PMI has announced an important change to the Project Management Professional (PMP)® training requirement. Beginning 1 December 2026, candidates who earn their required training hours through a live instructor-led class must use an eligible provider. This includes live classroom courses and live virtual classes taught in real time.

The change does not mean that every PMP candidate must take an ATP course in every situation. The rule is specific to the training format and completion date. PMI continues to recognise qualifying self-paced, on-demand courses from other organisations, and training completed before 1 December 2026 remains subject to the requirements that applied when it was completed.

What exactly changes on 1 December 2026?

PMI’s official PMP exam update page states that, from 1 December 2026, live PMP training hours will be eligible only when the course is delivered by one of the following:

• A PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP).
• A China Registered Education Provider (REP).
• An eligible accredited academic programme, including a PMI Global Accreditation Center (GAC) programme.

The affected category is live instructor-led training. It does not matter whether the instructor and learners are in the same physical classroom or meeting through Zoom, Microsoft Teams or another virtual platform. If the instructor teaches the class in real time at scheduled hours, it is live training.

The completion date matters. PMI says that training completed before 1 December 2026 remains eligible under the requirements in force at the time. Enrolling or paying before the deadline is not the same as completing the training before the deadline.

What does not change?

The basic training requirement remains 35 hours of qualifying project management instruction aligned with the PMP Examination Content Outline. The new rule changes which providers may deliver live training after the effective date; it does not remove the 35-hour requirement.

• The candidate must complete the qualifying training before submitting the PMP application.
• Training and professional project experience remain separate eligibility requirements.
• Qualifying training hours do not expire, provided the candidate can document them and they meet the applicable requirements.
• Hours may be combined from more than one qualifying course.
• Books, practice questions and mock examinations do not count as training by themselves.
• An active CAPM® certification waives the PMP training requirement under PMI’s current published guidance.

Completing 35 hours establishes training eligibility; it does not guarantee exam readiness. Candidates may still need updated study materials, practice questions and mock examinations aligned with the current PMP Exam Content Outline.

Which 35-hour routes will PMI accept?

The warning for candidates using a non-ATP live provider

Candidates planning live PMP training that will finish on or after 1 December 2026 should not rely only on a provider’s advertisement, logo or verbal assurance. Ask the provider to show its current status through PMI’s official directory.

Be cautious if a provider uses phrases such as “PMI aligned”, “PMI recognised”, “based on PMBOK”, “internationally approved” or “delivered by a PMP trainer” without confirming that the organisation is an active PMI Authorized Training Partner or another eligible provider. Those phrases are not substitutes for the provider status required for live training.

Also distinguish between the provider and the trainer. A trainer may personally hold the PMP credential, but that alone does not make the training company a PMI Authorized Training Partner.

What happens if the course does not qualify?

If a candidate completes live training through an ineligible provider after the new rule takes effect, the main problem is not the quality of the classroom experience. The problem is that the hours may not satisfy the formal eligibility requirement for the PMP application.

Possible consequences include:

• The 35-hour requirement remains incomplete. A certificate from an ineligible route does not automatically make the hours acceptable.
• The candidate may need to take another eligible course. This can mean paying again and delaying the application.
• The application may be delayed during verification or audit. PMI may request evidence of the provider, course, dates, hours and project management content.
• Weak or inaccurate documentation creates additional risk. PMI states that all training is subject to audit and may be found ineligible on quality grounds.
• An unresolved audit can have serious consequences. PMI’s Certification Handbook states that candidates selected for audit cannot continue until the audit is completed. If the candidate cannot fulfil the audit requirements or chooses not to comply, the audit may fail and a one-year suspension before reapplication may be enforced.

This does not mean that every application using a questionable course will automatically receive a one-year suspension. It means candidates should not submit information they cannot support. If the course route is doubtful, resolve the eligibility issue before applying rather than hoping it will not be checked.

Can non-ATP self-paced training still count?

Yes—PMI’s current published guidance allows self-paced, on-demand training from any organisation. The December restriction is directed at live instructor-led training. However, “any organisation” does not mean that any collection of videos or questions automatically qualifies.

PMI advises candidates evaluating a self-paced course to confirm that it:

• Provides formal instruction in project management.
• Aligns with topics in the current PMP Examination Content Outline.
• Clearly states the number of training hours.
• Includes an end-of-course assessment.
• Provides a certificate or another reliable completion record.

A self-paced course may therefore satisfy the eligibility requirement without being delivered by an ATP, but candidates still carry the responsibility of checking the content and retaining the evidence. PMI may review the course during an audit.

What about training completed before 1 December 2026?

PMI has clearly stated that courses completed before 1 December 2026 remain eligible under the requirements that applied when the training was completed. Candidates do not need to repeat qualifying training merely because they submit the application or take the exam after the new live-training rule begins.

Candidates currently attending a non-ATP live course should pay close attention to the completion date shown on the certificate. PMI’s wording refers to training completed before the effective date. If the course continues beyond 30 November 2026, ask the provider immediately how it will meet the new live-training rule.

How to verify a PMP course before paying

1. Identify the delivery format. Confirm whether the course is live classroom, live virtual or self-paced/on-demand.
2. Check the planned completion date. For live training, determine whether completion will occur before or after 1 December 2026.
3. Verify the provider independently. Use PMI’s Authorized Training Partner page and directory. Search the organisation’s actual legal or trading name rather than relying on a badge image.
4. Confirm the course provides 35 qualifying hours. Ask for the course outline and verify that the learning objectives cover project management topics aligned with the current ECO.
5. Ask what completion evidence will be issued. The record should clearly identify the learner, provider, course, completion date and qualifying hours.
6. Keep everything. Retain the certificate, course outline, timetable, payment record and provider correspondence in case PMI requests evidence.

PMI’s application asks candidates to record the provider, course title, number of training hours and whether the course was live instructor-led or self-paced/on-demand. Complete these fields accurately.

What should already-enrolled candidates do?

You completed the training before 1 December 2026

Keep the certificate and supporting records. You do not need to repeat otherwise qualifying training solely because the new rule begins. Compare your learning with the current ECO so that eligibility and exam readiness are treated as two separate questions.

You are in non-ATP live training scheduled to finish by 30 November 2026

Complete the course on time and obtain a correctly dated completion record. Do not assume that attendance alone is enough if the provider has additional completion requirements.

Your non-ATP live course will finish on or after 1 December 2026

Ask the provider for written confirmation of the eligible route under which the live training will be delivered. If it cannot show ATP, China REP or eligible accredited academic status, consider transferring to an eligible provider or completing qualifying training through another accepted route. Where the facts are unusual, obtain guidance directly from PMI before submitting the application.

You are taking a non-ATP self-paced course

Do not apply the live-training restriction automatically. Instead, verify the ECO alignment, stated hours, assessment and completion record. Remember that PMI can review the course’s quality and documentation.

Why choose an ATP for live PMP training?

From 1 December 2026, ATP status is not merely a marketing advantage for live PMP training—it is one of PMI’s recognised eligibility routes. PMI also states that Authorized Training Partners use PMI-developed course content that satisfies the 35-hour application requirement and aligns with the PMP exam content.

A structured live course can also provide benefits that an eligibility certificate alone cannot:

• Real-time explanations and the opportunity to ask questions.
• A scheduled learning plan and accountability.
• Guidance from instructors who hold active PMP credentials.
• Official PMI-developed course content aligned with the exam.
• Support with the Knowledge Check, mock examinations and application preparation.

These advantages can improve preparation, but they are not a guarantee of passing. The candidate must still study, practise, understand the ECO and demonstrate competence in the official examination.

Frequently asked questions

Official PMI sources

What should candidates do now?

Before paying for PMP preparation, confirm the format, provider status, completion date and evidence you will receive. Candidates choosing live training that finishes from 1 December 2026 should use an eligible provider and verify that status independently. Candidates using self-paced training should check the ECO alignment, assessment and completion records carefully.

3FOLD TRAINING is a PMI Authorized Training Partner delivering live PMP exam-preparation training with official PMI-developed courseware, instructor guidance, mock examinations and application support. As an ATP, 3FOLD meets PMI’s provider requirement for eligible live PMP training from 1 December 2026.