ITIL Foundation certification: the complete guide

What is the ITIL Foundation certification?

ITIL is a framework for IT service management (ITSM): how an organisation designs, delivers, supports and improves IT services. The ITIL certification full form is the Information Technology Infrastructure Library certification, although the full form of ITIL certification names is rarely used any more.

The ITIL Foundation certification is the first level. It tests whether you know the concepts and vocabulary — for ITIL 4 that means service management concepts, the service value system, the four dimensions of service management, the guiding principles, the service value chain, ITIL practices, continuous improvement, service level agreements, and key metrics. That is why people also search for an ITIL ITSM foundation certification, an ITIL ITSM certification or an ITSM ITIL certification: they all mean this ITIL Foundation certification as the entry point to service management.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL 4 Foundation. Checked 9 October 2026.

Who issues ITIL certification?

PeopleCert. For ITIL, PeopleCert runs the official ITIL Qualification Scheme, sells the exams directly and through accredited training organisations, and issues the certificates. Today a PeopleCert ITIL certification is the only official route; ITIL exam results and eCertificates are uploaded to your PeopleCert account.

Searches for an AXELOS ITIL Foundation certification come from the earlier set-up. AXELOS managed the portfolio that includes ITIL and PRINCE2, and PeopleCert announced that it had completed the acquisition of AXELOS Limited in 2021, on terms announced on 21 June 2021. An older certificate may carry the AXELOS name, but there is no separate AXELOS ITIL certification route today. If you are looking for ITIL certification, AXELOS now leads to PeopleCert: the exam, the certificate and verification all run through it.

Source: PeopleCert — PeopleCert completes AXELOS acquisition. Checked 9 October 2026.

ITIL latest version: ITIL 4 or ITIL (Version 5)?

The ITIL latest version is ITIL (Version 5). PeopleCert lists ITIL Foundation (Version 5) next to ITIL 4 Foundation, with the same exam shape: 40 multiple-choice questions, 60 minutes, closed book, 65% to pass. On 9 October 2026 both were priced the same in PeopleCert’s shop.

ITIL 4 certification is still current, but not indefinitely. PeopleCert’s ITIL FAQ states: “The current plan is to sunset all ITIL 4 modules on 31 December 2027,” with exam voucher validity dates to be announced later. Until then, ITIL 4 and ITIL (Version 5) run in parallel, and PeopleCert says ITIL 4 qualifications are fully recognised as prerequisites for all higher-level Version 5 certifications.

The content differs. The ITIL v5 Foundation exam covers digital product and service management, value co-creation, the product and service lifecycle and value stream mapping, among others, while ITIL 4 Foundation centres on the service value system and value chain. Whether you call it ITIL v5 certification, ITIL version 5 certification or PeopleCert ITIL 5, it is the same new Foundation.

If you already hold ITIL 4 Foundation, there is a shorter route: the ITIL 5 bridge exam. PeopleCert describes the ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5) module as a way to complete a short exam and achieve the ITIL Foundation (Version 5) certification; its FAQ adds that it is closed-book and multiple choice.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.

What about ITIL v3?

PeopleCert’s ITIL catalogue lists no ITIL v3 exams, so an ITIL v3 Foundation certification can no longer be earned. Existing v3 certificates still exist, but PeopleCert’s FAQ states that ITIL v3 Foundation is not accepted as a prerequisite for higher-level ITIL (Version 5) certifications, and neither are v3 Intermediate certificates.

Higher v3 designations have upgrade routes: holders of ITIL v3 Expert or ITIL v3 Master can move into Version 5 through the ITIL Managing Professional Transition module.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.

The ITIL 4 Foundation certification exam

The PeopleCert ITIL 4 Foundation exam has 40 multiple-choice questions, lasts 60 minutes and is closed book. The minimum score to pass is 65% — 26 correct answers. It is offered in 12 languages: English, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish and Thai.

You get a preliminary result on screen as soon as you finish, and PeopleCert releases official results within two business days. As with every ITIL exam PeopleCert runs, the official result and the eCertificate are uploaded to your PeopleCert account. Exam vouchers are valid for 12 months from purchase. PeopleCert publishes no pass rate for the ITIL 4 certification exam.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL 4 Foundation. Checked 9 October 2026.

How to get ITIL certification: step by step

So how do I get ITIL certified? It takes one exam and no prerequisites — PeopleCert states none on the Foundation page. Whichever route you take to ITIL Foundation, PeopleCert sets the exam and issues the certificate. In practice:

• Choose the version: ITIL 4 Foundation or ITIL Foundation (Version 5). Check which one your employer or client asks for, and keep the 31 December 2027 ITIL 4 sunset date in mind.
• Buy the exam directly on PeopleCert’s product page or through an Accredited Training Organisation. PeopleCert sells bundles: on 9 October 2026, US$690.00 incl. VAT for the exam bundle (voucher, Official eBook, Learning Resource Kit), US$1,029.00 with eLearning and US$1,338.00 with eLearning+, which adds sample papers, an Official Mock Exam and a free re-take. Prices vary by currency and region.
• Study and practise until your results are stable above the 65% mark.
• Book a slot and take the exam — online with a proctor, or through a training provider or exam centre.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL 4 Foundation. Checked 9 October 2026.

Where to get ITIL certification and where to take the exam

PeopleCert states that its exams are available either directly through its own site or through an Accredited Training Organization, and that its training providers and exam centres can be found through the Certifications search on its site.

So where can I take the ITIL 4 Foundation exam? You can sit the PeopleCert ITIL exam with online proctoring, from home, or arrange it through a training provider. For the online route PeopleCert lists the requirements: a valid government-issued photo ID, a single rotatable web camera (not a mobile phone), speakers and a microphone, a quiet room with no one else present, and a broadband connection of at least 4 Mbps.

Looking for the ITIL Foundation exam only, without training? PeopleCert’s own product page does not sell a bare voucher; its cheapest option is the exam bundle, which is built for self-study and includes the official eBook. Accredited training organisations also sell exams, so compare what each includes.

Source: PeopleCert — Help & Support FAQs. Checked 9 October 2026.

Requirements for ITIL certification

For Foundation there is no prerequisite for ITIL certification at all: PeopleCert lists none on either the ITIL 4 Foundation or the Version 5 Foundation page, and describes the Version 5 certification as suitable for any career stage. No degree, experience or course is required.

Requirements start one level up. For example, ITIL 4 Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support requires an ITIL v3 certification, ITIL 4 Foundation or the ITIL 4 Managing Professional certificate, plus training through an Accredited Training Organization or the ITIL Official eLearning. PeopleCert adds that exam results will not be released without proof of completion.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL 4 Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support. Checked 9 October 2026.

Does ITIL certification expire? Renewal explained

Yes. PeopleCert’s current rules make ITIL certification renewal a three-yearly task: its page on keeping certifications current lists ITIL 4 and ITIL (Version 5) as certifications that need to be renewed every three years from their original certification date. The ITIL 4 Foundation page states the same: renewal every 3 years, with 60 CPD points needed.

There are three ways to handle ITIL 4 Foundation certification renewal. As a PeopleCert Plus member, you can earn 20 CPD points a year for three years. You can pass a different certification from the same product suite before the renewal date — PeopleCert gives the example that passing ITIL Foundation (Version 5) renews all your ITIL 4 certifications. Or you can pass the same certification again.

If you are ITIL v4 Foundation certified and let it lapse, PeopleCert states that the certification stays on its Successful Candidates Register and verification service, with a note that it is outdated and needs renewal. For ITIL 4 certification renewal specifically, the Version 5 route is worth considering, because ITIL 4 modules are planned to be sunset at the end of 2027.

Source: PeopleCert — Keep your certifications current. Checked 9 October 2026.

How to check ITIL certification

To check ITIL certification status, PeopleCert offers a Certificate Verification Service: you type the certificate number exactly as it appears on the certificate, complete an image verification field and submit. It is the official way to validate ITIL certification held by a candidate or new hire.

ITIL certification validation through this service also shows whether a certificate has been renewed: PeopleCert states that outdated certifications stay visible with a note that they need renewal. If you were hoping for an ITIL certified list to browse, the official records are PeopleCert’s Successful Candidates Register and this verification service, which works by certificate number. A successful ITIL certification check therefore starts with asking the holder for that number.

Source: PeopleCert — Certificate Verification Service. Checked 9 October 2026.

ITIL certification path

The ITIL certification path starts with Foundation. PeopleCert’s qualification scheme then lists four designations: ITIL Managing Professional, ITIL Strategic Leader, ITIL Practice Manager and ITIL Master. To reach ITIL Master, you first need the Managing Professional, Practice Manager and Strategic Leader designations; PeopleCert calls ITIL Master (Version 5) the highest designation in the scheme.

In Version 5, the scheme is built from modules such as ITIL Product, ITIL Service, ITIL Experience, ITIL Strategy, ITIL Transformation and ITIL AI Governance. In ITIL 4, the ITIL 4 certification path ran through Specialist, Strategist, Leader and Practitioner modules, many of which are still listed — ITIL 4 Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support, ITIL 4 Strategist: Direct, Plan and Improve, and ITIL 4 Leader: Digital & IT Strategy among them.

Existing ITIL 4 designations carry over. If you are already ITIL 4 Managing Professional certified, PeopleCert states you can advance to Version 5 through the ITIL Managing Professional Transition module; holders of an ITIL 4 Strategic Leader certification can upgrade by completing ITIL Transformation.

Which of these ITIL certification paths fits you depends on your work, but every ITIL certification pathway starts at Foundation — and with Version 5 now listed, the version you start in matters as much as the level.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL Qualification Scheme. Checked 9 October 2026.

ITIL certifications list

PeopleCert’s ITIL catalogue on 9 October 2026 included, among others, these certifications:

The ITIL CDS certification — ITIL 4 Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support — is a typical Specialist module: 40 questions, 90 minutes, closed book, 70% to pass, with accredited training required. ITIL 4 Leader: Digital & IT Strategy has 30 questions in 60 minutes with a 70% pass mark. An ITIL practitioner certification today means one of the ITIL 4 Practitioner modules, such as Incident Management or Change Enablement. ITIL Expert certification is a v3 designation; there is no Expert exam in the current catalogue, but v3 Expert holders can move up through the Managing Professional Transition module.

• Version 5: ITIL Foundation, ITIL Foundation Bridge, ITIL Product, ITIL Service, ITIL Experience, ITIL Strategy, ITIL Transformation, ITIL AI Governance, ITIL MPT–Product, Service, Experience
• ITIL 4: ITIL 4 Foundation, Specialist modules (Create, Deliver and Support; Drive Stakeholder Value; High-Velocity IT; and others), ITIL 4 Strategist: Direct, Plan and Improve, ITIL 4 Leader: Digital & IT Strategy, and Practitioner modules such as Incident Management, Change Enablement, Service Desk and Problem Management

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL certifications. Checked 9 October 2026.

What is the best ITIL certification?

There is no official ranking, and the best ITIL certification depends on where you are. For almost everyone it starts with Foundation, because it is the usual prerequisite for the higher modules. Beyond that, the ITIL Managing Professional certification is aimed at people who run IT services day to day, the ITIL Strategic Leader certification at people who set direction, and the Practitioner modules suit specialists in a single practice such as incident or change management.

The version question matters more now than the level question: with ITIL 4 modules planned to sunset at the end of 2027, a new certificate in Version 5 will stay current longer, while ITIL 4 holders can bridge.

Source: PeopleCert — ITIL FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.

ITIL certification salary

PeopleCert publishes no salary data, so this guide states no ITIL certification salary figure. Any number you find for an ITIL certified salary comes from third-party surveys or job ads, and those mix very different roles — service desk analysts, change managers and IT directors can all hold ITIL Foundation.

Foundation is a vocabulary certificate: it shows you can work within an organisation that runs on ITIL terms. Its value for pay depends on the role and on the experience you bring with it.

ITIL examples: what the framework looks like in practice

Examples of ITIL make the Foundation concepts easier to remember. Each example of ITIL in practice below is a made-up illustration, not a recommended target:

An ITIL SLA example: a service level agreement is the documented agreement between a service provider and a customer about the services and the expected service levels. One ITIL SLA example might commit the service desk to answering high-priority incidents within an agreed time during business hours, with a monthly report against that target. Good ITIL SLA examples measure what the customer experiences, not only what IT can easily count.

ITIL service catalogue examples: an internal IT catalogue might list “New laptop”, “Access to the finance system” and “Password reset”, each with who can request it, how to request it and the expected delivery time. Another ITIL example is change enablement: a routine, low-risk change follows a pre-approved path, while a major change goes through assessment and authorisation first.

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ITIL 4 Foundation complete guide: questions people ask

Who issues ITIL certifications?

PeopleCert, which runs the official ITIL Qualification Scheme and completed its acquisition of AXELOS in 2021. Results and eCertificates are uploaded to your PeopleCert account. Checked 9 October 2026.

Is ITIL 4 certification still worth taking?

It is current, but PeopleCert plans to sunset all ITIL 4 modules on 31 December 2027. ITIL 4 Foundation holders can upgrade later through the ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5). Source: PeopleCert ITIL FAQ, checked 9 October 2026.

Is the ITIL v4 certification the same as ITIL 4?

Yes. “v4” is a common way of writing ITIL 4, so an ITIL v4 cert and an ITIL 4 cert are the same thing: PeopleCert’s ITIL 4 Foundation. You will also see it spelled ITIL v4 Foundations certification or ITIL Foundations v4 certification, with an extra s; it is still the same exam.

What is the ITIL v4 exam format?

40 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book, 65% to pass. Source: PeopleCert, checked 9 October 2026.

Is ITIL 4 Foundation level certification the same as an ITIL foundation level certification in Version 5?

They are separate certifications at the same level, with the same exam shape but different content. Passing Version 5 Foundation also renews your ITIL 4 certifications. Source: PeopleCert, checked 9 October 2026.

How long is the ITIL 4 exam?

60 minutes for 40 multiple-choice questions, closed book. Source: PeopleCert, checked 9 October 2026.

Are there ITIL certification prerequisites for higher levels?

Yes. Specialist modules such as Create, Deliver and Support require an ITIL v3 certification, ITIL 4 Foundation or the ITIL 4 Managing Professional certificate, plus training through an Accredited Training Organization or the ITIL Official eLearning. Source: PeopleCert, checked 9 October 2026.

Where is the complete ITIL certification list?

In PeopleCert’s ITIL catalogue. The selection on this page reflects what it listed on 9 October 2026.

What does the ITIL cert path look like after Foundation?

PeopleCert’s scheme lists ITIL Managing Professional, ITIL Strategic Leader and ITIL Practice Manager, with ITIL Master at the top once you hold all three. Checked 9 October 2026.

Is there an ITIL 4 test online?

Yes. PeopleCert offers online proctored exams from home; its Take2 re-sit option is available only through online proctoring. Checked 9 October 2026.

Do I get an ITIL foundation certificate immediately?

You see a preliminary result on screen. Official results and the eCertificate are uploaded to your PeopleCert account, with official results released within two business days. Source: PeopleCert FAQ, checked 9 October 2026.

Is an ITIL 4 foundation certificate valid forever?

No. PeopleCert lists renewal every three years for ITIL 4 and Version 5 certifications, through CPD points, another certification in the same product suite, or passing the same exam again. Checked 9 October 2026.

What is an ITIL 4 managing professional MP certification?

The ITIL 4 Managing Professional certification (MP) is an ITIL 4 designation above Foundation. PeopleCert states that holders can advance to Version 5 through the ITIL Managing Professional Transition module. Checked 9 October 2026.

What does an ITIL master certification require?

PeopleCert’s scheme requires the ITIL Managing Professional, ITIL Practice Manager and ITIL Strategic Leader designations before ITIL Master. Checked 9 October 2026.

Can I get an ITIL cert without a course?

Yes, for Foundation. PeopleCert states no prerequisites, and its exam bundle is designed for self-study with the official eBook. Higher modules usually require accredited training.