PMI-ACP study guide: what to study and in what order
Studying for PMI-ACP starts with one PMI document — the Examination Content Outline — and is built out with PMI’s own references and practice. The exam has 120 items in 180 minutes across four domains, so the plan below follows how PMI weights them.
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Start with the PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline
The outline defines what the exam covers. Its cover is dated November 2024, and it lists the tasks under four domains. Spend your study time roughly in proportion to their weights:
- Domain I. Mindset — 28%
- Domain II. Leadership — 25%
- Domain III. Product — 19%
- Domain IV. Delivery — 28%
Source: PMI — PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline. Checked 8 October 2026.
The PMI Agile Practice Guide
The Agile Practice Guide is PMI’s practice guide on agile ways of working. The current edition is the Second Edition, published in July 2026, created in collaboration with Agile Alliance and 182 pages long. PMI describes it as covering agile foundations, Lean thinking, Kanban, design thinking and product delivery, along with delivery life cycles, team building, value delivery, product and portfolio agility, and topics such as AI and scaling frameworks.
Note the dates: the Examination Content Outline is from November 2024, before the Second Edition appeared. Use the outline to decide what to study and the guide to understand it, not the other way round.
Source: PMI — Agile Practice Guide. Checked 9 October 2026.
Is there a PMI Agile Practice Guide PDF?
PMI’s PMI-ACP page lists the Agile Practice Guide as “Free for Members”. Neither that page nor PMI’s standards page states the format members receive, so if you specifically want a PMI Agile Practice Guide PDF, check the format in PMI’s store or member area before you buy.
If you find a copy elsewhere, check the edition: an older file will not reflect the Second Edition published in July 2026.
Source: PMI — PMI-ACP certification. Checked 9 October 2026.
PMI-ACP Study Hall
PMI Study Hall is PMI’s own practice product for the exam. The PMI-ACP Study Hall listing includes one full practice exam, three mini practice exams of 10 questions each, 50 extra practice questions, flashcards, games and activities, premium webinars, a learning plan, lessons and videos. Access lasts three months from activation, so start it when you are ready to study regularly rather than months ahead.
On 9 October 2026 the store page did not show a price.
Source: PMI — PMI-ACP PMI Study Hall. Checked 9 October 2026.
PMI-ACP test prep: a domain-by-domain plan
PMI publishes no passing score and no recommended study hours, so plan by evidence. A practical order for PMI-ACP test prep:
- Read the Examination Content Outline end to end and mark the tasks you have never done in practice.
- Work through Mindset and Delivery first — together they are 56% of the exam.
- Use the Agile Practice Guide to fill gaps in the tasks you marked.
- Practise the item types PMI lists: multiple-choice, multiple-response, drag-and-drop-style items and exhibits.
- Finish with a full timed run of 120 items in 180 minutes, and review every wrong answer by domain.
Source: PMI — PMI-ACP Examination Content Outline. Checked 8 October 2026.
The procedural side: the PMI-ACP Handbook
The PMI-ACP Handbook covers application, the one-year eligibility period, up to three attempts within that year, and certification maintenance. Read it before you apply, so the eligibility clock does not start before you are ready to study.
Source: PMI — PMI-ACP Handbook. Checked 8 October 2026.
Practice questions on Certsqill
Certsqill’s PMI-ACP question bank is expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and a readiness score per domain shows where you stand.
PMI-ACP study guide: questions people ask
What should I study first for PMI-ACP?
The Examination Content Outline. It defines the four domains — Mindset 28%, Leadership 25%, Product 19%, Delivery 28% — and the tasks under each. Source: PMI, checked 8 October 2026.
Is the PMI Agile Practice Guide free?
PMI’s PMI-ACP page lists it as free for members, checked 9 October 2026. Membership is not required for the certification itself.
Which edition of the PMI Agile Practice Guide is current?
The Second Edition, published July 2026, created in collaboration with Agile Alliance. Source: PMI, checked 9 October 2026.
What does PMI-ACP Study Hall include?
One full practice exam, three mini exams of 10 questions, 50 extra practice questions, flashcards, lessons, videos and a learning plan, with three months of access. Source: PMI store, checked 9 October 2026.
How long should PMI-ACP test prep take?
PMI publishes no study-hours figure. The 21 hours of agile training it requires are an eligibility condition, not a statement of how long preparation takes.
