Closed book to start. Open book where it counts.
How every ITIL (Version 5) exam works: questions, time, pass marks, and exactly what you may bring into an open-book exam. Source: PeopleCert, verified 27 September 2026.
No materials allowed during the exam.
The official book or eBook only, with your own annotations inside it. For the MPT exam, the ITIL Product, Service and Experience books.
Every exam, side by side.
Foundation and the Bridge need 65%. The other released exams need 70%. For prerequisites and training rules, see the certification path.
One book. Your notes, inside it.
Open book does not mean open notes. The rules below apply to every open-book ITIL (Version 5) exam.
- The module's official core guidance book, paperback or eBook
- Your own annotations, highlights and tabs inside that book
- An electronic copy provided in the exam interface
- Loose notes, sticky notes and summaries
- Any training materials, including official learner workbooks
ITIL Foundation (Version 5)
The entry point: the shared language, core concepts and the unified lifecycle for managing digital products and services. Training: Not mandatory. Self-study is allowed; accredited training is recommended.
- Questions
- 40
- Minutes
- 60
- Correct to pass
- 26
- Pass mark
- 65%
ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5)
A 1-day course for ITIL 4 holders that covers only what is new or changed, and leads to the ITIL Foundation (Version 5) certificate.
- Questions
- 20
- Minutes
- 30
- Correct to pass
- 13
- Pass mark
- 65%
Candidates taking the exam in a language that is not their native or working language may be awarded 25% extra time, that is 38 minutes in total.
Closed book. Each question is worth 1 mark, with no negative marking.
BL1, recall. Recall information about the ITIL framework.
BL2, understanding. Show understanding of the concepts.
- Key ITIL terms and definitions (Version 5)30%
- The ITIL Product and Service Lifecycle25%
- The ITIL Value System20%
- The ITIL Four Dimensions of Product and Service Management10%
- Value stream identification, mapping and management10%
- ITIL and AI0% to 5%
- ITIL and other frameworks0% to 5%
A question stem and four answer options.
A sentence with one or more words missing. Select them from four options.
A list of four statements. Select the two correct ones.
A standard question with a negatively worded stem. Used exceptionally.
Who can take it: Any ITIL 4 certificate, except ITIL 4 Specialist: Acquiring and Managing Cloud Services and ITIL 4 Specialist: Sustainability in Digital and IT. Available. Scheduled to retire on 31 December 2027.
Your transition route9 languages for Foundation and the Bridge.
Foundation and the Foundation Bridge exams are available in 9 languages. Language coverage for advanced modules varies by module; Transformation, AI Governance and the MPT are in English.
- 01English
- 02Spanish
- 03Portuguese (Brazil)
- 04Chinese
- 05German
- 06French
- 07Polish
- 08Italian
- 09Japanese
Pass once. Renew within three years.
ITIL (Version 5) certificates are issued with a 3-year renew-by date.
Log 20 CPD points per year for 3 consecutive years through PeopleCert Plus membership.
Pass another ITIL certification. All ITIL certificates, ITIL 4 included, form one product suite.
Retake the same certification.
Passing any ITIL (Version 5) exam also renews your ITIL 4 certificates.