--- title: What Is an ISA Certified Arborist and How to Verify One url: https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/what-is-an-isa-certified-arborist/ business: Battle Born Tree Service address: 6301 US Highway 50 East, Carson City, NV 89701 phone: 775.232.8243 hours: Office Monday-Friday 8:30 am-5:00 pm; phones answered seven days a week; 24-hour emergency service credentials: ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A on staff; Nevada Business License # 20131580674; fully insured type: Tree service (removal, crane work, pruning, stump grinding, defensible space, snow removal, firewood) --- - [Home](https://battleborntreeservice.com/) - [The Field Guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/) - What is an ISA Certified Arborist, and how to verify one # What is an ISA Certified Arborist, and how do you verify one? An ISA Certified Arborist is a person who has met the International Society of Arboriculture's requirements and passed its exam on tree care. The credential belongs to the individual, and you can check any certification number on the ISA's website. Key takeaways - ISA certification attaches to a person, not to a company. - The ISA describes certified arborists as people who have passed an exam covering all aspects of tree care. - Verify the number on the ISA's site before relying on it. - Certification is not a Nevada contractor license, and the Nevada State Contractors Board's consumer guide lists tree removal and trimming as work that does not need one. - A credential does not replace insurance or a clear estimate. Plenty of tree companies say 'certified' without saying who is certified. Knowing what the credential covers helps you ask a better question. Battle Born Tree Service has two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, and prints the number ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A. ## What does ISA Certified Arborist mean? It means a person has qualified for and passed the certification program of the International Society of Arboriculture. The ISA says certified arborists are experienced professionals who have passed a comprehensive exam covering all aspects of tree care. The credential is for individuals. A company should say 'we employ an ISA Certified Arborist', not 'we are an ISA certified company'. Battle Born says it has two on staff, and a certified arborist assesses every job before work begins. ## How can you verify a certification number? Ask for the arborist's name and number, then look them up on the ISA's verification page. If the person cannot give you a number, you have your answer. ISA credentials also have to be renewed, so check that the status is current. The verification link is in the sources below, because it is an interactive page. - Ask the company for the arborist's full name and certification number. - Open the ISA verification page on treesaregood.org. - Search by name or number and read the status. - Check that the name matches the person who visits your property. ## Does certification mean the company is licensed? No. They are separate things. The Nevada State Contractors Board's consumer guide lists removal and trimming of trees and shrubs among work that does not require a contractor's license, so there is no contractor license number for tree work. What a Nevada tree company can show is a Nevada business license. Battle Born prints Nevada Business License # 20131580674 and says it is licensed and fully insured. See our [proof of insurance guide](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-service-proof-of-insurance/) for how to confirm the insurance. ## Why does certification matter for your tree? Because the decisions on a mature tree, such as what to cut, what to leave and whether it can stay, depend on judgment as much as equipment. A trained arborist looks at structure, decay and surroundings before choosing a method. The ISA also publishes a brochure on why topping is not an acceptable pruning technique; see [why topping is not pruning](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/why-tree-topping-is-not-pruning/). ## What should you still ask a certified company? Everything else. Ask about insurance, the scope of work, who will be on site, what is included in the estimate and how the cleanup is handled. A credential tells you something about knowledge. It does not tell you what the price covers. ## What does certification not tell you? It does not tell you how a company prices, how fast it works or how it treats your property. It also does not make a company the right fit for every job; a small ornamental and a 90-foot cottonwood call for different crews. Use the credential as one input. Pair it with a clear estimate, proof of insurance and a conversation about how the work will be done, and compare more than one company, as the ISA advises. ### Sources - [International Society of Arboriculture, Trees Are Good: Why Hire an Arborist (PDF)](https://www.treesaregood.org/Portals/0/TreesAreGood_Why%20Hire%20An%20Arborist_0321.pdf) (read October 17, 2026) - [ISA Trees Are Good: Verify an ISA Certified Arborist](https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist/verify) (listed October 1, 2026; interactive page, check it yourself) - [Nevada State Contractors Board: Choosing the Right Landscaper](https://www.nvcontractorsboard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Choose_Landscaper_english.pdf) (read October 1, 2026) ### Talk to the office [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243) | Monday to Friday | 8:30 am - 5:00 pm | |---|---| | Saturday and Sunday | Office closed, phones answered | Phones answered seven days a week. 24-hour emergency service. [Free estimate](#quote) ### Keep reading - [Questions to ask before hiring an arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/hiring-an-arborist-questions/) - [How much does an arborist cost?](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/arborist-cost/) - [Arborist vs tree service vs landscaper in Nevada](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/arborist-vs-tree-service-vs-landscaper/) - [Proof of insurance: what to ask a tree service for](https://battleborntreeservice.com/guides/tree-service-proof-of-insurance/) - [Arborist consultation](https://battleborntreeservice.com/tree-services/arborist-consultation/) - [About Battle Born Tree Service](https://battleborntreeservice.com/about/) - [Arborist glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ### Terms on this page [Arborist](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/arborist/) [Right-of-way](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/right-of-way/) [The full glossary](https://battleborntreeservice.com/glossary/) ## More from the blog Pruning and care October 17, 2026 5 min read ### What should you do with your trees in October in Carson City and Reno? In October, finish watering while the ground is open, look over your trees for dead or hanging limbs, and clear leaves and needles away from the house. Save most live-wood pruning for the dormant seas Pruning and care October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Young trees in new subdivisions: the first ten years A young tree in a new subdivision needs very little pruning in its first two or three years, then steady structural pruning to build one strong central trunk and well-spaced branches. The ISA says tre Removal and equipment October 17, 2026 6 min read ### Where tree debris and green waste go in Reno and Carson City Green waste has a few legitimate homes in our area: the landfill or transfer station if the load is only wood and green waste, a fire district drop-off day or curbside chipping program if you qualify, [All posts](https://battleborntreeservice.com/blog/) ## Questions people ask Still have a question? Call [775.232.8243](tel:775.232.8243). Phones are answered seven days a week. ### Is Battle Born an ISA certified company? The credential belongs to people, not companies. Battle Born has two ISA Certified Arborists on staff, and prints ISA Certified Arborist WE-11728A. ### Is an ISA Certified Arborist required in Nevada? The Nevada State Contractors Board's consumer guide lists tree removal and trimming among work that does not need a contractor's license. Some local rules, like Reno's for work in a city right-of-way, require a Certified Arborist. Check with the agency. ### What is a Board Certified Master Arborist? A higher ISA credential. Battle Born does not claim it, and we mention it only so you can tell the credentials apart. ### Does the arborist do the climbing? Not always. Ask who will be on site and what each person does. ### Where do I verify a number? On the ISA's verify-an-arborist page, linked in the sources of this guide.