Botanist Certification
Become a Certified California Botanist
Professional certification for field and consulting botanists is good for the profession and good for the environment. Certification helps ensure that the most qualified people conduct California’s environmental reviews and that our decision-makers have the information they need to make sound land-use decisions.
That’s why CNPS and other leading botanical organizations have partnered to create a consulting botanist certification to formally recognize botanists who incorporate scientifically sound botanical principles in decision-making, meet a minimum set of standards in knowledge and experience, and adhere to high ethical standards.
New exam dates will be posted in Spring 2027.
Learn why certification matters for the profession and for California’s native plants.
Information on how to apply for certification and renew your credentials.
Learn about the goals and objectives behind the certification program.
Learn about the organizations and partners administering the certification program.
Find a Certified Botanist
Three Levels of Certification
Associate Field Botanist
Associate Field Botanist certification demonstrates the botanist’s basic knowledge of the California flora and the ability to use dichotomous identification keys to determine a plant’s identity.
The Associate Field Botanist also has a basic understanding of botanical terminology and field survey methods and can be considered an apprentice to becoming a Certified Field Botanist. This certification is awarded to those who have received a score between 60% and 74% on each exam.
Field Botanist
The Field Botanist is competent in identifying native and naturalized plants found in California and is able to use appropriate field survey methods and protocols that satisfy documentation and assessment requirements.
They can identify the dominant and characteristic plants that compose the California flora and know how to identify those native and naturalized species they may not be able to identify on sight. The Certified Field Botanist has a good grasp of botanical terminology, knows how to conduct field surveys and map plant occurrences and populations necessary for laboratory analyses and impact assessments, and can monitor plant populations during and after construction, including monitoring of mitigation implementation.
Consulting Botanist
The Certified Consulting Botanist has satisfied all requirements of a Field Botanist, as well as demonstrated competence in document preparation, such as describing baseline conditions of a study or project area, critically analyzing project-related impacts to botanical resources, developing feasible mitigation measures, and demonstrating a clear understanding of environmental laws and regulations pertaining to plants.
They know how to research applicable environmental policies and regulations, document existing site conditions, assess whether project-related impacts are significant under federal, state, or local regulations, and assist clients through the environmental permitting process as it relates to botanical resources.
Sign up for updates on future exam dates. For more information about California Botanist Certification, contact us at botcert@cnps.org. Do you have a group that wants to become certified? Email us and let us know your location.
