How to maintain your PMP certification

The PMP certification has a duration of three years. During this time, the certified professional has the task of striving to keep his or her certification active. To do this, there are several possibilities; we list them all in this article.

Taking the exam again

If no PDU activity is done during the three years after certification, the only solution is to retake the course and re-take the exam. Obviously, this is not the solution recommended by PMI, but in case a practitioner has not had time or a way to keep up-to-date with the world of project management, take courses and webinars or carry out activities, this is the only solution for him/her to remain PMP certified.

Collect PDU points

We have already talked about PDUs in an article on the difference between Contact Hours and Professional Development Units. PDUs are 1-hour blocks of time that a PMP-certified professional must spend on training, studying, teaching or volunteering.

Over a three-year period, 60 PDUs must be collected in order to maintain one’s certification. These PDUs can be earned through various professional development activities focused on one of the following two areas:

• Education: learning moments that enable them to broaden and improve their skills in the management of the company at technical, leadership and strategic levels.
• Giving Back (to the profession): activities that enable professionals to share and use their knowledge and skills to contribute and help build the profession.

To maintain your PMP certification, you must collect a minimum of 35 Education PDUs and a maximum of 25 Giving Back PDUs. This means that you can renew your certification with 60 Education PDUs and 0 Giving Back PDUs while you cannot do the opposite (i.e. 0 Education PDUs and 60 Giving Back PDUs). The scheme to be followed to maintain certification is as follows:

Source: PMI, Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Handbook

PDU Education

For this reason, among the 35 PDU Education compulsory for maintaining a PMP certification, at least eight PDUs must be collected for each of the three groups of the PMI Talent Triangle®.

Education PDUs can be accumulated in different ways, each of which will grant a different amount of points:

• Professional training courses: participating in training is one of the most effective and traditional methods for acquiring skills and PDUs. One hour of training corresponds to 1 PDU. There are numerous training options offered by both PMI and third-party providers around the world. All courses delivered by QRP, as an ATP (Authorized Training Partner), allow for simplified PDU registration, which are automatically recognised in the PMI system without the need for further verification.
• Events: meetings, webinars and events to bring the community together. All events organised by QRP offer PDU points.
• Local meetings: activities and events related to the profession. They are often organised by the local PMI Chapter. They also provide excellent opportunities for networking and connections between professionals. Participation in these events grants 1 or 2 PDUs.
• Online or Digital Media: individual learning by following online training or through various forms of digital media.
• Literature: also by reading manuals on the profession and its developments it is possible to obtain PDU points.
• Informal learning: PDU points can be earned by taking part in structured professional discussions.

Here you can find all the detailed information provided by PMI on how to earn PDUs Education points through each of these methods.

PDU Giving Back

As mentioned, the maximum number of Giving Back points that can be earned is 25, and again this must be broken down into types:

• Maximum 8 points earned by pursuing a profession
• Maximum 17 points earned by volunteering and teaching

The main ways of earning PDU Giving Back points are as follows:

• Professional activity: by performing the role for which you are certified, you can earn PDU points by doing practical activities that will help you increase your professionalism and get to know other professionals.
• Content creation: creating any kind of content related to project management can grant you PDU points, be it articles, webinar management, videos, etc.
• Presenting: you can apply for PDU points whether the presentation is given within your company, at PMI Chapter events or at a conference.
• Knowledge sharing: by keeping track of the time spent tutoring and training by helping other professionals, you can claim PDU points.
• Volunteering: PMI allows volunteering in different modalities and with different degrees of commitment, but always guaranteeing recognition of PDU points.

Again, the PMI provides a detailed description of how to earn PDU points with each of these methods, you can find all the information at this link.

How the PMP certification renewal process works

During the three-year certification validity cycle, you can start accumulating the necessary PDUs. It is important to record the PDUs obtained in the CCRS (Continuing Certification Requirements System), accessible from the PMI website.

When you reach the minimum number of PDUs required for your certification (e.g. 60 for PMP), you can start the renewal process directly online. The system will verify the requirements and send you an electronic notification with instructions on how to pay the renewal fee. The cost of renewal varies depending on whether you are a PMI member and your geographical region.
The process can be completed at any time during the three-year cycle when you have accumulated the necessary PDUs. Once your application has been approved and payment has been received, PMI will send you your new, updated certificate.

QRP International is an ATP for PMP, our PMP Exam Preparation courses are fully accredited by PMI. We are authorised to deliver PMP training courses in virtual and classroom format. For further information, visit our website or contact us!