What are the renewal requirements? After I have successfully renewed my registration for the first time, do I need to obtain continuing education for arboriculture (CEA) hours for my subsequent renewals?

In the first renewal, apart from the requirement of 1.5 years in-service records, you also have to meet the requirements on CEA hours. Registered Tree Risk Assessors who do not have recognised academic or professional qualification in the first time registration are required to acquire relevant recognised academic and professional qualifications and submit their documentary proof for first time renewal.

After your first renewal of registration is successful, the CEA hours requirement on key job functions will be changed from essential hours to optional hours. Therefore, in your subsequent renewals, you have to produce a minimum of 1.5 years in-service records in the immediate past three years before expiry of the current registration, and records of compliance of the requirements on optional CEA hours in the same period.

For details, please see “Renewal Requirements” of the Scheme’s website.

If I need some more time to meet the renewal requirements, what can I do?

You may apply for extension of the validity period of your current registration for specific personnel type(s) for six months by sending a written request to the Registration Unit at rstmp@devb.gov.hk or in writing stating the reason(s) for applying for the extension of validity period of registration for specific personnel type(s), your registration number and your name. Application for extension of validity period of registration can be made between six months and ten weeks before the expiry date of the current registration.

Application for renewal has to be successful within the extended validity period of the registration. Upon successful renewal of registration, the commencement date of the renewed registration will start from the day following the original expiry date of the last registration. Each registered tree management personnel can apply for one extension only for each registered personnel type in each term of registration.

If I do not submit my renewal application before the expiry of my registration or if I do not meet the renewal requirements, can I re-apply for registration again after the expiry of my registration?

Registered personnel who apply for renewal have to meet the renewal requirements and submit your renewal application to the Registration Unit between six months and ten weeks before the expiry of your registration. For details of the application procedures, please see the Notes to Registered Tree Management Personnel on Application for Renewal of Registration of the Scheme’s website.

If the Registration Unit does not receive your renewal application ten weeks before the expiry date of your registration, or if you do not meet the renewal requirements of specific personnel type(s), your registration for the specific personnel type(s) will be lapsed upon the expiry of the registration and you will be de-listed from the register for the specific personnel type(s). Once de-listed from a specific personnel type, you can only apply for registration on the same personnel type again one year after the date of de-list.