What Is PMI-ACP?
The PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner) is PMI's credential for professionals who apply Agile practices in their projects. Unlike the CSM (which focuses solely on Scrum), the PMI-ACP covers the entire Agile landscape—Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, and hybrid approaches. It requires substantial Agile work experience, making it a mid-to-senior level credential.
The PMI-ACP proves you're not just a Scrum practitioner—you're an Agile expert who can select and apply the right approach for any situation.
Exam Overview
The PMI-ACP exam tests your knowledge across Agile tools, techniques, and mindset:
Exam Domains
Agile Principles and Mindset (16%)
Core Agile values, principles from the Agile Manifesto, and servant leadership.
Value-Driven Delivery (20%)
Prioritization techniques, incremental delivery, and minimal viable product concepts.
Stakeholder Engagement (17%)
Collaboration, communication, and managing stakeholder expectations in Agile environments.
Team Performance (16%)
Building high-performing teams, coaching, and removing impediments.
Adaptive Planning (12%)
Release planning, iteration planning, and adapting to change.
Problem Detection and Resolution (10%)
Risk management, impediment resolution, and continuous improvement.
Continuous Improvement (9%)
Retrospectives, process tailoring, and kaizen practices.
Eligibility Requirements
The PMI-ACP requires significant professional experience:
Requirements
- Secondary degree (high school diploma or equivalent)
- 21 contact hours of training in Agile practices
- 12 months of general project experience (within the last 5 years)
- 8 months of Agile project experience (within the last 3 years)
If you hold a PMP or PgMP certification, the general project experience requirement is waived.
Exam Details
PMI-ACP vs CSM: Which Should You Choose?
Both certifications validate Agile knowledge, but they serve different purposes:
| Aspect | PMI-ACP | CSM |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Covers Scrum, Kanban, Lean, XP, and more | Focuses exclusively on Scrum framework |
| Experience Required | 8 months Agile + 12 months general PM experience | None—just complete a 2-day workshop |
| Exam Difficulty | 120 questions testing deep Agile knowledge | 50 questions, open book, after training |
| Best For | Experienced Agile practitioners and PM generalists | Beginners or those focused on Scrum teams |
Official Resource
Get complete details about the PMI-ACP certification.
PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® →Key Takeaways
- 1PMI-ACP validates expertise across ALL Agile methodologies, not just Scrum.
- 2Requires 8 months Agile experience + 21 hours of Agile training.
- 3Exam covers 7 domains from principles to continuous improvement.
- 4Costs $435-$495 and must be renewed every 3 years with 30 Agile PDUs.
- 5Ideal for experienced practitioners who work across multiple Agile frameworks.
