PMP 35-Hour Requirement: What Changes on 1 December 2026?
The headline is not “all PMP training rules changed.” PMI's announced update applies to live instructor-led training from 1 December 2026; self-paced eligibility is different.
If you are choosing a PMP training course this autumn, separate the requirement itself from the provider rule that changes later. PMI lists 35 hours of project management training as the training route; an active CAPM certification also fulfills its training requirements. From 1 December 2026, eligibility for those hours changes for live instructor-led classes.
That does not mean every online course becomes ineligible. PMI says self-paced courses may come from any organization. The new provider rule applies to live training.
What PMI says about the change
From 1 December 2026, PMI says live training hours will be eligible only when the course is delivered by one of these:
- a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP);
- a China Registered Education Provider (REP); or
- an eligible accredited academic program, including a PMI Global Accreditation Center program.
PMI also says training completed before 1 December 2026 remains eligible under the current requirements. For self-paced training, PMI says the course can come from any organization.
For applicants using training hours to meet the requirement, the 35-hour route remains. An active CAPM certification is an alternative that PMI lists as fulfilling the training requirements. The change is about which live courses can count from the effective date. If your application depends on training completed around the change, read PMI's current notice and keep your completion records.
A quick course-selection checklist
Before you pay for a course, ask:
- Is it live instructor-led or self-paced?
- If it is live, does the provider fit PMI's eligible categories for the date I will complete it?
- How many training hours does the course document?
- What record will I receive showing completion?
- Does the training cover the knowledge I need, as well as the application requirement?
If the provider's description is vague, ask them directly how their course meets PMI's published rule. Do not rely on an old blog post or a badge without checking the current PMI source.
Keep eligibility and exam preparation separate
Training hours support the PMP application requirement; they are not a measure of how prepared you are for the exam. Once you know your training route, build a separate study plan around PMI's current 2026 Examination Content Outline. Practice scenario decisions, review mistakes, and check that your materials cover the current domains.
Examova's PMP study and practice tools can support that exam-preparation work. For training eligibility, PMI remains the source to check.
Official sources
- PMI: Upcoming changes to PMP training requirements
- PMI PMP certification and application requirements
- PMI 2026 PMP Examination Content Outline
Related reading: What the 2026 PMP exam outline confirms.