PMI-ACP Certification: Requirements, Exam, Cost and How It Compares
Nov 08, 2026
By Stephen Adindu, PMP, CSM, PSM, Lead Coach at The Career Accelerators. Last updated November 2026.
The PMI-ACP (PMI Agile Certified Practitioner) is the Project Management Institute's certification for people who already work on agile teams. To qualify, you need a secondary diploma, 21 hours of agile training and, in most cases, two years of agile experience from the last five. The exam has 120 questions in 180 minutes. PMI lists the fee as US$435 for members and US$495 for non-members, and you renew every three years with 30 professional development units (PDUs).
Below: who it suits, PMI's current eligibility rules, the exam, costs in US and Canadian dollars, applying and renewing, planning your preparation, and how it compares with the CSM, PSM I and SAFe Scrum Master.
Key takeaways
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What is the PMI-ACP certification?
The PMI-ACP is PMI's agile credential. It isn't tied to one framework: PMI's exam content outline covers agile approaches broadly and names Scrum, Kanban, Lean and SAFe as examples. A Scrum Master certification, by contrast, tests one framework and one role.
PMI launched a new version of the exam on 8 November 2024, cut it from seven domains to four and changed the eligibility rules. Many older guides still describe the old version, so check the date on anything you study from.
Who is the PMI-ACP for?
It suits people who have spent a year or two working in agile and want a credential that shows it:
- Scrum Masters and agile coaches who want a qualification beyond one framework;
- project managers on agile or hybrid projects, especially PMP holders;
- business analysts, product people and team leads who work inside agile teams.
It isn't a starting point. If you haven't worked on an agile team yet, start with a Scrum Master certification and get hands-on experience first. For people who don't yet qualify, PMI points to its CAPM certification.
What are the PMI-ACP eligibility requirements?
PMI's current exam content outline and its PMI-ACP page list three requirements. You need all three.
| Requirement | What PMI asks for |
|---|---|
| Education | A secondary diploma: a high school diploma, GED or global equivalent. |
| Training | 21 hours of formal training in agile practices, frameworks and methodologies. You must finish it before you apply and keep proof that you completed it. |
| Experience (one of these) |
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Already hold a Scrum certification? PMI's outline names Scrum and SAFe certifications as examples, and it credits 12 months of the two years for one held at least a year. So a CSM, PSM I or SAFe Scrum Master held for more than a year should count. It has to be current: a CSM must be renewed every two years to stay active, while PSM I doesn't expire.
About the 21 hours. PMI says its own self-paced PMI-ACP exam prep meets the training requirement. PMI Authorized Training Partners also run instructor-led classes online and in person, using PMI's official course materials. Whichever route you choose, check it against PMI's PMI-ACP page before you pay, and keep the completion certificate in case your application is audited.
Seen different numbers? Older guides, and some older PMI pages, list 12 months of general project experience plus 8 months of agile experience. That's the old rule set. For the 28 hours you may also see, read the FAQ below.
What is on the PMI-ACP exam?
- Length: 120 questions in 180 minutes, with one 10-minute break after question 60.
- Scoring: 100 questions count. The other 20 are unscored pretest questions mixed in at random, and you can't tell which ones they are.
- Question types: multiple choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop, and questions built around exhibits.
- Where: at a Pearson VUE test centre (PMI's recommended option) or online.
- Languages: ten, including English and French.
The questions are spread across four domains:
| Mindset (28%) |
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| Delivery (28%) |
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| Leadership (25%) |
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| Product (19%) |
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Source: PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline. Bars are scaled to the largest domain.
- Mindset (7 tasks): early experiments, short feedback loops, transparency, embracing change and psychological safety.
- Leadership (6 tasks): empowering teams, sharing knowledge, a shared vision, and resolving problems and conflict.
- Product (4 tasks): backlog refinement, increments, visualizing work and managing value delivery.
- Delivery (7 tasks): early feedback, agile metrics, impediments and risk, waste, continuous improvement, customer engagement and flow.
Mindset and Delivery make up more than half the exam. Study each task by asking when you'd use it and why, not just what it's called.
How much does the PMI-ACP cost?
| Item | Cost (USD) | About (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Exam, PMI member | US$435 | C$611 |
| Exam, non-member | US$495 | C$695 |
| Second or third attempt in your eligibility year | Paid again each time; PMI's handbook doesn't list the amount | Not listed |
| Rescheduling or cancelling | No fee more than 30 days out; US$70 plus taxes within 30 days; no changes within 48 hours; a no-show loses the full fee | C$98 plus taxes (the US$70 fee) |
| Renewal every three years | Depends on membership and region; shown in your PMI dashboard | Not listed |
PMI kept the exam price the same when it updated the exam in 2024. Canadian dollar figures use the Bank of Canada rate of 1.4038 on 27 October 2026. Your card will charge its own rate, and PMI says some prices vary by region, so check the price in your PMI account before you pay. Training is a separate cost.
Should you join PMI first? Membership saves US$60 on the exam, lowers renewal fees, and includes free PDU opportunities and a free PMBOK Guide download. Compare those savings with the membership price PMI shows for your region.
How do you get PMI-ACP certified?
| 1. Check your eligibility Confirm your education and experience route. Write down your agile roles with dates. |
| 2. Complete 21 hours of agile training Finish it before you apply and keep the certificate. |
| 3. Apply online with PMI Once PMI accepts your application, you pay the exam fee. |
| 4. Answer an audit if you're picked You get 90 days to send documents. The review takes about 5 to 7 business days. |
| 5. Schedule and sit the exam You have one year from approval and up to three attempts. |
| 6. Pass and start your cycle Your three-year renewal cycle starts the day you pass. |
If you fail three times in one eligibility year, you have to wait a year from your last attempt before you can apply again.
How to plan your PMI-ACP preparation
PMI's pages don't give a recommended study time, and it depends on how much agile work you've done. Plan around the fixed parts:
- Training: 21 hours minimum, which is three full days or a few weeks of evenings.
- Application: allow time to describe your experience clearly, and keep 90 days in reserve in case you're audited.
- Study: work through each domain's tasks, then practise questions until you can explain why each wrong answer is wrong. PMI also offers Study Hall, its exam-prep tool, for the PMI-ACP.
- Booking: you have a year from approval, so pick a date that allows a steady plan rather than a cram.
If you already work on an agile team, map what you do every day (refinement, retrospectives, metrics, impediments) to the tasks in the outline, and spend most of your study time on the areas you rarely touch.
How do you renew the PMI-ACP?
You earn 30 PDUs in each three-year cycle, starting the day you pass. One PDU is one hour of learning, teaching, volunteering or creating content. PMI's continuing certification handbook asks for:
- Education: at least 18 PDUs, including at least 4 each in Ways of Working, Power Skills and Business Acumen;
- Giving back to the profession: up to 12 PDUs (optional).
If you also hold a PMP, Power Skills, Business Acumen and Giving Back PDUs count toward both, but Ways of Working PDUs count toward the PMI-ACP only if the content is agile. Miss the deadline and your certification is suspended for a year. If you still haven't renewed by the end of it, it expires and you have to apply and pass the exam again.
PMI-ACP vs CSM vs PSM vs SAFe: which should you get?
| PMI-ACP | CSM | PSM I | SAFe Scrum Master | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awarded by | PMI | Scrum Alliance | Scrum.org | Scaled Agile |
| Experience | 2 years of agile in the last 5, or a shorter route | None | Not stated | None listed |
| Training | 21 hours, before you apply | 16-hour course with a Certified Scrum Trainer | Optional | Optional |
| Exam | 120 questions, 180 min | 50 questions, 60 min, 37 correct to pass | 80 questions, 60 min, 85% to pass | 45 questions, 90 min, 80% to pass |
| Cost | US$435 member, US$495 non-member | Course fee (US$250 to US$2,495 in October 2023), two attempts included | US$200 per attempt | Course fee with two attempts, or US$495 plus tax for a proctored exam without the course |
| Renewal | 30 PDUs every 3 years | US$100 and 20 SEUs every 2 years | None: it's for life | Yearly fee plus continuing education units |
How to choose:
- New to agile or changing careers? Start with the CSM or PSM I. The CSM needs no experience and includes a live course with a trainer. PSM I is an exam you can take without a course. Our guide to preparing for the CSM exam covers the test, and is CSM certification worth it? weighs up the cost.
- Already hold a CSM? Keep it renewed. Once you've held it for more than a year, a CSM plus one year of agile work meets PMI's experience rule.
- Two years in agile, or a PMP on hybrid projects? The PMI-ACP shows breadth across frameworks and fits well alongside the PMP. Our PMP certification guide covers that side.
- Your employer runs SAFe? The SAFe Scrum Master matches how your organization works.
- Heading toward product ownership? Look at the CSPO certification instead.
Is the PMI-ACP worth it in Canada?
Job Bank Canada reports pay by occupation, not by certification, so no Canadian figure shows what the PMI-ACP adds on its own. For context, Job Bank puts the Scrum Master title under NOC 10019 (other administrative services managers), a broad group, with these national wages:
| Scrum Master (NOC 10019) | Hourly | About yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Low | C$29.88 | C$58,300 |
| Median | C$50.00 | C$97,500 |
| High | C$85.16 | C$166,100 |
Yearly figures assume 37.5 hours a week for 52 weeks. The low and high are roughly the 10th and 90th percentiles of everyone in the group, so they don't track years of experience. Job Bank last updated these wages on 19 November 2025. For pay by province, see our Scrum Master salary guide for Canada.
The PMI-ACP pays off when you already have the experience and want proof beyond one framework, or when postings for the roles you want ask for it. Before you pay, count how many local postings for your target role mention the PMI-ACP, CSM, PSM or SAFe.
How TCA's Scrum Master course fits a PMI-ACP plan
Our Scrum Master course needs no prior IT experience, so it suits career changers who don't yet have the agile experience the PMI-ACP asks for. It prepares you for Scrum Alliance's CSM, not for the PMI-ACP exam. The program includes:
- a two-day certification workshop on Agile and Scrum fundamentals, after which you're eligible to take the CSM, plus a mock CSM exam;
- a 12-week live project in the Scrum Master role, facilitating Scrum events, managing backlogs and working with cross-functional teams;
- hands-on use of Jira, Confluence, Zephyr, Trello, Slack and Microsoft Teams;
- mentorship, resume refinement, interview preparation and references based on your live project work;
- live virtual sessions.
For the PMI-ACP's 21 training hours, use a route PMI lists on its PMI-ACP page, such as PMI's own self-paced prep or a PMI Authorized Training Partner.
PMI-ACP FAQs
Can I take the PMI-ACP with no agile experience?
No. Every route needs at least a year of agile work, except an active PMP. If you're starting out, get a CSM or PSM I first and build experience in the role.
Does a PMP count toward the PMI-ACP?
Yes. An active PMP meets the experience requirement on its own. You still need the secondary diploma and the 21 hours of agile training.
Is it 21 or 28 hours of training?
PMI planned 28 hours from 31 March 2025, but its current PMI-ACP page and its exam outline (revised March 2026) both say 21, and PMI says its own self-paced prep meets the requirement. Check the number in the application when you apply.
Can I take the PMI-ACP exam in French or online?
Yes to both. French is one of ten exam languages, and you can test online or at a Pearson VUE centre, which PMI recommends.
Stephen's tip: If you're new to agile, don't wait for the PMI-ACP. Get your CSM or PSM, build Scrum Master experience on a real project, and come back to the PMI-ACP once you meet PMI's experience rule.
Not ready for the PMI-ACP yet?
Our Scrum Master course combines CSM preparation with mentoring and 12 weeks of hands-on Scrum Master practice on a live project, so you can start building experience. Not sure which certification fits where you are now? Book a free call and we'll help you map your route.
Related reading: how to become a Scrum Master in Canada, Scrum Master vs project manager and 60 common agile interview questions and answers.
Sources
- PMI: PMI-ACP certification, for eligibility, training routes, exam length, languages, delivery, retakes and renewal
- PMI: PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline, for eligibility, third-party certification credit, domains, tasks and exam format
- PMI: PMI-ACP page at pmi.org/certifications/agile-acp, for the exam fees and the CAPM suggestion (it still shows the older eligibility rules)
- PMI: PMI-ACP 2024 exam update FAQ (October 2024) and the Authorized Training Partner resource centre, for the November 2024 launch, the unchanged exam price, official course materials and the planned 28 hours
- PMI: Certification Handbook (June 2026), for eligibility period, attempts, audits, rescheduling and regional pricing
- PMI: Continuing Certification Requirements Handbook (April 2026) and PMI: Membership, for renewal and member benefits
- Bank of Canada: USD/CAD daily exchange rate, for the conversions
- Scrum Alliance: Becoming a Certified ScrumMaster and Renewing certifications, for the CSM
- Scrum.org: How to pass the PSM I, II and III, Professional Scrum certifications and the Scrum.org store, for PSM I
- Scaled Agile: SAFe Scrum Master, its exam details, exam FAQs, proctored exams FAQ and renewal FAQs, for the SAFe Scrum Master
- Job Bank: Scrum Master wages and occupation summary, for NOC 10019 and wages (updated 19 November 2025)
