ISA Certified Arborist exam: cost, dates and registration
Last checked against ISA’s own pages. Sources
- for ISA members ($40 application, $295 exam)
- $335
- for everyone else ($50 application, $369 exam)
- $419
- US business days for ISA to review an application
- 5
- days to book and take a test-center exam
- 120
Apply in ISA’s credentialing portal. Once approved, enroll and pay the exam fee, then book a Pearson VUE test center inside your 120-day window, or a paper exam run by a local ISA Certification Partner. There’s no national exam calendar. A retake costs $120, after a 30-day wait.
On this page
What the exam costs
ISA charges two fees before you sit the exam: one to apply and one to enroll. ISA members and current ISA credential holders get a standard 20% discount on both.
| Fee | ISA member | Non-member |
|---|---|---|
| Application | $40 | $50 |
| Exam enrollment | $295 | $369 |
| To sit the exam once | $335 | $419 |
The enrollment fee is the same at a test center or on paper. ISA’s FAQ fee table still shows $396 for non-members; ISA’s pricing notice corrected that to $369 on July 17, 2025.
Other fees
- RetakeEach new attempt, on paper or at a test center$120
- Test-center exam moved outside your 120-day windowMoves inside the window are free up to one US business day before$50
- Paper exam rescheduledRequested at least 16 days before the exam$50
- Paper exam regradedFor each hand-graded score report$50
- RecertificationEvery three years, with at least 30 CEUs$220
No refunds. ISA doesn’t refund exam enrollments, with no exceptions, and a registration can’t be transferred to someone else.
Is ISA membership worth it for the discount?
The member price saves $84 on the two fees. ISA lists Professional membership at $135, more than that saving on one attempt. Students can join free through their local chapter ($30 where there’s none), and Associate membership is $70 in countries where English isn’t the official language.
Who can take the exam
ISA asks for three years of full-time arboriculture experience, or less experience combined with a completed degree or assessed training. One year of full-time work counts as about 1,795 hours.
| Completed education | Full-time experience |
|---|---|
| None | 3 years |
| Two-year associate degree with at least 2 arboriculture courses | 2 years |
| Four-year bachelor’s degree with at least 4 arboriculture courses | 1 year |
| 900 hours of assessed training, at least 90 of them in arboriculture | 2 years |
| 1,800 hours of assessed training, at least 180 of them in arboriculture | 1 year |
Degrees and certificate programs must be completed. Two degrees can’t be added together to match a longer program, but certificate programs can be combined to reach the hours. Registered and industry-recognized apprenticeship programs (RAPs and IRAPs) may also count as equivalent; when you apply, you can see which programs ISA has approved.
What counts as experience
Hands-on work in pruning, fertilization, installation and establishment, diagnosis and treatment, cabling and bracing, climbing and other services directly related to arboriculture, for example at a tree care company, nursery, landscape company, municipality, utility or consultancy. Supervised volunteer work can count if you can document the duties and hours.
Proof to send with the application
- Employees: reference letters from current or past employers.
- Self-employed: three references, which can be copies of invoices, contracts or business licenses that show the work and its dates.
- Education: a transcript with course or training titles and credit hours or assessed hours.
By applying, you allow ISA to contact the references you list.
How to register
Check your path and gather proof
Find your row in the eligibility table above, then collect the reference letters, invoices or transcripts that prove it before you start the form.
Apply in ISA’s credentialing portal
Sign in at credentialing.isa-arbor.com (ISA’s CredHQ portal) with your ISA account, or create one. Choose ISA Certified Arborist, click Apply Now, add your experience, education and proof, and accept ISA’s Code of Ethics and Credentialing Agreement. The application fee is $40 for members, $50 for everyone else.
Wait for approval
ISA reviews complete applications within five US business days and emails you the decision, or a request for more information. You can check the status in the portal. Use the wait for the free practice test.
Enroll and pay for an exam
With an approved application, enroll for a computer-based exam at a Pearson VUE test center or a paper exam event, and pay the enrollment fee: $295 for members, $369 for everyone else. Need a testing accommodation? Send ISA’s Special Accommodations Request Form with each enrollment request.
Book your seat
For a computer-based exam, Pearson VUE says ISA processes the enrollment within 24 to 48 hours and emails you how to pick a test center, date and time. You have 120 days to schedule and take the exam. A paper exam is a specific event you enroll in; there’s no on-site registration.
Sit the exam
Arrive 30 minutes early with two valid IDs, one with your photo and one with your signature, in the same first and last name as your ISA application. Without a photo ID you count as a no-show. The exam is 200 multiple-choice questions in 3.5 hours, and the current pass mark is 76%.
Exam dates and locations
ISA doesn’t publish a national calendar of exam dates. Its exam information page explains that approved candidates view, search and enroll for exam events in the credentialing portal. Where and when you can test depends on the route.
Pearson VUE test center
- Where
- Computer-based, at Pearson VUE test centers around the world, which run ISA exams throughout the year. Search them with Pearson VUE’s test center finder.
- When
- Any open date and time inside your 120-day authorization period.
- Changes
- Free up to one US business day before your appointment, inside the window. A date outside it costs $50.
- Results
- Shown on screen when you finish.
Paper exam with an ISA Certification Partner
- Where
- At exam events hosted by local ISA Certification Partners. For local dates, ISA says to contact your Certification Partner; its chapters and associate organizations are listed on isa-arbor.com.
- When
- On the event’s date. Approved candidates find and enroll for events in ISA’s portal.
- Changes
- At least 16 days before the exam, for $50. If ISA cancels an event, for example because too few people enrolled, you can move to another paper exam or a computer-based exam at no charge.
- Results
- Graded at ISA headquarters; ISA emails you when they’re posted.
Can you take it online?
ISA’s Program Guide lists only these two routes for the Certified Arborist exam and doesn’t describe an online-proctored option. Pearson VUE runs an online testing page for ISA, which its ISA page links for ISA TRAQ renewal candidates. Ask ISA before you plan to test from home.
Languages
The exam is offered in English, French (Canadian), Spanish and Traditional Chinese.
Retakes, rescheduling and results
- Retakes
- Allowed 30 days after your most recent attempt, for $120 each time, on paper or at a test center. The Program Guide doesn’t mention a limit on attempts.
- Moving a test-center exam
- Free inside your 120-day window, up to one US business day before the appointment. A date outside the window costs $50, and a request for another 120-day authorization has to reach ISA before your current one ends.
- Moving a paper exam
- At least 16 days before the exam date, for $50.
- Missed exams
- Missing a rescheduling deadline, not scheduling within the 120 days or not showing up makes you a no-show: you lose the enrollment fee and pay the $120 retake fee to enroll again.
- Refunds
- None for exam enrollments, with no exceptions. Registrations can’t be transferred to another person.
- Results
- A computer-based exam shows your result when you finish. Formal results reach your ISA account within four weeks of the exam (ISA’s FAQ says four to six). If you pass, you get a digital certificate and a mailed package with your certificate and ID card.
- Score reports
- ISA doesn’t show which questions you missed; the score report is the only feedback. A paper exam can be regraded for $50 per hand-graded score report, which can take up to six weeks.
Questions
How much does the ISA Certified Arborist exam cost?
$335 for ISA members and current credential holders ($40 application plus $295 exam enrollment) and $419 for everyone else ($50 plus $369). Each retake is $120. Recertification every three years costs $220, with at least 30 CEUs. ISA doesn’t refund exam enrollments.
Can I take the ISA Certified Arborist exam online?
ISA’s Program Guide lists two ways to take it: on a computer at a Pearson VUE test center, or on paper at an exam run by a local ISA Certification Partner. It doesn’t describe an online-proctored option for the Certified Arborist exam, so ask ISA before you plan to test from home.
Where do I find ISA exam dates and locations?
There’s no public national calendar. Once ISA approves your application, you search and enroll for exam events in ISA’s credentialing portal. At a Pearson VUE test center you pick an open date inside your 120-day window; paper exams are scheduled events run by local ISA Certification Partners.
How long does ISA take to approve an application?
ISA reviews submitted applications within five US business days and emails you the decision, or a request for more information if it needs it. Only complete applications can be submitted.
Do I need three years of experience?
Not with qualifying education. Three years of full-time arboriculture experience qualifies on its own. An associate degree or 900 hours of assessed training cuts it to two years, and a bachelor’s degree or 1,800 hours of assessed training cuts it to one, each with a minimum of arboriculture-specific study.
How long do I have to take the exam after enrolling?
For a computer-based exam, ISA gives you a 120-day authorization period to schedule and take it. Rescheduling inside that window is free up to one US business day before your appointment.
How soon can I retake the exam?
30 days after your most recent attempt. Each retake costs $120, on paper or at a test center.
When do I get my results?
A computer-based exam shows your result as soon as you finish. ISA posts formal results to your account within four weeks of the exam; its FAQ says four to six. The current pass mark is 76%.
Is ISA membership worth it for the exam discount?
The member price saves $84 on the two exam fees. ISA lists Professional membership at $135, so on the fees of one attempt it costs more than it saves. Students can join free through their local chapter, or for $30 where there’s no chapter.
Which languages is the exam offered in?
English, French (Canadian), Spanish and Traditional Chinese.
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Sources
Checked on October 17, 2026. Where ISA’s own pages disagree, this page says so.
- ISA Certified Arborist Program Guide, revised August 2025 (PDF)Eligibility, fees, application review, enrollment, the 120-day window, rescheduling, no-shows, paper exams, exam format, pass mark, results, retakes, accommodations, recertification
- ISA: Exam InformationEnrollment fees, test centers and Certification Partner exams, no refunds, no on-site registration
- ISA: New Credentialing System and Updated Pricing Structure, May 14, 2025 (PDF)Fees effective July 15, 2025, the 20% member discount, the July 17, 2025 correction of $396 to $369
- ISA: Common QuestionsApplication review time, results timing, languages
- ISA: ISA Certified ArboristLanguages, links to the Program Guide and the application
- ISA: Types of MembershipMembership prices
- ISA credentialing portal (CredHQ)Where you apply and enroll
- ISA: Special Accommodations Request Form (PDF)Testing accommodations
- ISA: Our NetworkISA chapters and associate organizations
- Pearson VUE: ISA Credential TestingApplication vetting, enrollment processing time, rescheduling, ID rules, test centers
- Pearson VUE: Online testing for ISAOnVUE online testing, which Pearson’s ISA page links for ISA TRAQ renewal candidates
- Pearson VUE: Test accommodations for ISAAccommodation requests go through ISA
About Arborist Practice
Arborist Practice is independent and not affiliated with the International Society of Arboriculture or Pearson VUE. Fees, eligibility rules, application steps and scheduling policies can change. Confirm them in ISA’s credentialing portal and the current Program Guide before you apply or pay.