In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about PMI PDUs including how to earn them, how to document them and how to use them at the time you need to renew your PMP certification.

1. THE PDU PODCAST . YOUR PDUS. ANYWHERE.
10 STEPS TO
PMP RENEWALEarning PDUs for your Project Management Professional (PMP)® Renewal

2. In this article, we’ll cover
everything you need to know
about PMI PDUs including how to
earn them, how to document
them and how to use them at the
time you need to renew your
PMP certification.

3. The list below shows
how many PDUs
you need to earn
every three years,
depending on the
PMI credentials.

4. 60 PDUS
Project Management Professional
(PMP)®
Program Management Professional
(PgMP)®
Portfolio Management Professional
(PfMP)®
PMI Professional in Business Analysis
(PMI-PBA)®
30 PDUS
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-
ACP)®
PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-
RMP)®
PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP)®

5. Today's Discussion
STEP 1 Download the CCR Handbook
STEP 2 Understand the PMI Talent Triangle™
STEP 3 Review Minimum and Maximum PDU requirements
STEP 4 Know Which PDUs to Earn First
STEP 5 Login to the CCRS and Review Your Account
STEP 6 Plan and Schedule Earning Your PDUs
STEP 7 Earn PMP PDUs
STEP 8 Claim Your PDUs Immediately
STEP 9 Document Your PDUs for a Potential Audit
STEP 10 Pay & Renew
STEP 11 Bonus Step: Go Ahead and Earn 20 More PDUs!
SUMMARY
Summary and Takeaways

6. Step 1: Download the
CCR Handbook
The handbook sets out the policies and
procedures for actively maintaining your
certification. Part of your acceptance of
being a PMP is complying with the
requirements in the handbook.
Download it here: PMP Handbook

7. STEP 2: UNDERSTAND THE PMI
TALENT TRIANGLE™
TECHNICAL
PROJECT
MANAGEMENT
Knowledge, skills, and
behaviors related to
specific domains of
Project, Program and
Portfolio Management.
For example, risk
management, scheduling,
and applying project
management processes
would be technical skills.
These could be gained by
doing PMP PDU courses,
or other project
management training
offered by your employer
or online.
LEADERSHIP
Knowledge, skills and
behaviors specific to
leadership-oriented
activities. You need to be
able to demonstrate
cross-cutting activities
that help your
organization achieve its
business goals. For
example, setting a vision,
acting ethically, and
decision making are
examples of skills you
could attribute to the
leadership domain.
STRATEGIC AND
BUSINESS
MANAGEMENT
Knowledge of and
expertise in an industry
or organization.
Specifically, that
knowledge and expertise
should help improve
performance and the
delivery of business
outcomes. Examples
would be skills like
business acumen,
developing a deeper
understanding of your
industry through site
visits or improving your
general business
management skills
through a course.

8. STEP 3: REVIEW MINIMUM AND
MAXIMUM PDU REQUIREMENTS
THERE ARE TWO WAYS YOU
CAN EARN PDUS:
THROUGH EDUCATION AND
THROUGH GIVING BACK TO
THE PROFESSION.
PMI has clearly defined
requirements relating to the
minimum and maximum number
of PDUs you can earn for each.
YOU HAVE TO GAIN A
MINIMUM OF 35 PDUS IN
THE EDUCATION
COMPONENT. THESE ARE
BROKEN DOWN ACROSS THE
THREE TALENT TRIANGLE
AREAS. FOR A PMP
CERTIFICATE HOLDER,
THE MINIMUMS ARE:
TECHNICAL PDUS: 8
LEADERSHIP PDUS: 8
STRATEGIC PDUS: 8
The remaining 11 PDUs can be
made up of any domain from the
Talent Triangle; you can choose.
If you find it easy to gain
technical PDUs, you can claim 11
of those. Or you can split them
between the domains depending
on the kind of professional
development you can pursue.

9. Step 4: Know Which PDUs to Earn First
RULE 2
If you hold multiple certifications, then
continue by earning the “specialized”
technical PDUs next.
RULE 1
Start by earning the minimum
required PDUs in the two Talent
Triangle areas of Leadership and
Strategic and Business Management
first.

10. Step 5: Login to the
CCRS and Review Your
Account
LOG INTO THE CONTINUING
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS SYSTEM
It’s a good idea to visit https://ccrs.pmi.org and take a look around in
your account. The system will tell you exactly how many PDUs you
already have and how many you still need. The dashboard will also
show you how many days you have got left until your PMP renewal
date. That’s a number that can help you to focus on the deadline!

11. Step 6: Plan and
Schedule Earning Your
PDUs
Project managers often ask how to earn PDUs for
PMP, and the answer is simple. Every good
project needs a plan, and it’s also essential to
plan out earning your PDUs.
THE THREE-YEAR CYCLE HELPS YOU WORK OUT HOW
MANY YOU NEED TO GET ON A REGULAR BASIS. AS A BEST
PRACTICE, WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU PLAN TO EARN AT
LEAST 1.5 PDUS EACH MONTH.
If you get into the habit of earning, tracking, and
logging your PDUs, you will find that the number
adds up quickly. Be regular, consistent, and make
time for your development during the work week.

12. Step 7: Earn PDUs
for PMP
YOU HAVE TO SPEND TIME
EARNING THOSE PDUS BY
ACCOMPLISHING QUALIFYING
ACTIVITIES.
Many people find it easier to earn their PMP PDUs
online because of greater flexibility in carrying out
the development activity. For example, listening to
a PDU podcast and taking PDU online courses are
both ways of earning PDUs at your computer.

13. STEP 8: CLAIM YOUR PDUS
IMMEDIATELY
Have you done a course, watched a
webinar, or used the PDU Podcast this
month? Claim those PDUs now! Contact
the event organizer or download your
PDU certificate as soon as you can.

14. Step 9: Document your PDUs
for a Potential Audit
PMI NEEDS SOME WAY TO ENSURE THAT PEOPLE ARE
PERFORMING THE DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES THEY SAY THEY
ARE, AND THEY CAN AUDIT YOUR PDUS. IF YOU GET
SELECTED FOR AN AUDIT, YOU WILL HAVE TO PROVIDE
EVIDENCE OF ALL YOUR PDU ACTIVITIES. THAT COULD
INCLUDE:
Registration letters for formal training courses
Letters of attendance for organization meetings
Proof of employment
Copies of presentations or materials produced

15. Step 10: Pay & Renew
YOU’VE MANAGED TO EARN ALL THE PDUS
REQUIRED FOR YOUR RECERTIFICATION CYCLE.
NOW ALL YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAINTAIN
YOUR PMP CERTIFICATION IS TO RENEW IT.
PMI is actually quite good about this and will send you email reminders for
your renewal. Look out for these and use them as a prompt to finalize
your renewal.
TIP:
You don’t have to wait until you get the email from PMI. You know when
you became a PMP, so put a note in your calendar about 9 months before
your certification expires to remind you to log into CCRS and check your
PDU balance. That gives you plenty of time to earn a few extra if you still
need them.
Use the online PMI system to pay your fee and renew your
certification for another three years. Details of how to do this will
be in your reminder email from PMI.

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