The PMP
Everything about the PMP® certification: what it is, how the exam works, and the step-by-step registration procedure.
What is the PMP?
The PMP® (Project Management Professional), issued by the Project Management Institute (PMI®), is the world's leading project management certification. It proves a professional can lead projects and teams across all approaches: predictive, agile and hybrid.
- Recognized worldwide and across all industries.
- Associated with higher pay for project managers.
- Based on the ECO (exam content outline), the PMBOK® and the Agile Practice Guide.
Eligibility requirements
| Education | Project-leading experience | Education hours |
|---|---|---|
| Secondary diploma (high-school or equivalent) | 60 months (5 years) leading projects within the last 8 years | 35 hours of project management education* |
| Bachelor's / four-year degree | 36 months (3 years) leading projects within the last 8 years | 35 hours of project management education* |
| Degree from a GAC-accredited program | 24 months (2 years) leading projects within the last 8 years | 35 hours of project management education* |
* The 35 education hours are considered met if you hold the CAPM® certification.
The exam: format & test conditions
180
questions (175 scored + 5 pretest)
230 min
duration, with two 10-min breaks
Center / online
Pearson VUE (proctored)
- Question types: single choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop / matching, hotspot, pull-down lists, graphic-based questions and case studies.
- Weighting (2026 ECO): People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%.
- Approach mix: ~40% predictive and ~60% agile / hybrid.
- Score: no fixed public percentage; performance is rated per domain (Above / Target / Below) on a psychometric basis.
Which version should you prepare?
Current blueprint
Exams taken through July 8, 2026
People 42% · Process 50% · Business Environment 8%
Use this if your exam date is before the official transition.
New 2026 ECO
Exams taken from July 9, 2026
People 33% · Process 41% · Business Environment 26%
This is Prépa PMP's main learning target, with a much higher Business Environment weight.
Prépa PMP is intentionally oriented toward the new 2026 ECO, but this distinction prevents you from reviewing Business Environment at the wrong weight if your exam is before the transition.
Registration procedure, step by step
- 1
Create a PMI account
Sign up for free on pmi.org — the entry point for the whole process.
- 2
Join PMI (recommended)
Membership (~$139 first year) sharply cuts the exam fee and unlocks the PMBOK and resources.
- 3
Check your eligibility
Diploma + project-leading hours + 35 hours of education (see the table above).
- 4
Complete the online application
Describe your projects (role, hours, deliverables) and your education. You have 90 days to complete it.
- 5
Submit the application
PMI reviews the application within ~5 business days.
- 6
Possible audit
Some applications are randomly selected for audit: provide diploma, signed experience verifications and education certificates (90 days to respond).
- 7
Pay the exam fee
Payment unlocks eligibility (see fees below).
- 8
Receive the eligibility ID
You get a 1-year eligibility window, with up to 3 attempts.
- 9
Schedule the exam (Pearson VUE)
Choose a test center or the online proctored exam, on the date that suits you.
- 10
Take the exam
180 questions in 230 minutes; the pass/fail result is shown at the end.
- 11
Maintain the certification
Earn 60 PDUs (professional development units) every 3 years to stay certified.
Fees (USD)
| Item | PMI member | Non-member |
|---|---|---|
| PMP exam | 405 $ | 555 $ |
| Re-exam (per attempt) | 275 $ | 375 $ |
| PMI membership (first year) | ≈ 139 $ | — |
Indicative fees subject to change — confirm on pmi.org. Joining PMI usually makes the exam cheaper overall.
Official PMI pageIndependent educational information; not affiliated with PMI®. Always verify current requirements on pmi.org.