Frequently asked questions

If you already lead a team, start with PTMP, the first paid level. If you're thinking about moving into management, or want to see how the exams work first, take the free PTMF exam. The certifications page compares all five levels.

The paid levels unlock in sequence: PTMP, then PTMA, PTME and PTMS. You can't buy a level until you've passed the one before it, so holding a higher level means you've passed every paid level below it. PTMF is optional and can be taken at any time.

No experience is checked. Each level is written for a typical career stage: PTMP for your first year of managing, PTMA for 2–5 years, PTME for 5–10 years and PTMS for specialist leaders. That's guidance on difficulty, not an entry requirement.

PMP and Scrum certifications cover project management and the Scrum framework. PTMCO covers leading technical teams: people, delivery, stakeholders and technical strategy. See our honest comparisons with PMP and Certified ScrumMaster.

Multiple choice: each question has four options and one correct answer. PTMF has 15 questions; PTMP, PTMA, PTME and PTMS have 25 each. The exam is timed, and the questions can't be copied or printed. Questions at the lower levels test core concepts, while the higher levels use workplace scenarios. Try the sample questions to see for yourself.

60% for PTMF (9 of 15). 70% for every paid level, which is 18 of 25.

PTMF gives you 15 minutes and the paid levels 30 minutes. The clock starts when you press Start on the exam page, not when you pay, and it can't be paused. When it reaches zero, the answers you've selected are submitted automatically.

Online, in your browser, whenever it suits you. There's no appointment, test centre or proctor.

The clock keeps running. Open the exam again from your dashboard before time is up and you'll get the same questions, but answers are only saved when you submit, so you'll need to select them again. If the time runs out before your answers are submitted, the attempt is used and scores zero, so a retake is needed (and paid for, on the paid levels).

Immediately after you submit. If you pass, your certificate is issued on the spot.

PTMF is free. PTMP, PTMA, PTME and PTMS cost $59 each. Prices are in US dollars and each purchase covers one attempt.

You can retake the exam as often as you like. A retake of a paid level costs $39; retaking PTMF is free.

No. Exam purchases are non-refundable, including if you don't pass or have a technical problem during the exam. Please read the terms of service before you buy, and try the free PTMF exam and the sample questions if you're unsure whether PTMCO is right for you.

By card, through Stripe, when you buy an exam from your dashboard. PTMCO never sees or stores your card details.

Yes. Stripe emails you a receipt for every payment, and your dashboard lists all your payments with links to their receipts, so you can claim the cost back through expenses or a training budget.

A certificate with your name, level, score, issue date and a unique 16-character ID. It comes with:

• a permanent public page anyone can use to verify it
• a print-ready PDF
• a button that adds it to your LinkedIn profile with the ID and link filled in

No. PTMCO certificates don't expire and there are no renewal fees or continuing-education requirements.

So that anyone reading it knows how well you did, not just that you passed.

The full name you enter when you first sign in. It's used on every certificate you earn and can only be set once, so enter it exactly as you want it printed. If it's wrong, email [email protected].

Anyone with its link or ID can see the public verification page, which shows your name, level, score and issue date. Your email address is never shown. Only you can download the PDF.

Every level has a free study guide that covers each area of its exam, with suggested study times from 10–15 hours (PTMP) to 25–35 hours (PTMS). The sample questions show the format, and the blog has practical articles for every level.

No. The study guides are free and need no account. Experience of leading a team helps most, especially at the higher levels.

Sign up with your email address and a password, then confirm your email with a six-digit code. Your account is created once the code is confirmed.

Sign-in uses a one-time code sent to your email as a second step, so nobody can take an exam or download a certificate in your name with just your password.

Use "Forgot password" on the sign-in page. Resetting it signs you out everywhere else.

Open the link on the candidate's CV or LinkedIn profile, or enter the 16-character ID in the verification box. The public page shows the holder's name, level, score and issue date. There's more for hiring managers on the employers page.

Yes. The study guides and PTMF exam are free for anyone, and each person buys paid exams from their own account and gets receipts for expenses. For anything else, email [email protected].