Minnesota Tree Inspector
Frequently Ask Questions
Q. Who runs the Minnesota Tree Inspector Program?
A. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Their web site is: http://dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/urban/certifiedtreeprogram/index.html.
Q. What is the role of the University of Minnesota?
A. The U of M offers certification and recertification opportunities and proctors new certification exams at the certification workshops. www.mntreeinspector.com.
Q. What is my certification status? When will I receive my certification card?
A. Your current status as well as the status of your certification card can only be determined by emailing MnTreeInspect.DNR@state.mn.us. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages the data base and certification cards.
Q. How can I become a Certified Tree Inspector?
A.
Q. Are the New Tree Inspector Workshops the only way I can become a Tree Inspector?
A. There is a compact disk option. The cost for 2016 is $85, payable to the University of Minnesota. The U will send all of the study materials and the examination to the person proctoring your exam. It is recommended that the proctor is a supervisor. No proctor, no exam. Complete the Application for Certification form along with the CD Certification Request Form and send it with the payment, name and address of the proctor, and request to: Tree Inspector Certification, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108.
Q. Are those the only two options?
A.
Q. How long does my certification last?
A. Until December 31 of the following year. Take and pass the exam in 2016, certified through 2017.
Q. How do I recertify then?
A.
Q. What’s an “approved…..” recertification option?
A.
Q. What happens if I let my Tree Inspector Certification lapse?
A. Go through New Certification procedures: register for one of the workshops, the compact disk option, a proctored exam at the U in Saint Paul, submit the payment ($85), pass the exam.
A. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Their web site is: http://dnr.state.mn.us/forestry/urban/certifiedtreeprogram/index.html.
Q. What is the role of the University of Minnesota?
A. The U of M offers certification and recertification opportunities and proctors new certification exams at the certification workshops. www.mntreeinspector.com.
Q. What is my certification status? When will I receive my certification card?
A. Your current status as well as the status of your certification card can only be determined by emailing MnTreeInspect.DNR@state.mn.us. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages the data base and certification cards.
Q. How can I become a Certified Tree Inspector?
A.
- Check the www.mntreeinspector.com web site for certification workshop dates.
- Access the study guide found on the web site and study it before the workshop.
- Pre-register and pay ($85) for one of the workshops by their due date. NO WALK-IN REGISTRATIONS ACCEPTED…YOU JUST WASTED A TRIP.
- Attend one of the workshops.
- At the conclusion of the workshop, take the Tree Inspector Examination at the workshop site.
- Submit your completed Application For New Certification form at the workshop. This is then submitted by the U to DNR.
- Answer at least 70% of the questions correctly.
Q. Are the New Tree Inspector Workshops the only way I can become a Tree Inspector?
A. There is a compact disk option. The cost for 2016 is $85, payable to the University of Minnesota. The U will send all of the study materials and the examination to the person proctoring your exam. It is recommended that the proctor is a supervisor. No proctor, no exam. Complete the Application for Certification form along with the CD Certification Request Form and send it with the payment, name and address of the proctor, and request to: Tree Inspector Certification, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108.
Q. Are those the only two options?
A.
- Two days a month, you may pre-register for a proctored exam at the University of Minnesota campus in the Urban Forestry Outreach Research and Extension lab. On those two days, the lab will be set up for people to study, prepare and take the exam.
- The proctored days are the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month, from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. NO EXCEPTIONS.
- You must pre-register, complete the UFORE Proctored Tree Inspector exam form and submit payment and the Application For New Certification form seven (7) calendar days before the test day to: Tree Inspector Certification, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108. NO WALK-INS..NO EXCEPTIONS.
- Registration fee for 2016 is $85, payable to the University of Minnesota, same address as above.
- You can study and review materials and samples in the lab (e.g., firewood) at your leisure and take the test when you are ready.
- Your test will be graded immediately after you submit it and if you passed, the DNR will be notified immediately and your completed Application for New Certification will be submitted to them at the same time by the U of M.
Q. How long does my certification last?
A. Until December 31 of the following year. Take and pass the exam in 2016, certified through 2017.
Q. How do I recertify then?
A.
- During the year your certification expires, e.g., 2017 in the previous example, attend or complete an approved* workshop, seminar, conference, study series.
- Submit a completed Application for Recertification form to the DNR.
Q. What’s an “approved…..” recertification option?
A.
- A minimum of six (6) hours of attendance to an approved workshop, seminar, conference, or study series (you can attend two sessions that are each at least four hours long).
- A compact disk option, offered by the U. The cost for 2016 is $85, payable to the University of Minnesota. The U will send all of the study materials and the examination to the person proctoring your exam. It is recommended that the proctor is a supervisor. No proctor, no compact disk option. Complete the Application for Recertification form and send it with the payment and request to: Tree Inspector Recertification, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108.
- Any local workshop or conference that meets the minimum time requirement (6 hours) and addresses tree inspector issues (tree selection, tree health, planting, pruning, inventorying) probably counts. Submit the advertisement for the venue to: Tree Inspector Recertification, 115 Green Hall, 1530 Cleveland Avenue North, Saint Paul, MN 55108 or treesins@umn.edu a minimum of 10 days in advance of the event.
- Workshops must be approved by the DNR or the U, unless it’s one of these annual events:
- The Minnesota Green Expo in January.
- The Minnesota Master Gardener core course training, January through March.
- The North Dakota Urban and Community Forestry Association annual tree care workshop in January.
- The Northeast Pruning Workshop in February (www.trees.umn.edu, see events).
- The Rochester Arborist Workshop in February.
- The Iowa Shade Tree Short Course in February.
- Any one of the Forest Pest First Detector Workshops in February.
- The Minnesota Shade Tree Short Course, March 15 and 16, Bethel University in Arden Hills.
- The ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) program hosted by the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture in March.
- Midland Hills Pruning Workshop (www.trees.umn.edu, see events).
- The Tree Care Advisor core course training in April.
- The Minnesota Tree Inspector Recertification Workshops in September and October: Waseca, Morris, Crookston, Cloquet area, Brainerd, metro.
- The Minnesota Society of Arboriculture annual conference in October.
Q. What happens if I let my Tree Inspector Certification lapse?
A. Go through New Certification procedures: register for one of the workshops, the compact disk option, a proctored exam at the U in Saint Paul, submit the payment ($85), pass the exam.
Updated: 5/28/2019
