How Do I Get PMP Certified? Step by Step

Getting the PMP certification involves confirming eligibility, submitting your application, scheduling the exam, and passing it — then keeping the credential active by earning 60 PDUs every three years, at least 35 of which must be Education. That PDU cycle is the only fixed, recurring requirement after you pass.

What are the steps to get PMP certified?

The path runs in a fixed order. You confirm you meet PMI’s eligibility criteria, complete the application, pay and schedule once PMI approves it, sit for the exam, and then, if you pass, move into the maintenance cycle that keeps the certification current.

The exam itself is under review for the near future, so if you are planning your study timeline now, it is worth checking what is set to change before you lock in a test date.

  • Confirm you meet PMI’s eligibility criteria for education and project experience.
  • Complete and submit your PMP application through PMI’s system.
  • Pay the exam fee and schedule your test date once PMI approves your application.
  • Sit for the exam, either at a testing center or through the online proctored option.
  • Receive your result and, if you pass, begin the PDU cycle that keeps your certification active.

Upcoming PgMP Class

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PMP class
20
Dec 2026
Sun · 7:00 pm IST

Pass PMP in 21 Days: Q4 2026

When
Sun & Sat · 7:00 pm–11:00 pm IST · 4 weekends
Dates
20 Dec – 9 Jan 2027
Live
24 hours · 6 sessions
Original price was: $644.00.Current price is: $418.60.More details
PMP class
6
Mar 2027
Sat · 7:00 pm IST

Pass PMP in 21 Days: Q1 2027

When
Sat & Sun · 7:00 pm–11:00 pm IST · 3 weekends
Dates
6–21 March 2027
Live
24 hours · 6 sessions
Original price was: $644.00.Current price is: $354.20.More details
PMP class
22
May 2027
Sat · 7:00 pm IST

Pass PMP in 21 Days: Q2 2027

When
Sat & Sun · 7:00 pm–11:00 pm IST · 3 weekends
Dates
22 May – 6 Jun 2027
Live
24 hours · 6 sessions
Original price was: $644.00.Current price is: $354.20.More details
 

How do I know if I’m eligible before I apply?

PMI reviews the combination of your formal education and your verified project management experience against its published eligibility categories. Before you start the application, pull together your project history, dates, and role details in one place so you are not reconstructing it under a submission deadline.

Applications can be selected for audit, which means you may be asked to produce documentation for the experience you claimed. Keep records of the projects you list so you can respond quickly if that happens.

What happens on exam day and after?

Once your application is approved and you have scheduled your seat, exam day itself is a timed, computer-based test. How PMI arrives at a pass or fail result is a separate question worth understanding ahead of time, not on the day itself.

If you are still building your study plan, factor in that the exam content and structure are due for change; read through what is set to shift so your preparation matches the version of the exam you will actually sit.

How do I keep my PMP once I pass?

Passing the exam is not the end of the process. PMP certification runs on a three-year cycle, and to renew it you need 60 PDUs in that cycle, with at least 35 of those 60 coming specifically from the Education category rather than from Giving Back or other activity types.

Most people track PDUs as they go rather than scrambling near the end of the cycle, since Education hours in particular need to be earned through activities PMI counts toward that category.

Questions people ask

You need 60 PDUs every three years, and at least 35 of those 60 must come from the Education category.

Yes; see What is changing in the PMP exam? for what is set to shift and when.

See What is the PMP passing score? for how PMI determines a pass or fail result.

Last reviewed: September 2026