Maintaining certification and capstone

For many years, an ITIL certificate lasted for life. That changed with the introduction of renewal requirements: at the time of writing (October 2026), ITIL 4 and ITIL (Version 5) certificates must be renewed three years after certification. Planning for renewal is now part of planning a certification path. This lesson explains the renewal rules and options, compares their costs, shows how to track renewal dates, and considers how to keep skills current beyond formal requirements. It then pulls the whole course together in a capstone exercise in which you build a complete certification plan: choose a path, estimate time and cost, build a study plan, plan renewal and estimate return. The renewal rules described here are those published by PeopleCert at the time of writing; they have changed before and may change again, so check your PeopleCert account and the official renewal page.

The renewal rule

Under PeopleCert's current rules, ITIL 4 and ITIL (Version 5) certifications must be renewed within three years of the certification date. The certificate shows a renew-by date. If you do not renew, the certificate is no longer shown as current, although you have still passed the exam. Employers increasingly check whether certificates are current, so a lapsed certificate may carry less weight.

There are three ways to renew at the time of writing:

• CPD through PeopleCert Plus: maintain a PeopleCert Plus membership and log 20 CPD points per year for three consecutive years. CPD activities include reading, attending webinars and events, training, mentoring and other professional development.
• Pass another certification in the same product suite: passing another ITIL exam renews all your ITIL certifications. For example, passing Version 5 Foundation renews existing ITIL 4 certificates, and passing an advanced module renews Foundation.
• Retake the same exam: pass the exam for the certificate again.

Comparing renewal routes

The best route depends on your plans. If you intend to take further ITIL modules within three years, the "new certification" route renews everything at no extra cost beyond the module you were taking anyway. If you hold several certificates and do not plan new modules, CPD through membership may be cheapest. Retaking the same exam is usually the least attractive option, unless you hold only Foundation and want a cheap one-off renewal.

Tracking renewal dates

With several certificates from different years, tracking dates matters. Keep a simple table with each certificate, its date, its renew-by date and your planned renewal route. Because passing a new ITIL certification renews all of your ITIL certifications, a single exam can reset several dates at once. Set calendar reminders a year and six months before the earliest renew-by date. Check older certificates as well: ITIL v3 and 2011 certificates are not subject to the same renewal scheme, but employers may view them as out of date compared with current-version certificates.

Logging CPD effectively

If you choose the CPD route, treat it as a habit rather than a chore. Many activities you already do may count: attending itSMF events, webinars or conferences; reading professional publications; completing training in related areas; mentoring colleagues; or presenting at work on service management. Log activities as they happen with short notes on what you learned, rather than trying to remember them at the end of the year. Check which activities PeopleCert accepts and how points are calculated.

Keeping skills current beyond renewal

Renewal keeps a certificate current; it does not by itself keep skills current. ITIL is most valuable when applied. Ways to stay sharp include joining improvement initiatives at work, applying a practice you studied to a real problem, following developments in Version 5 and AI governance, attending local itSMF chapter events in Canada or the United States, and teaching others. Experience combined with certification is what employers value most.

Capstone: building your certification plan

This capstone brings together the course. Work through it for your own situation, or use the example below as a model.

• Step 1, role and goal (Lesson 8): describe your current role, target role and what employers ask for.
• Step 2, version and path (Lessons 4 and 5): choose the version and the modules and designations you need.
• Step 3, training (Lesson 9): choose formats and providers, and compare total costs.
• Step 4, study plan (Lessons 10 and 11): estimate hours, allocate them by weighting, set a weekly rhythm, milestones and a buffer.
• Step 5, exam strategy (Lessons 6 and 7): plan timing and know the format.
• Step 6, renewal and return (this lesson and Lesson 8): plan renewal and estimate return on investment.

Final advice

ITIL certification is a means, not an end. The most successful candidates choose a path that fits their goals, prepare efficiently using proven study strategies, check facts with official sources because the scheme changes, and above all apply what they learn. Whatever path you choose, keep a record of your certificates, dates and renewal plans, and revisit your plan once a year.

A renewal record

A short renewal record makes it easy to see what needs attention and when.

Combining ITIL with other credentials over time

Over a career, many professionals hold several certifications from different bodies, each with its own renewal rules. Project management, security and cloud credentials, for example, commonly require continuing education or periodic re-examination. Some professional development activities, such as attending a service management conference or completing a course on governance, may count toward more than one credential, subject to each body's rules. Keeping a single log of all development activities, with dates, hours and evidence, makes it easier to meet several sets of requirements without duplicating effort.

Reflecting on the course

Before closing the course, return to the questions you answered in Lesson 1 about your goals, time and funding. Compare your original answers with your capstone plan. Many learners find that their goals have become more specific: instead of "get ITIL certified", the goal becomes "pass Version 5 Foundation by March, then the Monitor, Support and Fulfill specialization next year with employer funding". A specific goal with dates, hours and costs is much more likely to be achieved.

Finally, remember the habits that run through every lesson: check facts with official sources and note when you checked them; use study methods that require active recall; plan time realistically with a buffer; compare options by total cost and expected benefit; and apply what you learn at work. These habits will serve you well beyond ITIL, in any certification or learning goal you choose next.

A worked example: CPD points over three years

When certificates lapse

If a certificate passes its renew-by date without renewal, it is shown as no longer current. Check PeopleCert's current rules for what happens next: in general, passing a new certification in the suite or retaking the exam restores current status. If you are close to a renew-by date and cannot complete CPD in time, consider whether a module you planned anyway can be brought forward. Note any lapsed period honestly on your CV if an employer asks for current certification.

Explaining your certifications to employers

Employers may not know the details of the scheme. On a CV, list each certificate with its full name, version and date, and the designation if you hold one. In interviews, explain briefly what each module covered and give an example of applying it. If your certificates are from an older version, show how you have kept up to date through recent study, CPD or work on current practices. Clear explanations make your certifications more valuable.