The Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute is for people early in project work who want a recognised credential. The exam has 150 questions in 180 minutes. This page gives you free practice sets by topic, worked explanations of sample questions and a study plan. It also lists the exam facts PMI publishes and names the official PMI pages where you can check them.
The CAPM has 150 questions, takes about 3 hours and costs $300[1] (Project Management Institute, verified Oct 26, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 150 questions (135 scored + 15 unscored pretest)[1] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Time limit | 180 minutes[1] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Passing score | Not published — set by psychometric analysis (criteria-based)[2] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $225 PMI members / $300 non-members[1] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Up to 3 attempts within a 1-year eligibility period; 1-year wait after 3 failures[2] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity | 3-year certification cycle[2] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Renewal | 15 PDUs per 3-year cycle (min 9 Education, max 6 Giving Back)[3] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test center or OnVUE online proctoring[4] | home.pearsonvue.com · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Score release | Score report at the end of a computer-based exam; 6–8 weeks for paper-based[2] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Testing window | Year-round scheduling within a 1-year eligibility period after application approval[2] | Project Management Institute · Oct 26, 2026 |
According to Project Management Institute, “150 questions 15 unscored pretest questions, 135 scored questions”[1]
The CAPM checks whether you understand the terms, processes and approaches used on projects: predictive (plan-based) work, agile methods, business analysis, and core project management concepts. PMI publishes the content outline, and the blueprint table on this page follows it.
Format and delivery. The exam has 150 questions. Of these, 135 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest questions. You have 180 minutes. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE, with a remote proctor watching.
Fees. The fee is $225 for PMI members and $300 for non-members. You pay only after PMI accepts your application and you are ready to schedule.
Scoring. PMI does not publish a passing score. It is set by psychometric analysis. If you take the exam on a computer, you get your score report when you finish. Paper-based results take 6–8 weeks.
Eligibility window and retakes. Once your application is approved, you have 1 year to take the exam, and you can schedule at any time of year. You get up to 3 attempts in that year. If you fail 3 times, you must wait 1 year from your last exam before you can reapply. PMI sets the education requirements for the application and can change them, so check the current PMI certification handbook before you apply.
Keeping the credential. The certification runs on a 3-year cycle. To renew, you earn 15 PDUs per cycle, with at least 9 in Education and no more than 6 in Giving Back.
The content areas below are copied from the official CAPM content outline published by Project Management Institute, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Agile Frameworks/Methodologies[5] | 20% | CAPM Agile & Hybrid Methodologies Practise matching agile roles, ceremonies and artifacts to their purpose, and telling when an agile or hybrid approach fits a project better than a plan-based one. |
| Business Analysis Frameworks[5] | 27% | CAPM Project Integration & Scope Management Practise how requirements are gathered, documented, traced and validated, and how stakeholder needs become scope that can be measured. |
| Predictive, Plan-Based Methodologies[5] | 17% | CAPM Project Scheduling & Critical Path Practise building and reading schedule networks, including critical path, total and free float, and how baselines and change control work in a plan-based project. |
| Project Management Fundamentals and Core Concepts[5] | 36% | CAPM PMI Framework & Process Groups Practise PMI vocabulary, process groups, the project life cycle and the difference between projects, programs, portfolios and operations. |
Prepare for the CAPM - Associate Project Manager Certification exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: A project manager notices the same scheduling problem occurred in three consecutive sprints. Which continuous improvement technique is MOST appropriate to identify the root cause?
Answer: B. Five Whys analysis
Explanation:
Five Whys analysis is correct. A problem that keeps coming back points to a cause no one has fixed yet. Asking 'why' again and again gets past the symptoms to the process problem underneath.
Rule to remember: for a recurring problem, use a root-cause tool such as Five Whys or a fishbone diagram. To choose between options, use cost-benefit analysis or a decision tree.
Question: When using the Estimate at Completion (EAC) formula that assumes past CPI performance will continue, the formula is:
Answer: B. BAC / CPI
Explanation:
BAC / CPI is correct. It predicts the final cost by assuming the cost efficiency so far, measured by CPI, continues for the rest of the project.
Rule to remember: if the variance is expected to continue (typical), use BAC / CPI. If it was a one-off (atypical), use AC + (BAC - EV). If the old estimate no longer holds, re-estimate and use AC + ETC.
Question: What does 'free float' (free slack) mean in schedule network analysis?
Answer: B. The time an activity can be delayed without delaying the early start of its successor
Explanation:
Option B is correct. Free float is measured against the next activity: it is how long an activity can slip before it delays the early start of any successor.
Rule to remember: free float protects the successors; total float protects the end date. An activity's free float can never be larger than its total float.
The fee is $225 for PMI members and $300 for non-members. You do not pay when you apply. PMI asks for the fee only after it accepts your application and you are ready to schedule. Check PMI's CAPM page for the current price before you pay.
PMI does not publish a passing score. It says the passing score for all of its exams is set by psychometric analysis. Any specific percentage you see quoted online is not an official PMI figure. Aim to understand every content area well, not to reach a guessed cutoff.
The exam has 150 questions, and you have 180 minutes. Of the 150, 135 count toward your score and 15 are unscored pretest questions that PMI uses to try out new items. Answer every question as if it counts.
Yes. You can take the CAPM online through Pearson VUE's OnVUE service, with a remote proctor watching you during the exam. You can also take it at a Pearson VUE test center. For the online exam, check Pearson VUE's requirements for your computer and testing space before you book.
You can try up to 3 times within the 1-year eligibility period that starts when PMI approves your application. If you fail 3 times in that period, you must wait 1 year from your last exam date before you can reapply. Retake fees are set by PMI, so check its handbook.
The CAPM runs on a 3-year cycle. To renew, you earn 15 professional development units (PDUs) in each cycle. At least 9 must be in Education, and no more than 6 can be in Giving Back. You report PDUs through PMI's Continuing Certification Requirements program.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.