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PMI-ACP Certification Exam Changes 2026 | PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® application and instructor-led courses

 

 

The Project Management Institute (PMI) Announces Updates to PMI-ACP® Application and Training Programs Effective January 6, 2026

The Project Management Institute (PMI) has announced significant updates to the PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® application process and instructor-led training courses, effective January 6, 2026. These enhancements, informed by extensive community feedback, are designed to streamline application procedures and elevate the overall learning experience for candidates worldwide.

 

 

Key Updates:

1. PMI-ACP® Application Contact Hours:

  • The contact-hour requirement is reducing from 28 to 21 contact hours.
  • The Exam Content Outline (ECO) will be updated to reflect this change.
  • Domains and core content for PMI-ACP will remain the same. Study materials have been streamlined for clarity.

 

2. New Instructor-Led Training Materials:

  • English instructor-led training materials will be updated to align with the new 21-hour requirement.
  • After 6 January, all English kits will automatically update to the new version. Previous versions will remain available to students and instructors in the “previous version” folder.
  • Key changes in the new materials:
    • Majority of animations removed for simpler slides
    • Slide count reduced ~20%, mainly by combining topics and duplicative content.
    • New PDU breakdown (total 21): Business acumen: 4 | Ways of working: 10 | Power skills: 7
  • Translated Materials & Release Notes
    • Instructor-led materials in languages other than English remain valid for delivery because PMI-ACP domains and learning objectives are unchanged.
    • Instructors using non-English materials should teach the 21-hour course; the release notes provide guidance on how the English materials were streamlined and can be used to help pace sessions.
    • Release notes in all languages will be incorporated into all instructor kits in the new year. They should not be shared with students.

 

3. For ATPs with Existing PMI-ACP Courses:

  • The PMI recommends adapting your PMI-ACP courses in 2026 to align with the 21-hour requirement.
  • The PMI understands that training Partners may have already scheduled and listed PMI-ACP courses for next year. To ease the transition:
    • All existing PMI-ACP courses will remain listed in the ATP directory and continue to be associated with 28 PDUs.
    • Legacy 28-hour courses will still satisfy the contact hour requirement for PMI-ACP Certification.

4. For ATPs Listing New PMI-ACP Sessions & Courses After 6 January:

  • New sessions for legacy 28-hour courses cannot be added in the ATP course directory after 6 January.
  • All ACP course listings after this date must reflect the new 21-hour requirement and will be associated with 21 PDUs.