Professional Certification
How to Verify a PMP Certification
The PMP is one of the most widely listed — and faked — credentials in project management hiring. Here is how to confirm it is real, current, and held by the person in front of you.
Quick answer
Go to pmi.org/certifications/certification-registry and search by the candidate's full name or certification number. PMI's registry is public, free, and shows active vs. suspended vs. expired status in real time.
Why PMP fraud is common
The Project Management Professional (PMP) credential from PMI is among the most valuable certifications in corporate hiring — PMP holders command a median salary premium of 16–22% above non-certified peers, depending on region and industry. That makes it a frequent target for resume fraud.
Unlike academic degrees, which require primary source verification through transcript providers, the PMP is easy to claim and historically difficult for recruiters to check quickly. Many hiring managers accept the certification number on a resume at face value and never cross-reference it against the PMI registry.
The most common forms of PMP fraud: listing a PMP that was earned and then expired without renewal, fabricating a certification number, or using another person's credentials. All three are detectable with a 60-second registry check.
How to verify via the PMI registry
PMI (Project Management Institute) maintains a public certification registry at pmi.org/certifications/certification-registry. No account or payment is required.
Search by name
- Navigate to the PMI Certification Registry
- Enter the candidate's first and last name
- Select "PMP" from the certification type filter
- Review the results — the registry shows name, certification type, and status
Search by certification number
If the candidate has provided a certification number (format: a 7-digit number, e.g.,
1234567),
you can search directly by number for an exact match. This is the most reliable approach
and eliminates ambiguity from common names.
What the registry shows
- Active — credential is current, PDU requirements met, in good standing
- Suspended — PDU requirements overdue; certification is not currently valid
- Expired — certification lapsed; holder must reapply and retake the exam to reinstate
- Revoked — PMI has withdrawn the certification, typically for ethics violations or exam fraud
A suspended or expired PMP is not equivalent to an active one. Many hiring requirements specify "current PMP certification" — if the registry shows anything other than Active, the candidate does not meet that requirement as stated.
Understanding PMP renewal: PDUs
The PMP is not a one-time credential. PMI requires holders to earn 60 Professional Development Units (PDUs) every three years to maintain certification. Failure to report the required PDUs moves the certification to Suspended status; further non-compliance results in Expired status.
This is relevant for verification because a candidate may have legitimately earned a PMP in the past but failed to keep it current. When someone lists "PMP" on a resume without noting it is expired, that is at minimum misleading — and in regulated industries, it may constitute misrepresentation.
Ask candidates to provide their PMI ID or certification number during application intake. This makes registry verification a one-step lookup rather than a name-matching exercise.
Other PMI certifications to know
PMI issues a family of credentials that appear frequently on project management and technical program management resumes. The registry covers all of them:
| Credential | Full name | Target role |
|---|---|---|
| PMP | Project Management Professional | Project managers, broadly |
| PgMP | Program Management Professional | Program managers, senior PMs |
| PMI-ACP | Agile Certified Practitioner | Agile/scrum practitioners |
| CAPM | Certified Associate in PM | Entry-level project roles |
| PMI-RMP | Risk Management Professional | Risk management specialists |
All PMI credentials can be verified through the same registry. Use the certification type filter to narrow results when searching by name.
Red flags to watch for
- ✗ No certification number provided. Legitimate PMP holders know their PMI ID. Reluctance to provide it warrants a closer look.
- ✗ Name doesn't match. If the registry result name differs from the candidate's legal name, confirm with the candidate — name changes happen, but so does credential borrowing.
- ✗ Lists PMP with no date. Omitting the certification date is sometimes intentional — it makes it harder to spot a lapse. Ask for the original grant year.
- ✗ Suspended status. A candidate in suspended status did not meet PDU obligations. That is a compliance gap worth flagging for roles that require current certification.
Automating PMP verification at scale
For teams processing high volumes of project management candidates, manual registry lookups add up quickly. The VerifyED API supports programmatic credential lookups that can be embedded in your ATS intake flow or background check workflow.
At intake, collect the applicant's PMI certification number as a structured field — not free text — and pass it to the verification endpoint. This surfaces suspended and expired certifications before the screening call, not after the offer.
Integrate credential verification into your hiring stack
The VerifyED API checks academic credentials, diploma mills, and professional accreditation in a single call. Add it to your ATS in under an hour.
View API Documentation →