Education EdgeKnowledge beyond borders

Exam delivery

Should you take the PMP exam online or at a test center?

PMP candidates can use online proctored testing or an available test-center appointment, subject to PMI and its exam provider's eligibility and location rules. The choice changes your testing environment, not the certification you are working toward.

Choose the option that gives you a reliable setup and lets you concentrate on the exam.

A woman sitting alone at a bare wooden table in a plain room, working at a laptop, with nothing else on the table and a closed door behind her.

Where to take the PMP exam

  1. 01

    Where do I take the PMP exam?

    At a Pearson VUE test center or online with a remote proctor — you choose an eligible appointment through PMI's exam process once your application is approved.

  2. 02

    PMP exam centers near me

    Search Pearson VUE's PMI test center finder (below) with your own address or postal code to see the nearest centers and open seats, in Toronto, the GTA or anywhere else.

  3. 03

    Is the PMP exam online or in person?

    Both. The exam is the same; what changes is where you sit it — your own private room, or a booked test center.

  4. 04

    Is the online PMP exam proctored?

    Yes. A remote proctor supervises you: you photograph your room at check-in, show accepted ID, and test alone in a private space with the door closed.

Compare the practical differences

Online proctored and test-center PMP exams compared on location, equipment, environment, travel, availability and preparation.
ConsiderationOnline proctored examTest-center exam
LocationAn approved private testing spaceA booked examination center
EquipmentYour compatible computer and connection must pass the required checksTesting equipment is provided at the center
EnvironmentYou are responsible for room compliance and preventing interruptionsThe center manages the testing environment
TravelNo journey to a centerAllow time for travel and check-in
AvailabilityCheck eligible locations and available appointmentsCheck seats at centers offering your exam
PreparationRun the system test and review room and ID rulesReview directions, identification, and arrival instructions

Online testing may suit you if

You have a dependable connection, a compatible device, and a private room that meets the testing rules. You should be comfortable completing remote check-in and following proctor instructions throughout the appointment.

Run the official system test on the same device and network you intend to use. A successful video call is not a substitute for the exam provider's compatibility checks.

The equipment the exam provider asks for

A desktop or laptop computer with a webcam and a strong internet connection. A tablet may be used only as a screen, paired with an external keyboard, and touchscreen input cannot be used during the exam. Extra monitors should be removed from the room, or at least unplugged, before check-in.

Pearson VUE recommends a wired connection in preference to Wi-Fi, advises against testing on an employer-issued computer, and asks you to run its system test about a week ahead on the same computer and connection you will use on the day.

Pearson VUE, online testing guide — the document PMI's certification handbook links for online proctored exams. Read 9 October 2026.

The room you test in

An enclosed, private space where you can close the doors. Once the exam has started, no one else may enter or pass through the room, and testing in a bathroom is not permitted. Pearson VUE advises against public places, hotels and corporate offices, where the connection and any firewall are outside your control.

You photograph the space during check-in, so clear it first. Mobile phones, watches and other electronic devices, books and notes, writing instruments and paper, wallets and purses, eyeglass cases and headphones are not allowed in the testing space unless your program authorizes them. Position the screen so that no one else can see it.

Pearson VUE, online testing guide — the document PMI's certification handbook links for online proctored exams. Read 9 October 2026.

A test center may suit you if

You cannot reliably prevent interruptions at home, your equipment is unsuitable, or you prefer a dedicated testing environment. Check the location and appointment availability before planning travel or leave from work.

Before booking either option

  • Confirm that your chosen delivery option is available for your circumstances.
  • Make sure the name on your booking matches an accepted identity document.
  • Request any exam accommodations through the official process early.
  • Review cancellation and rescheduling rules before paying.
  • Follow the appointment instructions for breaks, permitted items, and arrival or check-in.

Identification

A valid, undamaged, government-issued original carrying your name and a recent photograph, with the first and last name matching the name you registered under. Pearson VUE's accepted forms are an international travel passport, a driver's licence, a national, state or province identification card, and an alien registration card.

Some documents cannot be accepted for online testing, including certain secure-access cards. Check your own document against the current requirements before you schedule, and check for any PMI-specific identification rules.

Pearson VUE, online testing guide — the document PMI's certification handbook links for online proctored exams. Read 9 October 2026.

Where online delivery is restricted

The online proctored PMI professional certification exam option (OPT) is not available for citizens of the People's Republic of China, Macau, and Hong Kong, regardless of location. In Mainland China, only paper-based testing (PBT) is available.

Read “regardless of location” as written: it is a citizenship rule rather than an address rule, so it reaches a citizen of the People's Republic of China, Macau or Hong Kong who lives and works elsewhere. PMI adds that Mainland China delivery is paper-based only, provided by ATA test services.

Pearson VUE separately lists places where its online delivery is restricted and whose identity documents it cannot accept for an online exam: Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Russia, Belarus, and the Sevastopol/Crimea and Donetsk/Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

PMI® Certification Handbook, revised June 2026, section “Exam Options in China” (read 7 October 2026), and Pearson VUE's online testing guide (read 9 October 2026).

Use Pearson VUE's PMI online-testing requirements and PMI's scheduling instructions for the current rules. Online delivery is not available without restrictions in every country or for every identity document.

Find a PMP exam center near you

Pearson VUE publishes two live tools for checking what is bookable, for your exam and your dates. Search with your own address or postal code — in Toronto, the GTA or anywhere else — to see the nearest centers. Not all PMI exams are administered in every testing center, so search on your own exam.

  • Seat availability for PMI exams

    Pearson VUE's seat search, scoped to PMI. Start here for when you can sit the exam.

  • PMI test center finder

    Pearson VUE's center finder, scoped to PMI. It redirects into their live booking application; the published address is the one they maintain.

Pearson VUE, PMI client page, stating “Last updated: 2026-09-10”. Read 7 October 2026.

Your course and exam are separate bookings

You can take an online preparation course and choose a test-center exam where available. Education Edge provides training and preparation support; PMI and its testing provider manage the certification exam appointment.

Prepare for your chosen exam date

Allow time after training to review weak areas and complete realistic practice. Choose an exam date that fits your readiness and eligibility period.

Not sure which course?

Ask the people who teach it.

Leave your number and we will call you back. Which certification fits you, when the next class starts, what it costs. That is the whole call.

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and the processing of your personal data.