THE APLD CERTIFICATION PROCESS

Certification: APLD^® certification program provides professional recognition to landscape designers, based on established standards of excellence. This process encourages self-assessment by offering guidelines for achievement. Certification is available for Associate APLD^®members in good standing, who have been practicing landscape design for a minimum of two years. Click here for the dues structure.

Our certification process is to evaluate the candidates submitted work. It is not an educational curriculum.

To encourage our certified members to continue their education, we require recertification every three years, with 30 contact hours of continuing education credit (CEU).

Helpful Documents:

- http://www.apld.org/consumers/certification.asp
- https://www.apld.org/members/certification.asp

The certification committee has developed a review process for landscape designers to become certified. Ours is the only national (international) certification program for landscape designers. Currently, 20% of our members are certified. The evaluation process includes review of submitted plans and other data as well as keeping track of and assigning CEU's (continuing education units) which are required for maintaining certification. Committee members are divided regionally. All submissions are kept confidential.

The APLD^®Certification Review Panel convenes four times each year to review applications for Certified Professional Membership. The current review schedule is January, March, August and November. Applications are due by the first of the month.

The certification process defines our standard of practice.