76% pass mark, how each topic went and why every answer is right or wrong.

questions: 20
minutes at exam pace: ~21
exam topics: 10

What’s on the ISA Certified Arborist exam

The exam has 200 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours, spread over ten topics. This test gives each topic the same share of its 20 questions. The pass mark is commonly cited as 76%.

Topic	Share of the exam	In this test
Safe Work Practices	15% ~30 of 200	3
Pruning	14% ~28 of 200	3
Tree Biology	11% ~22 of 200	2
Tree Risk Management	11% ~22 of 200	2
Identification and Selection	9% ~18 of 200	2
Installation and Establishment	9% ~18 of 200	2
Diagnosis and Treatment	9% ~18 of 200	2
Trees and Construction	9% ~18 of 200	2
Soil Management	7% ~14 of 200	1
Urban Forestry	6% ~12 of 200	1

Sample questions with answers

Three questions from the test, with the reasoning written out, so you know what to expect.

Safe Work Practices
A crew is preparing to prune a street tree over an open sidewalk. Pedestrians are still walking below the work area. What should happen before cutting begins?
- AStart with the smallest branches because they are less dangerous
- BEstablish and maintain a controlled work zone that keeps pedestrians out of the drop area (correct answer)
- CAsk the climber to shout warnings while cutting
- DFinish quickly before pedestrian traffic increases
Answer: B. Public exposure must be controlled before work begins. Verbal warnings and smaller cuts do not replace cones, barriers, signage, spotters, closure, or another site control that keeps people out of the drop zone.
Pruning
Why is the three-cut method used when removing a larger limb?
- ATo remove all live crown before making a final cut
- BTo force the tree to produce epicormic shoots
- CTo make the final cut flush with the trunk
- DTo prevent bark tearing and stem injury while removing branch weight (correct answer)
Answer: D. The undercut and top cut remove weight and reduce tearing risk. The final cut is then made just outside the branch collar.
Tree Biology
A branch tear exposes wood on the side of a mature tree. Over time, new tissue forms around the edge of the wound, but the exposed wood itself does not become living tissue again. Which statement best describes the tree response?
- AThe tree compartmentalizes the damaged area and grows new wood around it (correct answer)
- BThe tree heals the damaged wood by replacing it with new living cells
- CThe tree moves phloem into the center of the wound to restart transport
- DThe tree dissolves the damaged xylem and converts it into bark
Answer: A. Trees do not heal wounds by replacing damaged tissue the way animals do. They compartmentalize injury, resist decay spread, and grow new wood around the wound margin. That is the basic idea behind CODIT.

Frequently asked questions

Is the practice test really free?: Yes. No account, no email and no card. Your answers stay in your browser.
How many questions are on the ISA Certified Arborist exam?: 200 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours, across the ten topics in the table above. The pass mark is commonly cited as 76%; ISA sets the official scoring.
Are these real ISA exam questions?: No. They are original practice questions written to the published exam outline, the same ones as in our free topic guides. Arborist Practice is independent and not affiliated with ISA.
How is the test weighted?: Each topic gets a share of the 20 questions that matches its share of the real exam: Safe Work Practices and Pruning get 3, the other topics 1 or 2. A retake draws new questions.
What should I do after the test?: Study the topics you missed in the free guide. When you want a real read on exam readiness, take full mock exams of 100 or 200 questions in Arborist Practice.

Free ISA Certified Arborist practice test

What’s on the ISA Certified Arborist exam

Sample questions with answers

Frequently asked questions

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