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PMP exam changes 2026: PMBOK 8, the new ECO, question formats and the training rule

Published 2026-10-20. Sources: PMI's new PMP exam page and 35-hour training requirement update.

Since July 9, 2026 every PMP exam follows PMI's new Exam Content Outline (ECO), aligned with the PMBOK Guide, Eighth Edition. The exam is still 180 questions in 240 minutes, but the domain weights moved, new content on AI, sustainability and modern delivery approaches arrived, and from 1 December 2026 PMI changes which training counts toward the 35 contact hours. This page lists what changed, what stayed the same, and how to prepare.

What changed: PMBOK 7 to PMBOK 8 and the new ECO

The last sitting of the previous PMP exam was July 8, 2026. From July 9, 2026 the exam is built on a new Exam Content Outline that follows the PMBOK Guide, Eighth Edition. The three domains keep their names (People, Process, Business Environment), but their weights changed and the tasks inside them were rewritten.

  • New domain weights. People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%. Business Environment carries far more weight than before, so governance, compliance, organisational change and benefits questions are no longer a footnote.
  • New emphasis. AI in project management, sustainability, and modern delivery approaches (predictive, agile and hybrid, and how to tailor between them) appear across the domains rather than in one corner of the exam.
  • More question formats. Alongside multiple choice, the exam uses multiple response, matching and drag-and-drop, hotspot and case-based item sets (several questions attached to one scenario).

Domain weights: previous ECO vs the 2026 ECO

Domain Previous ECO (2021) 2026 ECO (from July 9, 2026) About how many of 180 questions
People 42% 33% about 59
Process 50% 41% about 74
Business Environment 8% 26% about 47

The question counts are the weights applied to 180 questions, rounded. PMI publishes the weights, not the exact counts per form.

Question formats on the 2026 exam

  • Multiple choice: one correct option out of four.
  • Multiple response: pick two or more options; the stem tells you how many.
  • Matching and drag-and-drop: pair items in one column with items in another, or place items in order.
  • Hotspot: click a region of a chart, diagram or table.
  • Case-based item sets: one scenario with several linked questions that build on each other.

The exam runs 240 minutes with two 10-minute breaks. Once you start a break you cannot go back to the questions you already submitted, so plan where the breaks fall before exam day.

What stayed the same

  • 180 questions in 240 minutes.
  • Three domains: People, Process and Business Environment.
  • Questions test judgement in situations, not definitions. Most project management knowledge from a PMBOK 7 study plan still applies; the weighting and the AI and sustainability content are the biggest shifts.
  • The eligibility requirements, including the 35 contact hours of project management education or training (or a CAPM), are unchanged. What changes on 1 December 2026 is which training PMI accepts for those hours, see below.

PMI's 1 December 2026 training rule

PMI has announced a change to how the 35 contact hours are verified. Read PMI's own explanation for the full detail; in summary:

  • From 1 December 2026, PMI only accepts live, instructor-led contact hours from PMI Authorized Training Partners or accredited academic institutions.
  • Self-paced training from any provider still counts.
  • Training completed before 1 December 2026 stays eligible under the current rules.

This is PMI's rule and PMI decides what qualifies. TrustEd Institute provides practice tests, not the 35 contact hours; use a PMI Authorized Training Partner, an accredited institution or a self-paced course for the training requirement, and use practice tests to check whether that training stuck.

How to prepare for the 2026 PMP exam

  1. Start with a free practice test on the PMP practice page to see where you stand. Every question comes with an explanation.
  2. Drill one domain at a time. The practice topics follow the 2026 ECO domains, so you can work through People, Process and Business Environment in turn and spend the most time where your score is lowest.
  3. Rehearse the format. Premium full mocks run 180 questions against the 240-minute clock with the two breaks, linked case sets, matching and hotspot questions, so the first time you meet the new formats is not on exam day.

Practice topics for the 2026 ECO

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Frequently asked questions about the 2026 PMP exam

As of July 9, 2026, the PMP exam follows PMI's new Exam Content Outline (ECO), aligned with PMBOK 8. The exam still has 180 questions in 240 minutes, but the domain weighting changed to People (33%), Process (41%), and Business Environment (26%), with new emphasis on AI in project management, sustainability, and modern delivery approaches.

The current bank is organized around the 2026 ECO domains: People, Process and Business Environment. It includes dedicated coverage of AI, sustainability and modern project approaches. New premium full mocks target the 33% / 41% / 26% domain distribution; ordinary practice focuses on the topics and difficulty you choose.

No. The last sitting of the previous PMP exam version was July 8, 2026. All PMP exams from July 9, 2026 onward use the new PMBOK 8 / 2026 ECO format.

No, most project management knowledge carries over. The biggest changes are the domain weighting and the new AI and sustainability content. Use the practice filter to focus on one exam domain at a time and find your gaps quickly.

Take the full 180-question mock exams under the real 240-minute time limit to build stamina, then drill your weakest domain with domain-focused practice tests. Every question includes a detailed explanation so you learn from both correct and incorrect answers.