PMP Exam Retake Policy: The 1-Year Rule, Fees, and Retake Process

If you fail the PMP exam, you can retake it up to two more times, three attempts in total, within a one-year eligibility period that starts when PMI approves your application. Each retake costs a re-examination fee (around $275 for PMI members and $375 for non-members). There is no long mandatory wait between attempts. If you fail all three attempts inside that one year, you must wait a full year from your last attempt before you can reapply, and reapplying means submitting a new application and paying the full exam fee again.

Failing the PMP exam is not the end of the road. The Project Management Institute (PMI) builds in a clear retake path, set out in the official PMI certification policies. This guide explains exactly how the retake policy works in 2026: the 1-year eligibility rule, how many attempts you get, the fees, what happens after three failures, and the step-by-step process to book your retake, plus how to make the next attempt your last.

PMP Retake Policy at a Glance

Fees and policies can change. Confirm the current re-examination fee and rules on your PMI certification dashboard and the official PMI Handbook before you book a retake.

What Is the PMP Exam Retake Policy?

The PMP retake policy is PMI's set of rules for candidates who do not pass the exam on the first try. In short, PMI gives you three attempts within one eligibility year to pass, without having to submit a new application each time. You pay a reduced re-examination fee for the second and third attempts rather than the full first-time fee.

The policy exists because the PMP exam is demanding. The exam has 180 scenario-based questions in 240 minutes , and it tests judgment, not memorization, so capable professionals sometimes need more than one attempt. The retake structure gives you room to recover without starting from scratch.

The 1-Year Eligibility Period Explained

When PMI approves your PMP application, your one-year eligibility period begins. This is the window in which you must pass the exam.

Two points often surprise candidates:

• The clock starts at application approval, not at your first exam. If you wait three months to book your first attempt, you have used a quarter of your eligibility year already.

• All three attempts must fall inside this one year. The three attempts are not spread across several years; they all sit within the single eligibility window.

Because of this, it pays to schedule your first attempt with enough of the year left to allow for a possible retake. Plan your preparation timeline so a second or third attempt still fits inside the eligibility period.

How Many Times Can You Take the PMP Exam?

You can take the PMP exam three times within one eligibility year. That is the first attempt plus two retakes. Your application and your 35 contact hours of education stay valid across all three attempts, so you do not reapply between them.

If you pass on any attempt, you are done. If you use all three attempts without passing, the one-year wait rule applies (explained below). There is no limit on how many times you can eventually earn the credential over your lifetime, but each fresh cycle of three attempts requires a new application.

PMP Retake Fees in 2026

The retake fee is lower than the first-time exam fee, but you pay it for each retake. The table below shows the typical structure. Confirm current amounts with PMI before you pay.

PMI membership ($139 per year) usually pays for itself here, because the member discount on the exam and retake fees is larger than the membership cost. If you expect you might need a retake, joining PMI first is worth considering. See the current numbers in our PMI membership fees guide.

What Happens If You Fail the PMP Exam 3 Times?

If you do not pass within your three attempts, PMI applies a one-year suspension. You must wait a full year from the date of your third attempt before you can reapply for the exam. This pause is designed to give you time to close the gaps that caused the failures.

Reapplying after the suspension is not the same as booking a retake. You will:

• Submit a new PMP application, including your project experience and 35 contact hours of education, and go through the application review (and possible audit) again.

• Pay the full first-time exam fee, not the reduced retake fee.

• Receive a fresh one-year eligibility period with three new attempts once approved.

In genuinely exceptional cases, PMI may consider a short extension, but you should plan around the standard one-year wait rather than rely on an exception.

How to Retake the PMP Exam: Step by Step

If you failed but still have attempts left in your eligibility year, the retake process is straightforward:

1. Review your score report. PMI shows your performance by domain (Above Target, Target, Below Target, Needs Improvement). Use it to target your weak areas.

2. Log in to your PMI certification dashboard and choose to pay the re-examination fee for another attempt.

3. Pay the retake fee (around $275 for members, $375 for non-members).

4. Schedule the new exam through Pearson VUE, either online-proctored or at a test center, on a date that still falls within your eligibility period.

5. Prepare with your score report in mind, focusing on the domains where you scored lowest.

Practice under timed conditions before you rebook. Working through realistic questions, such as these free PMP questions and answers, helps rebuild exam stamina and confidence.

How to Read Your PMP Score Report

After the exam, PMI gives you a score report that rates your performance in each of the three domains. It does not show a numeric score. Instead, each domain gets one of four ratings. Reading this report correctly is the single most useful input for your retake.

The exam is scored across People, Process and Business Environment using psychometric analysis, so PMI does not publish a fixed passing percentage. Focus your retake on any domain marked Below Target or Needs Improvement first, then shore up the Target areas.

Is There a Waiting Period Between Attempts?

PMI does not impose a long cooling-off period between attempts. Once you pay the re-examination fee, you can schedule your next attempt for the next available slot, subject to Pearson VUE availability. You do not have to wait weeks or months between the first, second and third attempts.

The often-quoted "30-day" figure is not a PMI retake rule. It relates to Pearson VUE's reschedule-fee window (changing an existing appointment close to the date can incur a fee). Do not confuse the reschedule window with a mandatory wait. That said, giving yourself enough time to actually improve, rather than rebooking immediately, usually leads to a better result.

Rescheduling or Cancelling vs Retaking

These are different actions, and candidates sometimes mix them up:

• Rescheduling or cancelling applies before you sit the exam. If you move or cancel your appointment close to the date, Pearson VUE may charge a fee, and cancelling within 48 hours typically forfeits the fee. Check the current terms when you book.

• Retaking applies after you have failed an attempt. It requires paying the re-examination fee and booking a new appointment, within your eligibility period.

In short, reschedule before the exam, retake after a failed exam. Verify the exact reschedule and cancellation fees on the Pearson VUE booking page, as they can change.

Why Do Candidates Fail the PMP Exam?

Understanding the common causes of failure is the fastest way to avoid a repeat, and our guide on how difficult the PMP exam is digs into them. The usual culprits are:

• Treating it as a memorization test. The exam is scenario-based. Candidates who memorize processes but cannot apply judgment struggle with situational questions.

• Underestimating the agile and hybrid content. A significant share of questions involve agile and hybrid delivery, not just predictive project management.

• Weak time management. 180 questions in 240 minutes leaves little room to dwell. Running out of time is a common reason for a Below Target score.

• Too few full-length practice exams. Practicing in short bursts does not build the focus needed for a long, demanding exam.

• Exam-day fatigue and nerves. Poor pacing and stress management can undo solid preparation.

How to Pass Your PMP Retake

A retake is a chance to fix what went wrong, not to repeat the same preparation. Use this approach:

1. Start from your score report. Rebuild your study plan around the domains marked Below Target or Needs Improvement.

2. Shift from reading to practicing. Do full-length, timed mock exams and review every wrong answer until you understand the reasoning.

3. Master the mindset, not just the facts. Learn how PMI expects a project professional to think about people, process and value delivery.

4. Strengthen agile and hybrid knowledge if that content tripped you up the first time.

5. Book the retake once you consistently score above the pass mark in practice, not before.

If self-study did not work the first time, a structured, instructor-led course can close the gaps faster, and the wider payoff is covered in our PMP certification benefits guide.

Your Step-by-Step Retake Plan

Here is a realistic four to six week plan that combines the booking process and the study work into one roadmap. Adjust the length to how much of your eligibility year remains and how far below the standard you scored.

Do not rebook the moment you fail. The candidates who pass on the next attempt are the ones who diagnose first, practice under real conditions, and book only when their mock scores are consistently passing.

Conclusion

The PMP retake policy is more forgiving than many candidates fear. You get three attempts in one eligibility year, with a reduced fee for each retake and no long wait between them. Only after three failures does the one-year wait and full reapplication apply. If you failed, review your score report, target your weak domains, practice under timed conditions, and rebook once you are consistently passing mock exams. Treat the retake as a focused second run at a tough exam, and most candidates pass. When you are ready, Invensis Learning offers accredited PMP training to help you get it done.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many times can you take the PMP exam?

You can take the PMP exam three times within a one-year eligibility period: The first attempt plus two retakes. If you do not pass in three attempts, you must wait one year from your last attempt, then reapply for a fresh eligibility period with three new attempts.

How much does it cost to retake the PMP exam?

The re-examination fee is lower than the first-time fee: Around $275 for PMI members and $375 for non-members, charged for each retake. If you fail all three attempts and later reapply, you pay the full first-time fee again ($405 for members, $555 for non-members). Verify current amounts with PMI.

How long do you have to wait to retake the PMP exam?

There is no long mandatory wait between attempts. Once you pay the re-examination fee, you can rebook for the next available slot within your eligibility period. A one-year wait only applies after you have failed all three attempts in your eligibility year.

Does my PMP application expire if I fail?

Your application and 35 contact hours remain valid for the full one-year eligibility period, so you do not reapply between attempts. They only expire when the eligibility year ends. You submit a new application only after failing all three attempts and completing the one-year wait.