PMI's certification renewal cycle runs three years. PMP, PgMP, PfMP and PMI-PBA holders need 60 PDUs per cycle; PMI-ACP and PMI-RMP need 30; CAPM needs 15. Within the 60-PDU cycle, at least 35 must be Education, including a minimum of 8 PDUs in each Talent Triangle area, and Giving Back is capped at 25 PDUs.
30
PMI-ACP and PMI-RMP need 30 PDUs every three years, of which at least 18 must be Education.
15
CAPM needs 15 PDUs every three years, of which at least 9 must be Education.
3
A continuing certification cycle runs three years from the date the certification was earned or last renewed.
PMP, PgMP, PfMP and PMI-PBA each require 60 PDUs per three-year cycle. PMI-ACP and PMI-RMP require 30 PDUs per three-year cycle, of which at least 18 must be Education. CAPM requires 15 PDUs per three-year cycle, of which at least 9 must be Education.
These are the figures currently in effect for each credential. There is no separate historical record of prior PDU counts on this page, so treat the numbers above as the standing requirement rather than a recent revision.
At least 35 of the 60 PDUs must be Education, meaning taught learning rather than volunteer or professional work. Education has no ceiling, so it is possible for all 60 PDUs in a cycle to be Education.
Inside those 35 Education PDUs, a minimum of 8 must sit in each of the three Talent Triangle areas: Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen. That fixes 24 of the 35, leaving 11 Education PDUs free to place in whichever of the three areas you choose.
Giving Back PDUs, earned through volunteering or similar contribution, are capped at 25 PDUs in a 60-PDU cycle, and they are optional. Combined with the 35-PDU Education minimum, this means the 60-PDU total can be met through any mix that keeps Education at 35 or above and Giving Back at 25 or below.
A continuing certification cycle runs three years from the date the certification was earned or last renewed. This three-year length applies across PMP, PgMP, PfMP, PMI-PBA, PMI-ACP, PMI-RMP and CAPM; only the total PDU count and the Education minimum change by credential.
For a full breakdown of PDU categories and how they apply across credentials, see What are PDUs, and how many do I need? For the specific split of Education PDUs across the three Talent Triangle areas, see How many PDUs do I need in each Talent Triangle area? If you hold a CAPM, the requirement and Education minimum are covered separately at How many PDUs do I need to renew my CAPM?
Yes. Education has no ceiling, so the full 60 PDUs can be Education as long as the minimum of 8 PDUs in each Talent Triangle area is met.
At least 18 of the 30 PDUs required per three-year cycle must be Education.
Giving Back is capped at 25 PDUs in a 60-PDU cycle and is optional.
CAPM requires 15 PDUs per three-year cycle, of which at least 9 must be Education.
A cycle runs three years from the date the certification was earned or last renewed.
Last reviewed: September 2026