The PMP training rule changes on 1 December 2026. From that date, live instructor-led training counts toward the 35 hours of project management education only if a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP) or an eligible accredited academic program delivers it. Self-paced courses from any provider still count, an active CAPM still covers the requirement, and training you complete before 1 December stays valid. Last verified: October 2026.
What the PMP training rule says now
The PMP training rule is the eligibility requirement that every Project Management Professional (PMP) applicant completes 35 hours of project management education. According to the official PMP certification page, you can meet it with an online self-paced course, a live class from an eligible provider, or an active Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification.
The rest of the eligibility picture does not change:
| Requirement | Current rule (PMI) |
|---|---|
| Training | 35 hours, or an active CAPM |
| Experience (high school diploma) | 5 years within the last 10 years |
| Experience (associate's degree) | 4 years |
| Experience (bachelor's degree or higher) | 3 years |
| Experience (GAC-accredited degree) | 2 years |
| Exam | 180 questions, 240 minutes, two 10-minute breaks |
| Renewal | 60 PDUs every three years |
Source: PMI PMP certification page, checked October 2026.
What changes on 1 December 2026
The change is narrow: it affects live training only. In its post on the 35-hour requirement (25 September 2026), PMI says live training "will qualify only when delivered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner." Eligible accredited academic programs, including programs accredited by the PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC), also qualify. Candidates in China follow a separate Registered Education Provider pathway.
| Training type | Before 1 Dec 2026 | From 1 Dec 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Live course from a PMI ATP | Counts | Counts |
| Live course from any other provider | Counts | Does not count |
| Live course in an accredited academic program | Counts | Counts |
| Self-paced, on-demand course from any provider | Counts | Counts, if aligned with the current Exam Content Outline |
| Active CAPM certification | Counts | Counts |
On 2 October 2026, PMI followed up with an overview of official PMP exam preparation resources. It lists the self-paced PMP Exam Prep Course, live ATP courses, the CAPM to PMP Essentials Course, PMI Study Hall, and the PMP Practice Exam (180 questions, unlimited retakes, results by domain).
Who is affected, step by step
Use this short decision path to see whether the PMP training rule affects you.
- You hold an active CAPM. You are not affected. The CAPM covers the 35 hours.
- You already finished a live course. You are not affected. PMI says training completed before 1 December remains eligible under the rules that applied at the time, even if you apply later.
- You are in a live course that ends after 30 November. Check the provider now. A summary by CertVector (16 September 2026) stresses that the date of completion matters, not the date of enrollment.
- You plan a live bootcamp next year. Choose a PMI ATP or an eligible academic program, or switch to a self-paced course.
- You plan to study self-paced. You are not affected by the live-training rule. Make sure the course matches the current Exam Content Outline.
A worked example
Anna is a business analyst with four years of project experience and a bachelor's degree. She booked a four-weekend live online bootcamp from an independent trainer. The last session is on 6 December 2026.
Under the old rule, her certificate would count. Under the new rule, the course ends after the cut-off and the trainer is not an ATP, so the hours would not count. She has three options:
- ask the trainer to move her to a cohort that ends before 1 December;
- switch to an ATP course;
- complete a self-paced course instead.
She also keeps her completion certificate with the provider name, dates, hours and topics. PMI can ask for it during an application audit.
What candidates and trainers say
Public candidate reactions are still limited, because the rule only takes effect in December. The early discussion comes mostly from training providers, and their advice is consistent:
- An April 2026 article by IMT-PM, itself an ATP, advised candidates to check the PMI ATP directory before enrolling and to plan early, because demand for ATP courses may rise. Note its commercial interest in the change.
- CertVector recommends asking a provider to name the qualifying organization. An instructor's personal PMP credential does not make a course eligible.
- Both sources warn candidates not to confuse the 35 training hours with the 60 PDUs needed for renewal.
The practical point for candidates: eligibility and readiness are separate questions. A qualifying course gets you to the exam. Scenario-based practice is what gets you through it.
Why this matters for the new PMP exam
The training change arrives a few months after the PMP exam itself changed. Since July 2026, the new PMP exam weights the domains as People 33%, Process 41% and Business Environment 26%, up from 8%. According to an analysis by MyPrepPilot, the Business Environment domain grew from 4 to 8 tasks, covering governance, compliance, change control, risk and organizational change.
So when you pick a course, check that it was rebuilt for the 2026 content outline. Older material that treats Business Environment as a small topic will leave a gap of roughly a quarter of the exam. Our article on business cases and value modeling is a good starting point for the value and benefits thinking that this domain now tests.
Common misconceptions
- "Self-paced courses no longer count." False. The rule targets live training only.
- "Enrolling before December is enough." False. What counts is when you complete the training.
- "A PMP-certified instructor makes the course eligible." False. The provider must be an ATP or an eligible academic program.
- "The change affects renewal PDUs." False. PDU rules for renewal are separate.
Practice Questions
These questions test eligibility reasoning, not exam content, but they help you check that you read the rule correctly.
Question 1
A candidate completes a live course from an independent trainer on 20 November 2026 and submits the PMP application in February 2027. Do the hours count?
Answer: Yes. Training completed before 1 December 2026 stays eligible under the rules in force when it was taken.
Question 2
A candidate finishes a self-paced video course from a non-ATP provider in January 2027. Do the hours count?
Answer: Yes, if the course covers 35 hours aligned with the current Exam Content Outline. The live-training rule does not apply to self-paced courses.
Question 3
A candidate holds an active CAPM and plans to take the PMP in 2027. What training do they need?
Answer: None for the 35 hours. An active CAPM satisfies the training requirement, but the experience requirement still applies.
Related topics
If your PMP plan includes agile content, these articles help with the agile and hybrid scenarios on the exam:
- Philosophy, framework, methodology: knowing the difference
- SAFe, LeSS and DAD: scaling agile
- Velocity: useful signal, dangerous target
Many PMP candidates also add a Scrum certification. You can practise for it on our PSM I exam simulator.
FAQ
Do self-paced PMP courses still count after 1 December 2026?
Yes. The new rule applies to live, instructor-led training only. Self-paced, on-demand courses from any provider still count if they cover 35 hours aligned with the current PMP Exam Content Outline.
I enrolled in a live course in November that ends in December. Is it eligible?
Only if the provider is a PMI Authorized Training Partner or an eligible academic program. For other providers, the completion date decides, so a course that ends on or after 1 December would not count.
Does an active CAPM still replace the 35 hours?
Yes. PMI lists an active CAPM as a way to meet the training requirement. You still need the required project management experience for your education level.
How do I check if a provider is an ATP?
Search PMI's Authorized Training Partner directory before you pay, and save the listing and course description. Ask the provider to name the qualifying organization rather than relying on an instructor's credentials.
Is this rule connected to the new PMP exam from July 2026?
They are separate changes, but they affect the same candidates. The exam content changed in July 2026, and the live-training rule changes on 1 December 2026, so choose a course that is both eligible and built for the 2026 content outline.
Sources
- PMI: How to Meet the PMP 35-Hour Requirement (25 September 2026)
- PMI: PMP Exam Preparation Resources (2 October 2026)
- PMI: PMP certification page
- PMI: What's new in the updated PMP exam
- CertVector: PMP 35 Contact Hours Rule Change (16 September 2026)
- IMT-PM: PMI to require 35 contact hours from ATPs (April 2026)
- MyPrepPilot: PMP Business Environment domain in 2026