Exam Security

 

Mission

Our purpose is to maximize project success to elevate our world. In service of this purpose, we ensure that PMI Professional Certifications are the “gold standard” for project management through our commitment to keeping the highest levels of security, integrity, and validity for all of our exam programs.

The sole purpose of the internal Exam Integrity team, in coordination with external vendors and exam security experts, is to maintain the integrity of PMI exams.

Our team does this by ensuring that:

  1. Only qualified individuals pass our exams and earn PMI certifications.

  2. No candidate has an unfair advantage over another.

  3. Exam content is secure; and,

  4. Risks associated with international high-stakes testing are properly mitigated.

PMI’s certification programs, policies, and procedures meet or exceed the international standards for quality management, as described by ISO 9001. The PMP certification also meets or exceeds the international standards for high stakes testing as described by ISO/IEC 17024. Our accreditation certificate for the PMP can be found on the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) website. Our ISO 9001 accreditation certificate is available upon request.

Candidate Responsibilities

All candidates in PMI sponsored examination programs agree to the PMI Certification Application / Renewal Agreement. As part of this agreement, candidates are required to follow the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct as well as all PMI Certification Program policies and requirements. All certification program policies can be found in the Certification Handbook. Exam takers are again presented with these responsibilities during the Candidate Security Acknowledgement, which is presented immediately prior to beginning an exam 

Candidates who violate the Agreement, Code of Ethics, or any Certification policies or requirements will have disciplinary action taken against them.

Candidate Security Acknowledgment

Prior to beginning the exam, you must agree to the Candidate Security Acknowledgment (CSA). Failure to agree with any of the CSA will result in the immediate termination of the candidate’s testing session and you will be required to submit the appropriate fees and schedule a new exam appointment.

“As a candidate for this exam, you are required to follow the terms of the PMI Certification Application/Renewal Agreement and the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. Please read and agree to the following before beginning your exam:

I will follow all PMI certification program policies and requirements. I understand that failure to do so may result in investigation and sanctions by PMI, which could include canceling my exam results and forbidding me from taking future exams.

I understand that PMI exams are confidential. I will not discuss or disclose the questions, content, or answers from my exam to any person or company, including other candidates, education providers, or exam preparation services, at any time.

Prior to this exam, I have not received information from any source regarding the confidential questions, content, or answers of this exam.

I will promptly report to PMI any possible violations of the Certification Application/Renewal Agreement, PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, or PMI certification program policies by myself or others.”

Data Forensics

As mentioned in the PMI Certification Application / Renewal Agreement, PMI uses independent third-party security vendors, including psychometricians (statisticians), to conduct forensic analyses on exam administration data. These analyses are designed to protect the validity of the exam by looking for evidence that suggest a candidate’s score may not be a true measure of their knowledge or ability. PMI reserves the right to hold, invalidate, cancel, or take other appropriate action against any score identified as invalid on the basis on these analyses alone.

Statistical evidence may also be used during either an investigation into potential misconduct or a disciplinary action.

Test Fraud and Misconduct

PMI uses a wide range of tools and techniques to detect and take action against instances of test fraud and misconduct, as well as those who facilitate such behavior. Our safeguards include methods for identifying:

  • Individuals, websites, or services that offer exam “training” which encourage or assist with test fraud or misconduct, along with the candidates who gain or attempt to gain an unfair advantage through such methods.
  • Both in-person and remote Proxy Testing, where one person (proxy) takes or attempts to take an exam for someone else (candidate).
  • Application fraud and audit circumvention.
  • Exam content theft, distribution, exposure, or use.
  • Violations of PMI Certification policy before, during, and after an exam.

When PMI discovers evidence of test fraud or misconduct, we take immediate action. In addition to invalidating exam scores and revoking certifications, we use a wide variety of tools including PMI disciplinary actions, legal enforcement, and even work with local authorities to pursue criminal action. PMI will do everything in our power to protect the reputation and integrity of PMI exams and credentials.

If you have any information, suspicions, or concerns related to test fraud, misconduct, or any threats to the integrity and reputation of PMI’s exams and credentials, please email the Exam Integrity team at [email protected]. We thoroughly investigate every tip we receive.

Score reports from exams taken in a test center or online will include your photo. This measure is designed to protect the security of test takers and ensure that score reports are used in a responsible and ethical manner. For more information about how we use and store this information, see https://www.pmi.org/privacy.

Public announcements of revoked credentials

PMI strives to ensure that only qualified individuals earn PMI credentials. However, there may be times where an individual’s credential needs to be revoked after it has been awarded, In those instances, PMI will notify the individual, remove the individual from our online Certification Registry, and may also post the individual’s name and a summary of the behavior or misconduct which led to the revocation to PMI.org.

PMI Certification Application / Renewal Agreement

This Agreement may be updated or revised from time to time. It is your responsibility to obtain the most up-to-date copy online. Document last updated September 2024.

  • I agree to satisfy and conduct myself in accordance with all PMI certification program policies and requirements, including this Agreement and the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (as they may be revised from time to time); and I shall maintain confidentiality of PMI examination questions and content. Furthermore, I agree not to discuss, debrief or disclose, in any manner, the specific content of PMI examination questions and answers, to any individual.
  • I agree that I shall always act in a truthful and honest manner and provide truthful and accurate information to PMI. I agree that any intentional or unintentional failure to provide true, timely and complete responses to questions in this application or renewal form may lead to further investigation and/or sanctions by PMI. I also agree to promptly report to PMI any possible violations of the terms of this Agreement or the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct by PMI members or by persons who have applied for a PMI credential or have been awarded a credential by PMI.
  • I agree to notify the PMI Certification Department in a timely manner of changes concerning the information I have provided, including my current address and telephone number.
  • I have reported, and will continue to report, to the PMI Certification Department, within sixty (60) days of occurrence, any matters, proceedings, lawsuits, settlements and/or other agreements, administrative agency actions, or organizational actions relating to my profession or occupation, including all complaints relating to my professional activities as a project management practitioner, and matters or proceedings involving, but not limited to certification, credentialing, malpractice, disciplinary ethics or similar matters. I also agree to promptly report, within sixty (60) days of occurrence, any felony criminal charges, convictions, or plea agreements or other criminal charges, convictions, or plea agreements relating to acts of dishonesty or unethical conduct.
  • I agree that if my compliance with any of the terms of this agreement requires or includes an explanation and supporting documents, I will provide a complete and accurate explanation and true copies of the materials to the PMI Certification Department with this application.
  • I agree that the PMI Certification Department has the right to communicate with any person, government agency or organization to review or confirm the information in this application or any other information related to my application for PMI credentialing. Further, I agree to and authorize the release of any information requested by the PMI Certification Department for such review and confirmation. I agree that the PMI credential status does not imply licensure, registration or government authorization to practice project management or to engage in related activities.
  • I agree that the PMI credential status does not imply licensure, registration or government authorization to practice project management or to engage in related activities.
  • I agree that all materials that I submit to the PMI Certification Department become the property of the PMI Certification Department, and that the PMI Certification Department is not required to return any of these materials to me.
  • I agree that upon achieving the PMI credential, my name may be posted on the PMI website as part of an Online Registry to be created and maintained by PMI.
  • I agree that information related to my participation in the PMI certification process may be used in an anonymous manner for research purposes only.
  • I agree that all disputes relating in any way to my application for a PMI credential and/or my involvement generally in a PMI certification program, will be resolved solely and exclusively by means of PMI Certification Department policies, procedures and rules, including the Appeals Process. PMI reserves the right to suspend or revoke the credential of any individual who is determined to have failed to uphold, or otherwise breached this Agreement, or committed a violation of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
  • PMI reserves the right to suspend or revoke the credential of any individual who is determined to have failed to uphold, or otherwise breached this Agreement, or committed a violation of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.
  • PMI conducts statistical analyses (data forensics) of test administration data to look for evidence of validity issues or misconduct. PMI may use these analyses to take remedial action including, but not limited to, cancellation of exam scores and revocation of certification. A candidate whose exam score is canceled based on statistical evidence alone may be permitted to retake the exam if they have eligibility remaining and after they have paid the reexamination fee. PMI reserves the right to place restrictions on exam retakes, including limiting candidates to in-person testing, in order to protect the validity and integrity of the exam.
  • I release and indemnify PMI and the PMI Certification Department from all liability and claims that may arise out of, or be related to, my project management and related activities.
  • I hereby release, discharge and indemnify PMI, its directors, officers, members, examiners, employers, attorneys, representatives, agents and the PMI Certification Department from any actions, suits, obligations, damages, claims or demands arising out of or in connection with this application, the scores given with respect to the examination or any other action taken by PMI with regard to credentialing, testing and professional development including, but not limited to, all actions related to ethics matters and cases. I understand and agree that any decision concerning my qualification for any credential, as well as any decisions regarding my continuing qualification for any credential and my compliance with the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, rest within the sole and exclusive discretion of PMI, and that these decisions are final.
  • I acknowledge the terms of this Agreement for the following reasons:
    • to comply with the relevant provisions of the certification scheme;
    • to make claims regarding certification only with respect to the scope for which certification has been granted;
    • not to use the certification in such a manner as to bring the certification body into disrepute, and not to make any statement regarding the certification which the certification body considers misleading or unauthorized;
    • to discontinue the use of all claims to certification that contain any reference to the certification body or certification upon suspension or withdrawal of certification, and to return any certificates issued by the certification body;
    • not to use the certificate in a misleading manner.