Preparing for the PMP exam is time-consuming and takes a lot of effort. But life happens—emergencies, work commitments, or simply needing more study time can force you to reschedule the PMP exam. The good news? PMI allows changes, but timing and fees matter.
In this blog post, you’ll learn the exact rules for rescheduling or canceling your PMP exam, current fees, step-by-step instructions, and tips to avoid penalties.
Whether you’re within 30 days or facing extenuating circumstances, I’ve got you covered.
Let’s get started.
PMP Rescheduling & Cancellation Rules
According to the PMI Candidate Handbook (2025 edition), you can reschedule or cancel your PMP exam at any time—provided you act more than 48 hours (2 full calendar days) before your scheduled appointment.
Key deadlines:
- More than 30 days before exam: Free reschedule or cancellation.
- 30 days or fewer (but >48 hours): $70 USD fee applies.
- Within 48 hours: No changes allowed; full exam fee forfeited.
Pro Tip: Always count calendar days, not business days. A Saturday exam requires action by 11:59 PM ET on Wednesday.
PMP Exam Fee Structure
| Action | Timeline | Fee (USD) | Refund |
| Reschedule | >30 days | $0 | N/A |
| Reschedule | ?30 days but >48 hrs | $70 | N/A |
| Cancel | >30 days | $0 | Full refund minus $100 admin (members: $60) |
| Cancel | ?30 days but >48 hrs | $70 | Remaining balance refunded |
| Any change | ?48 hrs | Forfeited | $0 |
Note: PMI members pay $405 for the exam; non-members pay $575. The $70 rescheduling fee applies to both.
PMI defines the cutoffs clearly and provides examples in its scheduling instructions. Set a reminder for your 30-day and 2-day deadlines.
Step-by-Step: How to Reschedule PMP Exam (or Cancel)
- Log in to myPMI.
- Open Review Application Status and choose Manage/Reschedule/Cancel Exam.
- Pick a new slot or confirm cancellation.
- If you are inside the 30-day window, the system adds the USD 70 fee.
- Within 48 hours, the system blocks changes; missing the exam means you lose the full fee.
Tip: If you plan to switch from test center to online (or the reverse), cancel first, then book the new format. The fee policy still applies.
Online-Proctored Vs Test Center
Both delivery options follow the same fee windows. If you choose online proctoring (OnVUE), check your device and internet ahead of time:
- Computer with a supported OS
- Webcam, mic, speakers
- Stable bandwidth (minimums apply)
- Quiet, private room
Pearson VUE lists the exact technical and environment requirements here.
No-Show: What Actually Happens
If you don’t show up within the 48-hour window, you forfeit the entire exam fee and must pay again to reschedule. Act before the window closes if you need to reschedule.
Extenuating Circumstances: Can You Get a Waiver?
Yes—medical emergencies, natural disasters, jury duty, or death in the family may qualify for fee waivers or deadline exceptions.
How to apply:
- Contact PMI Customer Care within 48 hours of your exam.
- Submit official documentation (doctor’s note, death certificate, etc.).
- PMI reviews case-by-case decisions within 5–10 business days.
Real Example: During Hurricane Ian (2022), PMI waived fees for 1,200+ affected candidates.
PMP Rescheduling Trends
| Year | % of Candidates Who Rescheduled | Avg. Days Before Exam |
| 2024 | 22% | 18 |
| 2025 (YTD) | 19% | 21 |
Source: Pearson VUE Internal Data (via PMBOK Community Report, Q3 2025)4
Candidates citing “insufficient preparation” rescheduled 40% more often than those with emergencies.
Impact on Eligibility & Retake Attempts
- Rescheduling: Does not affect your 1-year eligibility window.
- Canceling: Preserves your attempts. You still have three total tries within eligibility.
- Failed exam? You have two remaining attempts in the same eligibility period.
Stat: 68% of candidates pass on first attempt; 24% on second (PMI Annual Report 2024).
FAQs
Q1. Can I reschedule more than once for free?
Yes, if you’re more than 30 days out each time. Inside 30 days, the USD 70 fee applies.
Q2. How long is my eligibility period?
PMI grants an exam eligibility window (generally up to one year). Check your approval email and the current handbook for details and timing.
Q3. Can I change the exam format (online vs center) when I reschedule?
Not directly. Cancel your current booking, then schedule the other format. Fees still apply based on timing.
Q4. What counts as “within 2 days”?
Two full calendar days before your appointment in the exam’s local time. After that, changes are blocked, and a no-show forfeits your fee.
Q5. What if my internet fails during an online exam?
Follow Pearson VUE’s guidance and contact support. Make sure you meet OnVUE requirements before test day to reduce risk.
Summary
Yes, you can reschedule or cancel your PMP exam. The key is timing.
- >30 days: free.
- 30 to 2 days: USD 70.
- Inside 2 days/no-show: lose the full fee.
Pick your delivery method, block your deadlines on the calendar, and keep your confirmation emails. If an emergency hits, contact PMI with proof.
Take Action Today:
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.
I want be reshedule my centre and also time bcz present cntre is so many miles away from my city
My choice able centre is khairpur and also time 9 am so plz kindly reshedule me thx
i know that i will loss the exam fee if i do not take the test or cancel it , but am i going to loss my one of my attempted if do not take the test
Sir i hve send u my resheduling request few minutes ago i hve missed my date changed i also want 19 september date sir accep my request and oblige .
What if I want to move my exam to an earlier date?
Same conditions will apply. A change is a change.
I have canceled my exam and will now be outside my eligibility, will I be able to use the credit from cancelling towards the fee when I re-apply?
Did not you receive any email from PMI or Pearson VUE?
As per my understanding, if you cancel the exam and your eligibility has expired, you will not get your refund.
I have cancel how to go I have expire date still 16 days
Hello Parthiban,
You have to visit Pearson VUE site and cancel the exam.
PMI cancelled my exam due to technical issue, not sure if it was from my end pearson. I have eligibility till June 2023. If PMI reschedule my exam…do i still have to pay for next attempt?
Please help as i do not want to pay extra as I could not attend the exam due to technical issue.
Please send me useful PMP Materials.
Hello Nesha, all materials are available on my blog. Just browse it and you will get everything.
Hello Dears,
My eligibility period will end by 31st of March, 2019. Is it possible to book a seat in March and then reschedule it till end of April, 2019?
Thanks is advance for your kind response.
Hello Nasrullah, if you need an extension, contact PMI customer care. Usually they give a three months extension.
Just explain them your case and tell them why you need an extension.
I have schedule my exam for 7th Feb before 30 Days of exam, But when I am trying to reschedule it, it is not showing me future dates. I already dropped mail to Customer care .. I tried to reschedule from different laptops but same issue.
Any thoughts on this. I have rescheduled it earlier as well but this times dates are not showing.
Hello Anju, only PMI customer care would be able to help you here. As you have contacted them, I hope it would have been solved by now.
I have cancelled my exams with in 30 days and paid 70$ fee but i was still allowed to schedule my exam and i have scheduled it without paying the fee(405$). Was my order cancelled or that amount was used to schedule the exam?
You have already paid the fee (405 USD) and paid 70 USD for cancellation, that is why they did not ask you to pay again.
I have scheduled my test on 2nd Feb 2019. Currently I want to re-schedule my test on April’19. My PMI membership will end on 4th Feb 2019. Today is 12/17/2018. I have 40 plus days for my exam.
So scheduling exam on April ’19 , cost will it be the 70$ or more. should I entitle to get the membership discount or not?
Hello Divya, I am not sure about it, I would suggest you contact PMI customer care as soon as possible and update as well.
I have rescheduled my exam twice but now I think am still not ready to give it a shot; I need to study more. Can I cancel and get a full refund since I still have over 40 days before the exam date.
You can cancel it but they will deduct an admin fee.
I was scheduled for the PMP test on 21st March 2018 at 1:30 pm est. But around 12:49 p.m. , I thought for rescheduling the test and went and selected reschedule test option from PMI, since it is more than 48 hours of the test…I was hoping I will be able to reschule with $70 change fee, But It cancelled the test , But I did not get the reschedule option .
when I went and confirmed the cancellation, it was more than 48 hours from the time of the test. Please let me know if I can reschedule the test and will I get the refund of minus 70 to rescheule the test.
One minute is too less to go for this type of action. I think during the processing the sixty seconds might have crossed. I suggest you contact PMI customer care for more information.
hello,
i want to cancel my pmp exam i schedule it on 20/3/2018 but when i open the link of cancellation they required $70 , how and i think they will refund $205 , can you help me please pay this fees firstly or it will be deducted from exam fees?
It will come back to your bank account automatically. It will be deducted from your exam fee.
Hi,
I have cancelled my exam on 11th Mar 2018 for exam scheduled on 23rd March (within 30days period). I got charged with USD 70 on my credit card. can you please let me know how much amount will be refunded to me and by what time.
Where will be the refund gets credited, on my credit card or do they need my bank account details?
Thanks
The PMP handbook says 100 USD should be deducted. I think there is some change and they did not update it.
Anyway, wait for a few days and if it does not return, you can contact PMI customer care.
It will automatically comeback to your account, you don’t have to provide any details.
Hi, I have cancelled my PMP exam on 15th Feb 2018 for exam on 20th March in prometric site but till now (20th Feb) it is showing as scheduled in PMI site.I have also received cancellation confirmation email from prometric.
Does it mean my exam schedule is still active and has not cancelled.
Please immediately contact PMI for further clarification. They are the one who can advise you correctly.
Hi, it is only mentioned if you cancel or reschedule the exam within 30 days. What if you have more time, will you still pay a fee?
Thank you!
If you have more time, you can do it but the PMI will deduct 100 USD admin fee.
This is not correct. There is no fee if you have more than 30 days.
And if you have 30 or less it is 70$, not 100.
Please refer to the PMP handbook.
Hi , I cancelled my exam and trying to schedule for another day, however I cannot find that option available. Could you please guide on how to go about it.
Go to prometric site and try to reschedule it with your old code. I hope it will work.
Hi, I cancelled my exam. but now need to schedule one again. I couldnt find it anywhere on their website what the process was. What do i need to do to reschedule my exam after cancelling it?
I think, you will need to visit the prometric site to reschedule again.
Hi,
I have scheduled my test on 20 th Dec’17. Currently I want to re-schedule my test on Jan’18. My PMI membership will end on 31st Dec’17. So scheduling exam on Jan’18 , cost will it be the only 70$ or more. should I entitle to get the membership discount or not?
I am sorry to see your message late, and it is already 20 December. Did you reschedule it?
There’s a major storm up and down the North East right now… My flight home was canceled (as was the flight before and the flight after) and there are no more flights available tomorrow morning – I will not be near the NYC location to take my scheduled exam tomorrow – can I still take the exam in a different prometric test center (where I am now, i.e. Buffalo, NY)?
Please contact PMI customer care.
Hi Team,
My eligibility expires on 25 June 2018. On 6th August I gave my first attempt and unfortunately did not pass the exam. On 4 Oct 2017 I made payment again for second attempt, however I did not book any schedule as I was planning to do it next day. On 5 October 2017(which was next day) I realised I won’t be able to give exam because of my personal circumstances. I haven’t schedule any exam however I have made the payment. Now I want to cancel it. So do I need to book a schedule first and then cancel it? and Will I get the full refund ?
Since you did not schedule the exam, you can get the refund with 100 USD deduction as an admin fee.
Please read the following blog post for detail:
https://pmstudycircle.com/2012/05/what-is-the-pmp-exam-fee-refund-policy-of-pmi/
Thanks for quick reply. However I need to ask If i schedule my exam and then cancel it, will I get full refund then?
So if I schedule my exam and then cancel , will then I will get full refund?
If you fail to cancel your exam before 30 days of your schedule date, you may end up paying another 70 USD.
So no need to schedule the exam and cancel it.
I cancelled my application by mistake what shall I do
You can start again.
hello, How do you start agin? what do you do?
Login to your dashboard, and look for an option to apply again for the PMP exam. In my dashboard I cannot see it as I have already passed the exam.
I reschedule my pmp exam one time and i paid 70 US dollar. What is the process to cancel the exam.
Go to the prometric site and cancel from there.
Hi,
Iam currently in Australia and will be leaving back to India in Feb 1st week 2013. Can I schedule the exam in Australia and if I was unable to take the exam before my stay in Australia, can I go back to India and take the exam. Are there any charges for address or location change.
Regards
Suresh
Hello Suresh,
I am not sure but since you are scheduling your PMP exam in Australia and you may want to give it in India, PMI may ask you to pay the $70 fee because you are not giving the exam at center you chosen earlier.
However, I think since your question is not specifically answered in the PMP Handbook, you must contact the PMI for exact answer and also let us know about the outcome.