There is no licence to trade as a tree surgeon in the UK. Anyone can print a van sign. But anyone using a chainsaw on or in a tree at work is expected to have been trained and to hold a certificate of competence, and a proper business will also carry insurance and be registered to take your waste away. You are entitled to ask for proof of all of it, and a good firm will send it without fuss.
What the law actually requires
Health and safety law does the work that a licence would. The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) say workers must be trained to use their equipment safely. For chainsaws in tree work, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) sets out the minimum standard in its leaflet Chainsaws at work: before using a chainsaw on or in a tree, a worker should have received appropriate training and obtained a relevant certificate of competence or national competence award, unless they are in training and properly supervised.
HSE also says chainsaw users should take refresher training: every two to three years for occasional users and every five years for full-time users.
For climbing work, the Work at Height Regulations 2005 require the job to be planned, including how someone would be rescued. HSE's tree work guidance says there should be at least two people on site for aerial work, with someone on the ground trained and equipped to carry out an aerial rescue straight away. A lone climber with nobody on the ground is a warning sign.
The certificates, in plain English
Most tree surgeons hold certificates from City & Guilds (still widely called NPTC) or Lantra Awards. The units were renamed a few years ago, so you will hear both the old codes and the new names.
| Old code | What it covers now | Needed for |
|---|---|---|
| CS30 | Chainsaw maintenance and cross-cutting | Any chainsaw use on the ground |
| CS31 | Felling small trees (up to 380mm) | Felling smaller trees from the ground |
| CS38 | Tree climbing and aerial rescue | Climbing with rope and harness, and rescuing a climber |
| CS39 | Aerial cutting of trees with a chainsaw | Using a chainsaw in the tree |
A climber who takes down a tree in sections should normally hold the climbing and aerial rescue unit and the aerial cutting unit. The ground team should hold at least the maintenance and cross-cutting unit. Lantra offers equivalent awards under similar names, including Accessing a tree using a rope and harness and aerial rescue.
You do not need to memorise the codes. Ask: "Who will be climbing, and can you send me their chainsaw and aerial rescue certificates?"
Insurance
Ask for the public liability certificate and check three things: the business name matches the one quoting you, the policy is in date on the day of the work, and it covers tree work, not just general gardening. If the firm employs staff, it must also have employer's liability insurance.
The amount of cover varies. Ask what the limit is and whether it is enough for a tree next to your house, your neighbour's house or a road. If a large limb comes down on a conservatory, it is their insurer you want paying, not yours.
Standards and trade schemes
BS 3998:2010 is the British Standard for tree work. It sets out good pruning practice, such as how a crown reduction should be cut. A quote that says "reduce by 2m to BS 3998" tells you the firm knows the standard.
The Arboricultural Association's Approved Contractor scheme is a voluntary accreditation. Firms are assessed on site and in the office, including their work quality against BS 3998, insurance, and waste registrations. Plenty of good firms are not members, but membership is a solid extra check. The association keeps a public directory.
Waste carrier registration
Branches, logs and chippings are waste in law. A business that takes your green waste away should be registered as a waste carrier with the Environment Agency. You can check the registration number on the Environment Agency's public register in a couple of minutes. If your waste is later dumped and traced back to you, you can be fined as well as them. The fly-tipping guide walks through the check.
A written quote
Get the price in writing, by email or on paper. It should say:
- which tree or trees, and exactly what will be done (for example "fell to ground level" or "crown reduce by roughly 2m")
- whether the waste, logs and stump are included
- whether the price includes VAT
- who is responsible for checking Tree Preservation Orders or conservation area rules
If the tree may be protected, read how to check if a tree has a TPO before any work starts.
Red flags
- Doorstep callers. "We're working on your road and noticed your tree" is a common opener. Reputable firms are busy enough not to knock on doors.
- Cash only, or a large deposit up front. Paying on completion, or a small deposit for big jobs, is normal.
- "Topping." Cutting the top off a tree in one go leaves weak regrowth and often kills it. It is not a crown reduction and is not good practice under BS 3998.
- No paperwork. No address, no landline or business email, no insurance certificate, no waste registration.
- Pressure to decide today, or a price that suddenly rises once the tree is half down.
- Climbing without a harness or with no one on the ground.
How Branch and Bramble fits in
We are an introducer, not a tree surgeon. For tree work we pass your enquiry to one vetted local specialist in your area, and "vetted" means we have seen their insurance and NPTC or equivalent certificates and recorded the expiry dates. You still have every right to ask them for the documents above.
If you are pricing a job, start with the service and cost pages:
- Tree removal and the tree removal cost guide: small trees from about £280–£380, medium £480–£720, large £850–£1,400
- Crown reduction and the crown reduction cost guide
- Stump grinding and the stump grinding cost guide
Questions
Is it illegal for an unqualified person to cut down my tree?
There is no offence of working as a tree surgeon without a qualification. But a business that sends someone up a tree with a chainsaw without the certificates HSE expects is not meeting health and safety law, and your own insurer may take a dim view if things go wrong.
What does NPTC stand for?
It stands for National Proficiency Tests Council. It is now part of City & Guilds, which is why certificates carry both names.
Should I ask to see the certificates or just take their word?
Ask to see them. A photo or scan by email is normal, and a professional firm will have them to hand. Check the name on the certificate matches the person doing the work.
Do I need a qualified tree surgeon just to trim a small tree?
If they are using a chainsaw, the same training expectations apply. For light pruning with hand tools, a competent gardener may be fine, but anything off a ladder or near a building is best left to someone trained and insured for tree work.