Update, 15 September 2026: PMI has since replaced “late Q4 2026” with a firm date. The live-training rule takes effect on 1 December 2026. Details: PMP Live Training Hours: PMI Names the Date, 1 December 2026.
Three things really changed in project management certification in 2026, and a lot of what you read about a fourth and a fifth is not backed by anything the certifying bodies published. This is the checked version: what changed, on what date, and where you can verify it yourself. Everything below was read on the issuing organisation’s own pages on 25 August 2026.
1. The PMP exam changed in July 2026
PMI updated the Project Management Professional exam in July 2026. On its own page PMI describes the change as a sharper focus on current skills and mindsets, and names AI, sustainability and stakeholder engagement as the added themes. PMI is equally explicit about what did not change: “Core principles and approaches of the PMP exam remain the same.” If you are studying with older material, you are not starting over.
We covered the content side of that update in detail when it launched: the new PMP exam in 2026. The fee side is separate and is documented in the 2026 PMP exam fee increase.
2. The rule for live PMP training hours is changing, but not yet
This is the item most often reported wrongly, so PMI originally gave only a quarter for this. It has since named the date: the rule takes effect on 1 December 2026. See PMP Live Training Hours: PMI Names the Date, 1 December 2026.
What it will mean, according to the same page:
- Training hours from a live class (in person or instructor-led online) count only if the course comes from a PMI Authorized Training Partner (ATP), a China Registered Education Provider (REP), or an eligible accredited academic programme including PMI GAC programmes.
- Self-paced courses are not affected. You can take those from any provider.
- Hours you completed before the change takes effect stay eligible under the current rules.
And the part that is missing: PMI has not published a specific start date. The page says PMI “will share a specific start date for this change in advance and provide guidance for learners and trainers”. Anyone quoting a precise day for this today is quoting themselves. If you are planning a live prep course, that is an argument for booking it sooner rather than later, or for checking that your provider is an ATP.
3. PRINCE2 Agile Version 1 retires on 31 December 2026
This is the hardest deadline of the year, and it has a real audience: everyone holding an unused exam voucher. PeopleCert’s notice on the PRINCE2 Agile page is unambiguous. PRINCE2 Agile (Version 1) certifications are being retired in all available languages, the last day to purchase a voucher was 30 June 2026, and the last day to sit the exam, including a Take2 resit, is 31 December 2026.
The successors are already on sale. PRINCE2 Agile Foundation (Version 2) and PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner (Version 2) are both listed as purchasable products. The Foundation exam format, from the product page:
- 40 questions, multiple choice
- 60 minutes, closed book
- Passing score 60 percent
- Certification renewal every 3 years, 20 CPD points required
- Exam available in 10 languages, German among them
One caveat worth stating plainly: several secondary sources name 1 September 2026 as the launch date for Version 2. That does not fit what is on PeopleCert’s own site, where both Version 2 modules can already be bought. PeopleCert publishes no official launch date that we could find, so we are not quoting one. What is documented is the retirement schedule above.
4. IPMA: nothing new that is published
IPMA’s own standards page still presents the Individual Competence Baseline ICB 4 as the current standard for project, programme and portfolio managers, alongside the ICB4 reference guides. There is no publication date for a successor baseline on that page. Claims about an ICB 5 rollout date circulating through accredited training bodies are not supported by anything IPMA has published, so treat them as provisional.
For the broader landscape of what these two bodies certify and how the schemes compare, see our overview of PMI and IPMA certifications.
What to actually do about it
- You hold a PRINCE2 Agile V1 voucher. Book the exam. You have until 31 December 2026, and that includes any resit.
- You are about to book live PMP prep. Check whether the provider is an ATP, China REP or an accredited academic programme. If it is not, complete the hours before PMI’s change takes effect.
- You are mid-study for the PMP. Carry on. PMI says the core principles are unchanged; the new material adds emphasis, it does not replace the syllabus.
- You are waiting on IPMA ICB 5. There is nothing to wait for yet that IPMA has confirmed.
FAQ
Is the new PMP exam harder than the old one?
PMI does not describe it as harder. It describes the same core principles with added emphasis on AI, sustainability and stakeholder engagement. Difficulty claims beyond that are guesses.
Do my existing PMP training hours still count after the ATP change?
Yes. PMI states that any training completed before the change takes effect stays eligible under the current requirements.
What happens to a PRINCE2 Agile Version 1 certificate I already hold?
The retirement notice concerns the sale of vouchers and the availability of the exam. It sets a last exam date of 31 December 2026. If you want certainty about an already-issued certificate, PeopleCert’s Certification Retirements FAQ is the place to check, since that is the document that governs it.
Sources
- PMI, New PMP exam launched in July 2026
- PeopleCert, PRINCE2 Agile certifications and retirement notice
- PeopleCert, PRINCE2 Agile Foundation (Version 2)
- IPMA, Standards Development Programme
By Tom, PMP-certified since 2004. Last updated: August 2026