To get PMP certified you need three to five years of project management experience (depending on your education), 35 hours of project management training and a passing score on PMI's 180-question exam. Once your experience is in place, the training and exam prep usually take a few weeks to a few months of part-time study. One rule changes on December 1, 2026, when live instructor-led classes start counting only if they come from a PMI Authorized Training Partner or another approved provider.
What are the PMP eligibility requirements?
PMI ties the experience you need to your education. Your experience has to come from the last 10 years, and overlapping projects don't count twice.
Your education: Project management experience PMI requires
- High school diploma or global equivalent: 5 years
- Associate degree or vocational trade school diploma: 4 years
- Bachelor's degree or higher: 3 years
- Bachelor's or postgraduate degree from a PMI GAC-accredited program: 2 years
PMI counts time you spent managing projects in a professional setting, meaning you took responsibility for planning, decisions, delivery and outcomes. You list each project separately on the application.
How do I get the 35 hours of PMP training?
PMI accepts one of three routes.
- An online, on-demand course. PMI says self-paced courses from any organization qualify.
- A live class, taught by an instructor in person or online.
- An active CAPM certification, which PMI says also fulfills the training requirement.
The live class route is the one that changes. Starting December 1, 2026, PMI will accept live classes only when they're delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China Registered Education Provider or an eligible accredited higher education program. If you plan to finish live training after that date, check the provider before you enroll.
What is on the PMP exam?
Exam detail: What PMI says
- Questions: 180
- Time: 240 minutes
- Breaks: Two 10-minute breaks
- Domains: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%
- Where: Pearson VUE test center or online
- Retakes: Up to three attempts in one year
PMI publishes the full Exam Content Outline on the PMP page. Read it before you pick study material, because it lists the tasks the exam tests in each domain.
How long does it take to get PMP certified?
The experience is the long part, and most people have it before they start. After that, it comes down to how fast you finish training and study.
Our PMP course page says most students finish in 4 to 6 weeks part-time. Some people take longer because they're working full time. I'd plan on a couple of months from the day you start training to the day you sit the exam, and adjust once you see your practice scores.
I've left out PMI's application review time because I couldn't confirm it on an official page. Build a little slack into your plan for it.
What does it take to keep the PMP?
PMP runs on a three-year cycle. You earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) in that time and report them to PMI.
How can Accumentum help you get your PMP?
Our PMP training course provides 35 hours of project management education across the People, Process and Business Environment domains, with self-paced options. Accumentum doesn't claim PMI Authorized Training Partner status on that page, so if you're counting on a live class you'll finish after December 1, 2026, ask us which delivery mode fits PMI's rule for your dates. Self-paced online training from any organization still qualifies under PMI's current language.
If you don't have the experience yet, the CAPM training course is the entry-level PMI option, and an active CAPM also covers the PMP training requirement. You can compare both on our PMI training page, and I've written more about study strategy in the best way to achieve the PMP.
PMP is on the PathPay 12-Month Program with the exam voucher included. PathPay® is a payment plan, not a loan or insurance. PathPass® has a PMP practice bank at $19 a month for one exam, with a free preview. It has no dumps. Before you pay for anything, try the free Exam Readiness Score for PMP. After you pass, PathLock™ maps monthly activities to PMI's Talent Triangle for your own PDU self-report. It isn't PMI pre-approval and it isn't affiliated with Pathlock, Inc.
Frequently asked questions
How many years of experience do I need for the PMP?
It depends on your education. PMI asks for 5 years with a high school diploma, 4 with an associate degree, 3 with a bachelor's degree and 2 with a degree from a PMI GAC-accredited program.
Does a self-paced course count toward the 35 hours?
Yes. PMI says self-paced, on-demand courses from any organization count toward the 35 hours of training.
What changes for PMP training on December 1, 2026?
From that date, live instructor-led classes count only if delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China Registered Education Provider or an eligible accredited higher education program.
How many questions are on the PMP exam?
180 questions in 240 minutes, with two 10-minute breaks. The domains are People 33 percent, Process 41 percent and Business Environment 26 percent.
How many times can I take the PMP exam?
PMI allows up to three attempts in one year.
How many PDUs do I need to renew the PMP?
60 PDUs every three years.
Sources
Official facts checked Sep 28, 2026.
- PMI, Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification (eligibility, 35 hours, December 1, 2026 rule, exam format, retakes, 60 PDUs): https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp
Accumentum facts come from the live PMP and CAPM course pages, /project-management-institute-training-courses/, /pathpay/, /pathpay/subscription/, /pathpass/ and /pathlock/ on accumentum.net.
