A Quick Guide to the CAPM® Renewal Process

Key Takeaways

1. CAPM® certification must be renewed every three years.

2. Renewal requires 15 PDUs, including at least 9 Education PDUs.

3. Giving Back activities can contribute a maximum of 6 PDUs.

4. PDUs must be reported through PMI's CCRS, followed by the renewal fee payment.

5. Up to 5 eligible excess PDUs can carry over to the next certification cycle.

CAPM renewal allows you to keep your hard-earned CAPM® certification active by following certain steps. Although the renewal process may initially seem confusing, understanding the requirements and steps involved can help you complete it more easily.

PMI requires certification holders to fulfil continuing certification requirements to maintain their credentials. However, the number of PDUs required varies depending on the certification. Keep reading this blog to understand the details of the CAPM renewal process and PDU requirements.

CAPM® Renewal PDU Requirements

A Professional Development Unit (PDU) measures time spent on eligible learning and professional development activities. One PDU generally represents one hour of qualifying activity. PMI requires CAPM® certification holders to earn 15 PDUs every three years. There are two ways to meet this PDU requirement, which are as follows:

1) Education PDU

These PDUs are earned through continuing education, enabling you to accumulate a minimum of 9 Education PDUs for your certification. Education PDUs for CAPM are divided into three categories aligned with the education you receive, corresponding to the skill areas of the PMI Talent Triangle. These skill areas include ways of working, power skills and business acumen.

PMI requires you to earn at least 2 PDUs in each of the three PMI Talent Triangle areas. This would leave you with 3 additional Education PDUs, which you can earn in any of the three PMI Talent Triangle areas to meet the minimum requirement of 9 Education PDUs. 

The remaining 6 PDUs needed for renewal can be earned through either education or eligible Giving Back activities. Education PDUs are considered mandatory for CAPM® certification, which means, unlike its alternative, “Giving Back PDU”, you cannot opt out of them.

2) Giving Back to the Profession PDU

Giving Back PDUs are earned through eligible activities that contribute to the project management profession, such as working as a professional, creating content, delivering presentations, sharing knowledge or volunteering. 

These PDUs are optional, meaning you can earn all 15 PDUs through education. However, you can claim a maximum of 6 PDUs through Giving Back activities during each certification cycle.

Giving Back activities can help you apply your knowledge, share professional experience and connect with other project management practitioners. These activities include:

1) Working as a Professional: Once you have earned your CAPM® certification, you may earn PDUs by working in a professional role related to your certification. CAPM holders can claim a maximum of 2 PDUs for this activity per three-year certification cycle. These PDUs can be claimed once per cycle and count towards the overall Giving Back PDU limit.

2) Creating Content: Another way of earning Giving Back PDUs is by creating educational materials, webinars, presentations or blog articles that help other practitioners develop their knowledge. An hour spent on this content can be used to claim 1 PDU point as long as you have documented evidence of working on these pieces.

You should keep documented evidence of the content you create, such as copies of articles, publications or educational materials.

3) Giving Presentation: You can earn Giving Back PDUs by delivering eligible presentations on topics related to project management. One hour spent presenting qualifies for 1 PDU. These presentations may be delivered at professional events, within your organisation or through PMI chapter activities.

4) Sharing Knowledge: Sharing knowledge through teaching, mentoring or supporting other professionals is another way to earn eligible Giving Back PDUs. One hour of eligible knowledge-sharing activity generally earns 1 PDU.

It is suggested you have evidence of this activity in the form of notes that aid you in the mentoring process. It can also be a recorded video, organised with the respective dates the lectures or the classes took place.

5) Volunteering: You can volunteer with PMI or another eligible organisation to earn PDUs through activities relevant to the project management profession. One hour of qualifying volunteering generally earns 1 PDU. You should retain documentation of your volunteering activities in case PMI selects your PDU claims for an audit.

How to Renew Your CAPM® Certification?

Once you have gathered all necessary PDU points for your certification, you must report them through PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements System (CCRS). You can do so by going to the official PMI website and logging in to your PMI account. Once you are on the PMI website, head to the “My PMI” section, which is available through your account dashboard.

In the myPMI dashboard, select the option to report PDUs through the Continuing Certification Requirements System (CCRS). This would allow you to fill out necessary details within different PDU Education and Giving Back categories.

Bonus Tip

Don't wait until the final weeks of your CAPM® certification cycle to report your PDUs. Record eligible activities as you complete them, retain supporting evidence, and regularly check your progress in PMI's CCRS. Once you've met the requirements, complete the renewal payment and verify your updated certification status.

You can select the activity type on the PMI website and proceed to fill in details like the date of the activity, name of the provider, title and description of the activity etc. Keep the information you enter accurate, as these activities may be reviewed or selected for audit by PMI. Your previously documented proof of these activities can help fill in these details.

Review all the details you have entered carefully, and once you are done, submit it. After submitting your PDU claim, check its status in CCRS to confirm that PMI has recorded it. PMI will record eligible PDUs towards your certification requirements. 

Once you have fulfilled the required 15 PDUs, PMI will notify you when you are eligible to renew your certification. You must then pay the applicable certification renewal fee through your PMI account to complete the renewal process. This fee is separate from the PMI membership renewal fee.

Things to Know About CAPM® Renewal

There are a few additional PDU rules worth understanding when renewing your CAPM® certification. These include carrying over excess PDUs and claiming fractional PDUs for eligible activities.

1) Addition of PDUs

If you surpass the 15 PDUs required for your three-year CAPM® certification cycle, you may carry over up to 5 eligible excess PDUs to your next renewal cycle. However, only PDUs earned during the final 12 months of the current certification cycle qualify for carryover. Eligible excess PDUs can therefore contribute towards your next certification cycle.

Additionally, PDUs exceeding the permitted carryover limit cannot be transferred to the next certification cycle. PMI also does not allow you to claim participation in the same course or activity more than once. However, separate eligible activities covering similar topics may still qualify for PDUs.

2) PDU in Fraction

CAPM® PDUs are calculated according to the duration of eligible activities, with one hour generally equivalent to 1 PDU. PMI allows PDUs to be reported in increments of 0.25, equivalent to 15 minutes of qualifying activity. For example, completing an eligible activity for 90 minutes allows you to claim 1.5 PDUs.

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