Incentives to Kickstart Your NCCTP Certification Journey Today!

• Enhance your turfgrass industry knowledge, career and business development.
• Confidence and credibility to customers and prospective employers.
• Promote and market yourself as a North Carolina Certified Turfgrass Professional.
  • Use the NCCTP logo on your business materials.
• The NC State Certified Turfgrass Professional Short Course provides comprehensive turfgrass education at select NC State Extension locations and at NC State University annually.
  • The Short Course* offers a comprehensive turfgrass management curriculum, provides Continuing Education Credits, and helps prepare for the NCCTP exam.
  • *The course is optional but strongly recommended for those taking the NCCTP exam.

Get Started Today:

• Hold a current TCNC membership.  If not a member, click here to join online
• Have a minimum of one full year of work experience in the turfgrass industry.
• Agree to the NCCTP Code of Ethics as detailed on the application form.
• Submit:
  • A current and valid NC Pesticide applicators license NCCTP Course registration. Go to our Membership Levels page. Scroll down to Certification and Education, select NCCTP Course Registration and complete the checkout. The NCCTP registration costs $150.Exam Fee: $50 Self-Study Materials: $50* Approved Turfgrass Short Course Graduates within the past two years qualify for exemption of the application fee with provision of documentation. Submit your Short Course documentation to info@turfgrasscouncilnc.org upon completion of the program application.

Curriculum and Exam: 

• Curriculum covers nine core areas: Turfgrass Characteristics; Establishing Turfgrass; Soils & Nutrient Management; Cultural Practices; Pests & Integrated Pest Management; Pesticides & Plant Growth Regulators; Landscape Safety & Pesticide Use; Calculations & Calibration; Turfgrass Business & Economics.
• Candidates have six months from the date of their enrollment acceptance to complete the NCCTP exam.  
• Candidates have six hours to complete the exam and must score 80% or more on each section to receive the NCCTP designation.
• Exams can be taken at the TCNC office in Raleigh during normal business hours or arrangements can be made at your local NC State Extension location.
• Exams will not be graded if any application information is missing or if TCNC membership status cannot be confirmed.
• Please allow two to three weeks for exam grading and reports.
• Upon successful completion of the exam, candidates will receive communication of the results with next step options or their graduation packet.

Maintenance Requirements: 

• Holding a current TCNC membership as a means of demonstrating ongoing support for the industry.
• Submitting an annual $50 renewal fee which supports for the NCCTP program and related promotional activities (designation year is July 1 to June 30, same as TCNC membership year).
• Holding a current NC Pesticide Applicator’s License.

The NC Certified Turfgrass Professional designation (NCCTP), the NCCTP logo and related programs materials are the trademarked property of the Turfgrass Council of North Carolina and cannot be used without TCNC’s written permission. For additional information, contact TCNC at (984) 301-5460.