Project Management Professional
Project Management Professional (better known by its acronym PMP; hereinafter, PMP) is the credential that the Project Management Institute (PMI) designs, markets, and delivers for professionals of project management.
Certification
Re-certification
The Project Management Institute expresses all the policies and procedures for actively maintaining the PMP certification in its Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Handbook. All PMP certification holders are expected to understand and comply with those policies. The information in this wikipage section is sourced from CCR Handbook updated on 29 January 2019 for the convenience of PMP holders only. However, this wikipage section information may be incorrectly formatted, titled, and/or outdated. CCR Handbook is the official publication and serves as the single source of truth.
CCR program overview
- PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program supports the ongoing educational and professional development of our certification holders so they are always prepared to meet the demands of today’s complex business environment. The purpose of the CCR program is to:
- Enhance continuous learning and development among certification holders
- Provide direction in development areas to ensure relevancy of certified practitioners
- Encourage and recognize individualized learning opportunities
- Offer a mechanism for attaining and recording professional development activities
- Sustain the global recognition and value of PMI credentials
- Everyone who earns the PMI certification must actively maintain their certification through participation in the CCR Program and renewal of their certification every 3 years. Partaking in professional development and learning activities allows certification holders to earn Professional Development Units (PDUs), fulfilling the continuing certification requirements and ultimately growing and developing as a practitioner.
- The Project Management Institute acknowledges that each individual has different professional needs and desires. The CCR program is designed to be flexible so that it can adapt to those needs and allow PMP certification holders to customize their CCR activities. The CCR program provides a general framework and guidance -- PMP certification holders are expected to determine their ultimate CCR and development path.
PDUs
- Main wikipage: PDU
- PDUs (professional development units) are the measuring units used to quantify approved learning and professional service activities.
Requirements overview
- All PMP certification holders must earn PDUs to actively maintain their certification. These PDUs can be earned through various professional development activities that center on one mandatory and one optional areas:
- Education. Learning opportunities that allow PMP certification holders to expand and enhance their technical, leadership, or strategic and business management skills.
- Optionally, giving back to the profession. Activities that enable PMP certification holders to share and utilize their knowledge and skills as a means to contribute to and help build the profession.
- These CCR requirements for the PMP certification are outlined below:
CCR requirements for the PMP certification Certification Cycle Total PDUs Required Education (Minimum PDUs) Giving back (Maximum PDUs) 3 years 60 35 (education PDUs can exceed this amount; there is no limit on the number of PDUs that can be earned in education) 25
Education PDU requirements
- The Project Management Institute divides education PDUs in three domains, all of which comprise the PMI Talent Triangle®:
PMI Talent Triangle® requirements for the PMP certification Skill Area Definition Minimum PDUs Maximum PDUs Technical Knowledge, skills and behaviors related to specific domains of project, program and portfolio management. The technical aspects of performing your job/role. 8 19 Leadership Knowledge, skills and behaviors involved in the ability to guide, motivate and/or direct others to achieve a goal. 8 19 Strategic & Business Management Knowledge of and expertise in the industry/organization, helping you align your team in a way that enhances performance and better delivers business outcomes. 8 19 Total 60 PDUs are required, 25 of which can be earned as giving-back PDUs. Since 8 PDUs are required in every of the skill areas, the remaining PDUs must be earned additionally in any of the areas. Since there is no limit for education PDUs and no giving-back PDUs are required, all 60 PDUs can be earned as education ones. 60 minus giving-back PDUs No limit (up to 60)
- Formatted differently, the education requirements can be broken down as detailed below:
Minimum talent triangle requirements for the PMP certification Technical PDUs Required Leadership PDUs Required Strategic PDUs Required Remaining PDUs – across any area of PMI Talent Triangle® Total Minimum Required 8 8 8 11 35
Giving-back PDU options
CCR process timeline
- There are a few key steps that encompass the process around participation in the CCR program.
One cycle of CCR process for PMP certification holders Step Action Description 1 Earn or renew your PMP certification The day you pass the exam, your CCR cycle begins and lasts for a 3 year period 2 Participate in professional development activities In order to earn PDUs you'll need to participate in professional development activities. 3 Record and report PDUs As you earn PDUs, submit your PDU claims to PMI via the CCR system (CCRS) 4 Fulfill CCR requirements Earn enough PDUs to meet the CCR requirements for your specific certification 5 Complete CCR application and pay renewal fee PMI will send information to renew and provide payment 6 CCR Renewal Complete Follow guidelines for continuing to maintain your certification
Renewal procedures
- After PMI confirms that you have met the PDU requirements, you will receive electronic notification to apply for certificationrenewal. Once you receive the notification, you will be directed to submit the renewal fee payment on the online certification system.
- You can complete the renewal process at any point in your cycle after the PDU requirements have been met by submitting payment. However, you must submit payment no later than 90 days after your cycle end date. After processing the completed application and the renewal payment, PMI will send you an updated certificate with the new active certification/CCR cycle dates. Please allow six to eight weeks for postal delivery.
Fees and policies
Fee table
PMP renewal fees PMI Membership Status CCR Renewal Fee PMI member* US$60 Non-member US$150
- *Note: PMI's membership renewal fee is different and separate than the certification renewal fee.
Extenuating circumstances
- You may cancel your certification at any time. To do so, contact Customer Care in writing at customercare@pmi.org. PMI will refund one-third of the renewal fee for each full year of the renewed certification/CCR cycle that you have not used following the date of the written cancellation request.
- If there are other extenuating circumstances that prohibit you from completing the certification renewal process detailed in this handbook, please contact Customer Care. PMI will review all claims on a case-by-case basis.
PMI Certification Agreement
- 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 at all times 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 orhave 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 mycompliance 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 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.
- 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, employees, 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.
- 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 January 2019.
Certification status
Your participation in the CCR program and fulfilling its requirements determines your certification status. A certification holder can have one of the following certification statuses:
Active status
- When you first earn a certification, you are considered to be in active status. When you fulfill all CCR requirements for your certification, including earning and reporting PDUs, as well as submitting the renewal payment before the cycle end date, you are in good standing with an active status. Certification holders in active status will be automatically listed in the online Certification Registry. You can choose to be removed from the registry, so the absence of your name in the registry does not necessarily mean that you are not certified.
Suspended status
- If you do not satisfy the CCR program requirements within your current cycle dates, you will be placed in suspended status. The suspension period lasts one year (12 months). If you are in suspended status, you may not refer to yourself as a certification holder or use the certification designation until you earn the necessary PDUs or complete the renewal process within the one-year suspension period.
- The date of your next CCR cycle will not change after you are reinstated to active status from suspended status. (The suspension period overlaps the time frame of your next cycle as shown here.)
Expired status
- If you do not earn the necessary PDUs or do not complete the renewal process within the suspension period, you will lose your certification and go into an expired status. If you let your certification expire, you may not refer to yourself as a certification holder or use the certification designation. To attain the certification again, you will be required to reapply by completing a new application, submitting the associated fees and retaking the examination.
Retired status
- If you are a certification holder in good standing and wish to voluntarily relinquish your active status due to retirement, you are eligible to apply for retired status. To qualify, you must no longer earn primary remuneration for practicing project management and must have been a certification holder in good standing for at least 10 consecutive years. Once you are in retired status, you do not need to earn or report PDUs.
- To apply for retired status, submit a written request to PMI by email (Certification.CCR@pmi.org) or fax (1 6102392257). PMI will send you guidelines about retired status and a form to complete. There is also a US$100 processing fee.
- If you begin practicing project management again, you can apply for active status again by contacting PMI's Customer Care by email. Once you have active status again, you will be required to earn and report PDUs.
