Professional Certifications

Certifications improve your personal marketability and delivery of professional excellence. There are many certification programs for green industry professionals.

Georgia Certified Landscape Professional

  • This program is designed for managers and technicians in both the landscape installation and maintenance businesses. It is a self-study course with both written and hands-on examinations. The program is administered through the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture and cost $165 for all materials and exams. 15 hours of CEUs are required every three years to maintain certification. 770-233-6107

Georgia Certified Plant Professional

  • This program is designed for professionals employed in the retail garden center industry. It is a self study course with a written exam and an extensive plant identification exam. The program is administered through the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture and cost $165 for all materials and exams.  770-233-6107

Georgia Pesticide Applicator License

  • A “Private” Pesticide applicator license is required if you apply restricted pesticides to your property or your employer’s property. This is the license commonly needed for Nurseries, Farms, Forestry, and Sod Production. 3 hours of CEUs are required every 5 years to remain certified. Private pesticide licenses may be obtained free of charge by attending training at your local County Extension Office.
  •  A “Commercial” pesticide applicator license is required if you apply any pesticide to a property for a fee. The most common category of a commercial license for our industry is the Ornamental and Turf license (Cat. 24). The Category 24 license cost $25 for the exam and requires 10 hours of CEUs every 5 years. 404-656-4958 Study materials and exam registration may be found here http://www.gapestexam.com

Soil Erosion and Sedimentation Certification

  • If you are involved with moving soil with a trencher, a front-end loader, an excavator or a shovel in Georgia, then you need erosion and sediment control certification. The rule requires that one certified person be present on each disturbed site during soil moving activities.

Certified Irrigation Contractor

  • There are six areas of national certification available from the Irrigation Association. Cost varies by category (approx. $275). 10 CEUs are required annually to remain certified. 703-536-7080

ISA Certified Arborist

  • This certification is for persons involved in professional tree care. There are five levels of certification offered by the International Society of Arborist (ISA). Cost approximately $225. 30 CEUs are required every three years to remain certified. 217-355-9411

PLANET Certified Landscape Professional

  • PLANET was created on January 1, 2005 when the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) and the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA) merged. Seven levels of PLANET certification exists . The Landscape Professional exams cost $300 plus study manuals. Annual renewal fee is $25 and 12 CEUs a year are required to maintain certification. 800-395-2522

Certified Sports Field Manager

  • This national certificate program is administered by the Sports Turf Managers Association. To qualify to take the exam you must have 40 education/experience points, $350 application fee and $100 testing fee. 3 CEUs and 9 industry service points are needed every 3 years to remain certified. 1-800-323-3875

Certified Golf Course Superintendent

  • For this certificate, you must first meet eligibility requirements including years of experience and level of post secondary education. Then you will need to pay a $200 application fee, submit a portfolio, have your golf facility attested and successfully complete the exam. 1-800-472-7878

Sports Turfgrass Management

  • This is a self-study certificate course offered by the UGA Center for Continuing Education developed by Drs. Karnok, Landry, McCarty and Murphy. The cost of the program is $379.

For more information, contact:  UGA Center for Urban Agriculture  |  1109 Experiment St.  |  Griffin, GA 30223  |  770-233-6107

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

LEED is a green building certification program that recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices. To receive LEED certification, building projects satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification. Prerequisites and credits differ for each rating system, and teams choose the best fit for their project.