1.1 About the PMP Exam
Key Takeaways
Since 9 July 2026, the PMP exam has 180 questions (170 scored plus 10 unscored pretest) in 240 minutes, with two 10-minute breaks
The 2026 Exam Content Outline weights People 33%, Process 41%, and Business Environment 26% across 26 tasks
About 40% of items use predictive approaches and about 60% use adaptive/agile or hybrid approaches, spread across all three domains
Eligibility requires 60, 48, 36, or 24 months of project leadership within the last 10 years, depending on education, plus 35 training hours or an active CAPM
PMI does not publish a passing score; the exam fee is $425 for PMI members and $675 for non-members
The Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is administered by the Project Management Institute (PMI). PMI describes it as the world's most widely held project certification, with more than 1.7 million holders. The PMP validates that you can lead projects in predictive, agile, and hybrid environments.
Important
PMI launched an updated PMP exam on 9 July 2026. Every exam scheduled on or after that date follows the 2026 Examination Content Outline (ECO), revised 11 August 2026. The facts below were checked against PMI sources on 2026-10-03. Section 1.7 compares the current exam with the retired 2021 version.
Exam Format Overview
The PMP exam is a scenario-based test of how you apply project management knowledge in realistic situations.
| Feature | Current PMP Exam (from 9 July 2026) |
|---|---|
| Total questions | 180 |
| Scored questions | 170, plus 10 unscored pretest questions placed randomly |
| Time allowed | 240 minutes (4 hours) |
| Breaks | Two 10-minute breaks; once you start a break, you cannot return to the previous section |
| Approach mix | About 40% predictive; about 60% adaptive/agile or hybrid |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online proctoring; paper-based testing in mainland China |
The optional tutorial before the exam and the optional survey after it do not count against the 240 minutes.
Question Types
The 2026 ECO lists these item formats:
| Question Type | Description | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Case or scenario (new) | A detailed scenario, sometimes with graphs or charts, followed by a series of questions | All delivery modes |
| Graphic-based (new) | Interpret a chart, graph, diagram, or image to answer | All delivery modes |
| Multiple choice | Several options with one correct answer | All delivery modes |
| Multiple response | Several options with more than one correct answer | All delivery modes |
| Matching | Drag items from one column to pair them with another | Computer-based only |
| Enhanced matching | Matching that can include images, diagrams, and drag-and-drop | Computer-based only |
| Point and click | Click the correct hidden hotspot areas on an image | Computer-based only |
| Pull-down list | Select the answer from a drop-down list | Computer-based only |
Scenario-Based Questions
Most PMP questions present realistic project situations. You must choose the best next action, not just an acceptable one. Case or scenario sets add a shared context: read the scenario and any visuals carefully, because several questions depend on the same facts.
Domain Weightings
The ECO organizes the exam into three domains and 26 tasks:
| Domain | Weight | Tasks | Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|---|
| People | 33% | 8 | Shared vision, conflict, team leadership, stakeholder engagement and expectations, knowledge transfer, communication |
| Process | 41% | 10 | Integrated planning, scope, value-based delivery, resources, procurement, finance, quality, schedule, status, closure |
| Business Environment | 26% | 8 | Governance, compliance, change control, impediments and issues, risk, continuous improvement, organizational change, external environment |
Predictive, adaptive/agile, and hybrid approaches appear throughout all three domains; they are not isolated in one domain or task. The exact number of items of each type and approach can vary by exam form.
Eligibility Requirements
You need one education-and-experience path plus training. All experience must be non-overlapping, gained in a professional setting, and fall within the last 10 years before you apply.
| Education | Experience Leading Projects |
|---|---|
| Secondary diploma (high school diploma, GED, or equivalent) | 60 months (5 years) |
| Associate's degree or post-secondary vocational qualification | 48 months (4 years) |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36 months (3 years) |
| Bachelor's or postgraduate degree from a PMI GAC-accredited program | 24 months (2 years) |
Training Requirement
- 35 hours of project management training, or an active CAPM, which waives the training requirement
- Coursework from a GAC-accredited degree program can also count toward the 35 hours
- Live instructor-led hours completed on or after 1 December 2026 count only when delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner, a China Registered Education Provider, or an eligible accredited academic program (training completed before that date stays eligible); self-paced courses from any provider still count
- Books and practice exams alone do not count as training
Experience Guidelines
- Count months, not projects: overlapping projects in the same month count once
- The work need not be paid, but it must be in a professional setting
- School projects, personal events, and routine operational work do not qualify
- You do not need the title "Project Manager"; documented project leadership is what matters
Passing Score
PMI does not publish a fixed passing score. PMI exams are criteria-based:
- Subject matter experts define the standard expected of a qualified project manager
- Only the 170 scored questions count; the 10 pretest items do not
- Your overall result is pass or fail
- The score report adds diagnostic feedback for each domain
PMI states that the scoring method did not change with the July 2026 update.
Exam Fees and Retake Policy
| Fee Type | PMI Member | Non-Member |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $425 USD | $675 USD |
| Reschedule or cancel within 30 days of the appointment | $70 USD | $70 USD |
Prices can vary by region, and PMI applies member pricing only if you join before paying. Within 48 hours of the appointment you can no longer reschedule or cancel.
Retake Policy
- You have a one-year eligibility period with up to three attempts
- Fees are paid again for the second and third attempts; PMI's June 2026 handbook does not list the amount, so check your PMI account
- After three failed attempts, wait one year from your last exam before reapplying
- If your eligibility year ends before you pass, you reapply without a waiting period
Certification Maintenance
Once certified, you maintain the credential through PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) program:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Cycle Length | 3 years |
| PDUs Required | 60 Professional Development Units |
| PMI Talent Triangle | Minimum PDUs across Ways of Working, Power Skills, and Business Acumen |
| Renewal Fee | Varies by membership status and region; PMI shows the current amount in your myPMI dashboard |
PMI confirmed that renewal requirements did not change with the 2026 exam update, and existing PMP holders do not need to retest.
Key Takeaways
- The current PMP exam (from 9 July 2026) has 180 questions, 170 of them scored, in 240 minutes with two 10-minute breaks
- The domains are People 33%, Process 41%, and Business Environment 26%, across 26 tasks
- About 40% of items are predictive and 60% adaptive/agile or hybrid, spread across all domains
- Eligibility combines education, 24-60 months of project leadership within 10 years, and 35 training hours or an active CAPM
- PMI uses a criteria-based passing standard and publishes no cut score
How many questions are on the current PMP exam, and how many are scored?
180 total, 175 scored
180 total, 170 scored
185 total, 175 scored
180 total, 180 scored
Which domain carries the highest weight on the current PMP exam?
People (33%)
Process (41%)
Business Environment (26%)
Agile Practices (40%)
An applicant with a bachelor's degree needs how many months of project management experience to qualify for the PMP exam?
24 months
36 months
48 months
60 months
Sections you finish are checked off in the contents.