What is Certification?
Certification is a national hands-on testing program exclusively administered in New Jersey by the New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association (NJLCA) in conjunction with the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET). Certification seeks to recognize proficiency in the landscape workforce, upgrade the status of the landscape professional, and provide the public with a means of identifying qualified landscape professionals within the industry.

Why Get Certified?
There are many benefits to becoming a CLT— it promotes safety; it promotes professionalism in the industry; it promotes national recognition and standardization; it validates landscape skills; it creates opportunities for career advancement in the industry; and it instills pride in employees and companies. Individuals who pass the exam have the right to use the letters CLT after their names; individuals who pass the test have the right to use the CLT logo on their printed materials and vehicles; individuals passing a CLT test will receive a CLT certificate and lapel pin; employers are encouraged to advertise that they have certified employees on staff; NJLCA, PLANET and other participating associations are promoting the use of CLTs to the public; all CLTs are required to attend continuing education and accumulate 2 points over each three-year period and submit them to PLANET to maintain their CLT status.

How do I become Certified?
To become a CLT, an applicant must pass Common Core Modules and either ALL Turf Maintenance Modules, ALL Ornamental Maintenance, ALL Softscape Installation or ALL Hardscape Installation Modules. Successful completion of the Maintenance Modules demonstrates that a person has the skills to maintain a landscape project in a proficient manner. Successful completion of the Installation Modules demonstrates that an individual has the skills to take a landscape blueprint and proficiently implement the design in the field (written tests available in English or Spanish).

Who is Eligible?
Anyone is eligible to take the exam, but it is strongly recommended that the applicant has at least one of the following: 4,000 hours of work in the landscape industry; 2,000 hours of work in the landscape industry plus the successful completion of a two-year or four-year curriculum in the landscape field; or, 1,000 hours of work in the landscape industry plus the successful completion of a two-year or four-year curriculum in the landscape field plus the completion of an approved internship program. Please Note: Certification is not a substitute for a landscape contractor’s license, nor does it count toward a state license. The goals, subject matter, and procedures of the certification test are different from licensing exams. Also, certification is not a substitute for any of the state-issued pesticide licenses.

What are the Designations?