Validity: For Levels A, B, C – 5 years. For Level D – not limited or option: 10 years.

Application form, Curriculum vitae, references

The application form is intended to identify the applicant and the IPMA certification level for which he applies. The application form of the certification body should contain the personal details required.
In the application form the application also declares that he is well aware of the condition of the certification process and the obligations of an individual certified in project management. These include the delivery of project, programme and portfolio data and the requirement to pay a certification fee. The applicant should also be aware that lists of certificate holders are publicly available, of the consequences of misusing a certificate or having any interruption in the continuity of his engagement in project management.
A Curriculum vitae is required, covering his education, professional qualification and career details and should be attached to the application form.
Further, the application should provide the names of two individuals who provide references and from whom the certification body can get further information in the case of doubt.
The full content of the application is signed off by the applicant. 

List of projects, programmes, portfolios, references
The list of projects, programmes and portfolios as well as the references is part of the application documentation. The list should show all projects, programmes and portfolios the applicant was engaged in during the period of project management experience required for the respective level, in a format provided by the certification body.
For each project, programme or portfolio the individual has been engaged in, detailed information should be given about the project, programme or portfolio characteristics (such as deliverables, phases, cost, budgets, interested parties, management complexity), the applicant’s project management role and his responsibilities within the project, programmes or portfolio, and about the duration and intensity of the applicant’s engagement.

The report under the project
Candidate should present the report describing application competence of project management in the real project, the programme, portfolio:

• Level A: for a complex portfolio or the program
• Level B: for the complex project
• Level C: for the project with the limited complexity
• Level D: the report is not required

Report should represent in brief:

• Operational experience (type, scope, the customer, important interested parties, resources, complexity etc.)
• Problems of the project 
• Organization of the project
• Role and the responsibility of the candidate in the project
• Distinctive parties of the project
• Results of each phase of the project

Basic part of the report should cover:

• Difficulties of management as they were overcome also a reflection of results
• Analysis of the project and the received lessons

Project report should correspond with elements of competence NCB (or ICB). The candidate should show in the report as much as possible elements of competence.

Self-assessment
The self-assessment for each level and each stage in the application’s professional life is a common requirement in the IPMA certification system. The applicant should be able to assess his own competence with increasing accuracy.

Admittance to attend the certification process
The application form, the list of projects, programmes and portfolios, the references and the self-assessment sheet are the documents used for evaluating the eligiability of the applicant for the certification process. After a formal check be the certification secretariant and evaluation by at least two assessors the applicant will get written approval to participate in the certification process for the appropriate level.

Written exam
The exam is usually a written test of several hours duration. It is composed of several kinds of questions.