Certification FAQs

No. No one certification serves as a prerequisite for another. You also do not have to be a PMI member to apply to become a certification holder.

To obtain a PMI certification, you must first meet the eligibility requirements outlined on these web pages and detailed in the certification handbooks. Then, you must pass an exam.

The eligibility requirements for each certification are mentioned here, on these web pages, and detailed in each respective certification handbook. Please link to the appropriate certification handbook for complete guidelines.

All certification applications are available online. Click the "Apply" button on these web pages. Please note that any missing information on the application will delay processing.

When submitting an application, you do not need to send documentation. However, you will be required to send supporting documentation if your application is selected for a random audit. To find out more about PMI's audit process, refer to the certification handbooks and the audit FAQs.

You may refer to yourself as a certification holder although your certificate package can take six to eight weeks to arrive in the mail. Please refer to the "Use of Your PMI Certification" section of the handbooks for more details.

You also can start making plans for maintaining your certification by familiarizing yourself with the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program and its requirements. More details on the CCR program can be found within the CCR Handbook.

Once you are eligible, PMI will e-mail you examination scheduling instructions with your eligibility code, which you will need when scheduling your exam appointment at a testing center.

All PMI exams are offered at approved Pearson VUE Testing Centers worldwide. You can check for locations on Pearson VUE’s website. (NOTE: Please check Pearson VUE's Covid-19 page for information about exam availability in your area.)

You can also take your CAPM or PMI-ACP exam in the comfort of your home or office while being monitored by an online proctor through Pearson VUE.

The PMP, CAPM, and PMI-ACP exams are translated into multiple languages. Please consult the respective certification handbooks for details on specific languages available. 

Other certification exams are not currently translated, but PMI will notify you when translations are available.

If you fail the exam on your first attempt, you can re-take it two more times within your one-year eligibility period. Fees are associated with re-examination. Details for re-examination can be found in the certification handbook.

Your application is valid for one (1) year from the date of approval. If you allow your eligibility to lapse, you must re-apply.

All PMI certifications, with the exception of CAPM, require that you engage in continuous professional development in order to remain certified. The requirements for each certification can be found within the CCR Handbook.

Extensive market research and feedback from certification holders and organizations identified a subset of skills that employers require for project practitioners to deliver improved results. These skills areas are represented in the PMI Talent Triangle. The CCR updates align professional development activities, specifically Education activities, with the PMI Talent Triangle to ensure certification holders are focused on the needs of the profession.

The PMI Talent Triangle outlines the three skill areas employers need. They are as follows:

Technical Project Management: the knowledge, skills and behaviors related to specific domains of Project, Program and Portfolio Management. The technical aspects of performing one’s role.

Leadership: the knowledge, skills, and behaviors needed to guide, motivate, and direct a team, to help an organization achieve its business goals.

Strategic and Business Management: the knowledge of and expertise in the industry and organization that enhances performance and better delivers business outcomes.

Many topics can align to each area of the PMI Talent Triangle. Here are some examples to help you understand.

No. They are not. You can still earn PDUs for activities that give back to the profession including creating new project management knowledge, volunteering, and working as a professional in project management. Volunteer activities should reflect your use of practitioner knowledge and skills (i.e., planning the project for a charity).

The CCR process enables certain PDUs to be shared across your certifications, simplifying the maintenance process. To learn more please refer to the “Maintaining Multiple Certifications” section of the CCR Handbook and/or watch this webinar.

PDUs stand for Professional Development Units. PDUs are the measuring unit used to quantify your professional development as part of the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program. 1 PDU = 1 hour of learning/activity.

Yes. You can earn your Education PDUs by attending classes offered by PMI Authorized Training Partners, Chapters or by your organizations or a university; attending a PMI congress, SeminarsWorld^® and other events, or through self-directed learning.

Yes. You can claim PDUs for a single Education activity under multiple skill areas (Technical Project Management, Leadership, Strategic and Business Management) of the PMI Talent Triangle. For example: if you read a book that contains content on techniques for project time management and on negotiating with stakeholders, you could claim this Education activity in the skill areas of Technical Project Management and Leadership.

Yes. PDUs earned above the required total (e.g. 60 for PMP) in the last year of your 3-year certification cycle can be applied to your next cycle. PDUs earned during the first two years of your cycle cannot be applied to a future cycle. For more details, please refer to the CCR Handbook.

You can start earning and reporting PDU activities as soon as you earn a PMI certification. Activities you completed prior to earning your certification will not count as PDUs towards your newly acquired certification.

You do not need supporting documentation to report PDUs and renew your credential. When reporting your PDUs through CCRS, you will be directed to include specific information about the activity in the PDU claim form.

NOTE: PMI recommends you maintain a personal folder for all PDU-related documentation and keep this documentation for at least 18 months after your CCR cycle has ended. If you are randomly selected for an audit, you will need to provide this documentation.

No. You will use the same username and password that you use to access PMI.org. CCRS uses PMI single sign-on technology, which enables you to log in only once to gain access to all PMI systems and resources. Single sign-on saves time and prevents the need to remember a separate username and password to access CCRS.

CCRS features a comprehensive online user guide. You can find the user guide in the Handbooks and Guides section of CCRS.

PMI recognizes that hardships may arise. Certification holders who are military personnel called to active duty, incapacitated due to illness or out on maternity leave can request an extension.

Please send a written request to the PMI certification department. Your certification will then be marked non-active. PMP certification holders with 10 years of good certification standing may qualify for the PMP-Retired status.

If you complete required PDUs during the suspension period to meet your CCR, you will be able to renew your certification. However, if you can document the necessary PDUs from the original CCR cycle, you can use PDUs earned during your suspension period as activities toward the cycle in which these PDUs were actually earned.

PMI conducts application audits to confirm the experience and/or education documented on certification applications. The purpose of the audit is to enhance the credibility of the certification program and of the certification holders. For each certification, a specified percentage of applications are randomly selected for audit.

The certification audit team processes audit materials within 5 to 7 business days of their arrival at PMI. Once PMI reviews and approves audit materials, PMI will send an e-mail containing your payment instructions.

You can send your completed audit forms, depending on where you live, by regular postal mail or express courier service, to either address below. PMI will not accept faxed or emailed audits documents. Please send all materials at one time, or in one envelope, to expedite the processing time.

PMI Attn.:

Certification Audit

14 Campus Blvd.

Newtown Square, PA 19073-3299 USA

Yes. Audit materials are strictly confidential and are not shared with any external organization unless required through legal action involving PMI.

No. PMI retains the original documentation according to its internal auditing procedures.

No.

No.

Candidates can have a colleague, peer, client or sponsor who has intimate knowledge of the project verify.

PMI is very sensitive to this situation, and encourages candidates to have the information verified in a way that is consistent with company practices and policies. Candidates may black out any proprietary information so as long as there are no changes or omissions to the original information provided to us. PMI may also provide a letter of intent to any managers or supervisors upon request.

PMI will not penalize an audit candidate for this oversight; however it is important that we are aware of the situation so that we can flag the piece of mail in anticipation of the remaining audit materials.

The Experience Verification Form and Experience PDF attachment can be e-mailed to any verifying manager or supervisor; however because the original audit forms need to be submitted in the sealed and signed envelopes, PMI will not accept faxed copies. PMI prefers that the candidate mail all documents in one parcel.

Copies of your certificates are sufficient. We recognize that your certificates are important to you. Therefore, we suggest that you send copies of the originals.

Candidates are required to send a copy of the original and a letter outlining a general translation.

No. Audit candidates must contact the PMI Authorized Training Partner directly for the necessary verification.

We will accept a letter of completion from the course administrator, HR department, or manager on company letterhead to verify that the course was completed.

Although it is preferred that your experience verification form(s) are returned to PMI in a signed and sealed envelope, we understand that this may not be possible in some cases due to internal business regulations, customs inspections, etc. Please make a note on the back of the envelope in question that the signature was omitted.

No. This does not provide any information relating to completion of the course.

Yes.

Not always. PMI does reserve the right to do so if there is a specific question related to verification.

The Certification Department will address further actions on a case-by-case basis.

If a candidate chooses not to complete the audit, it is considered a failed audit due to non-conformance. A candidate may reapply after one year. At that time, a new certification application and payment must be submitted, and the application will be subject to a re-audit.