ccr program

Today, we will discuss the PMI CCR program.

The PMP certification is the most renowned certification for project professionals. Attaining it was not easy; you went through a rigorous process. 

Once you achieve this credential, you must keep it active because the PMP certification is only valid for three years.

To extend the validity of your PMP certification, you must complete the PMI CCR program. After you complete this process, your credential’s validity will be extended for another three years.

What is PMI CCR Program?

CCR stands for Continuing Certification Requirements.

You must earn 60 PDUs in three years and report them to PMI to renew your credentials. This process is known as the Continuing Certification Requirements (CCR) Program.

Once you report these PDUs and they are accepted, your credentials are extended, and you will get a certificate with a new expiration date.

What Will Happen if You Don’t Complete the CCR Cycle?

Your status will be suspended if you do not report 60 PDUs by the time your three years are up. However, you still have a 12-month grace period to earn the PDUs and report them to the PMI. This will change your status back to active.

Don’t take that cushion for granted, because you will lose your credential if you’re still not able to fulfill these requirements after this grace period. In this case, you will have to retake and pass the PMP exam again to regain your status as a PMP credential holder.

Please note that your CCR start cycle date is the same as when you passed the PMP exam.

For example, if you passed the exam on January 1st, 2021, your CCR cycle will end on January 1st, 2024. Therefore, you must complete your CCR cycle by December 31st, 2023.

Why is the CCR Program Necessary?

You have demonstrated your skills and knowledge by passing the PMP exam, but as time passes, you may become rusty, or there may be new advancements in the profession.

Business environments are constantly changing, and you need to keep up. Continuing education is standard in the professional world.

The PMI wants you at the top of the industry and to sustain its top-notch status when it comes to industry standards. They introduced this program to help motivate professionals to learn, acquire new skills and help other professionals.

This system helps maintain the relevance and quality of PMPs.

PDUs Requirements to Complete the CCR Program

PDU requirements for PMI certifications:

  • Earn 60 PDUs every three years if you’re a PMP, PgMP, PfMP, or PMI-PBA.
  • Earn 30 PDUs every three years if you’re a PMI-RMP, PMI-SP, or PMI-ACP.

Benefits of the CCR Program

The followings are a few benefits of the CCR Program:

  • Motivation to learn new skills
  • Share skills with other professionals
  • Maintains relevancy and awareness of the latest advancements
  • Keeps your credentials active

PMI updated the CCR program on December 1st, 2015, to include in-demand skills by employers, as shown in the PMI Talent Triangle

Summary

The CCR program helps the PMI and its certification holders keep their relevance and skills up to date. This program helps your certification remain active beyond the first three years and keeps you updated with the latest advancements. Your new CCR cycle starts once you complete a CCR cycle.

Have you completed your CCR program? If yes, please share your experiences in the comments section.

Please refer to the CCR Handbook for the current information.

Fahad Usmani, PMP

I am Mohammad Fahad Usmani, B.E. PMP, PMI-RMP. I have been blogging on project management topics since 2011. To date, thousands of professionals have passed the PMP exam using my resources.