Project Management Professional (PMP)
PMI's flagship credential for experienced project managers. Eligibility, the July 2026 exam format, renewal rules and what changed, linked to PMI's official pages.
Last verified: October 8, 2026 · Official PMI page · All certifications
Official requirement means it comes from PMI. Our recommendation means it's PM Exam Lab's advice, not a PMI rule.
At a glance
- Issued by: Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Best for: project managers with several years of experience leading projects
- Exam: 180 questions (170 scored, 10 unscored pretest), 240 minutes, two 10-minute breaks
- Domains: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%
- Keep it active: 60 PDUs every 3 years
Who it's for
Practitioners who already lead projects and want the most widely recognised general project management credential. If you're newer to projects, look at the CAPM first.
Eligibility (official requirement)
All project experience must be within the last 10 years.
- High school diploma or equivalent: 60 months (5 years) of project experience
- Associate's degree or vocational diploma: 48 months (4 years)
- Bachelor's degree or higher: 36 months (3 years)
- Bachelor's or postgraduate degree from a PMI GAC-accredited program: 24 months (2 years)
- Plus 35 hours of project management education or training, or an active CAPM
PMI says qualifying experience can now include apprenticeships and training roles.
Exam format (official)
- 180 questions in 240 minutes, with two optional 10-minute breaks
- Question types include new case-study and graphic-based items, plus multiple choice, multiple response, matching, point-and-click and drop-down items
- Delivered at a Pearson VUE test centre or online, in 15 languages
- Up to three attempts within your one-year eligibility period
Fees
PMI does not publish one global exam price on its public certification pages. Its certification handbook says prices vary by membership status and region. Check the current fee in your PMI account before you apply. We don't list a figure here because we couldn't confirm it on an official page. PMI's handbook does state that re-exam fees apply to second and third attempts, and that rescheduling or cancelling within 30 days of your appointment costs US$70.
Keeping it active (official)
Earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) every 3 years: at least 35 in Education (with at least 8 in each Talent Triangle area: Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen) and no more than 25 in Giving Back. PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements handbook lists a renewal fee of US$60 for members and US$150 for non-members. That handbook is older than PMI's current Maintain page, which shows no amount, so confirm before you renew.
What changed recently
- A new PMP exam launched on 9 July 2026. Domain weights moved from 42/50/8 to 33/41/26, with more weight on business environment, AI, sustainability and value delivery.
- From 1 December 2026, live training hours count only if delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China REP or an accredited academic program. Self-paced courses can still come from any provider, and training finished before that date still counts.
How to prepare (our recommendation)
- Take the free 50-question mock to get a baseline before you buy anything.
- Most PMP questions are situational. Practise the reasoning in Decision Lab, which shows the decision patterns behind your mistakes.
- Read the PMP Resource Centre for the application, the audit and exam-day logistics.
- Keep the formula cheat sheet handy, but expect far more judgement questions than calculations.
Sources
Official pages checked on 8 October 2026. Requirements and fees can change, so confirm on the issuer's site before you apply.