PMI is implementing a new fee for the rescheduling and cancellation of certification examinations. Effective 1 April 2012, at noon (Eastern Daylight Time), test takers who reschedule or cancel their exam within 30 calendar days of their scheduled appointment will be charged a fee of US$70.

According to PMI, rescheduling fees are a means to better serve certification candidates by allowing for greater seating availability at Prometric Testing Centers.  Today, test center seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and there is no current rescheduling/ cancellation fee. Candidates are able to reschedule or cancel their exams at any time as long as they do so before they are within two days of their scheduled exam appointment, at which point, the entire exam fee is forfeited if they cannot make the appointment. While many candidates take their exams as scheduled, those who wait until the last minute to reschedule or cancel are potentially “reserving” seats that could be used by others.

Based on testing industry best practice, PMI believes this new cancellation policy will help keep more seats open for those who intend to take their exams as scheduled.

The new rescheduling/cancellation policy applies to all of PMI’s certification exams and to computer-based tests (CBT) only, not to paper-based tests (PBT). The existing full-fee penalty will continue to be applied to candidates who do not reschedule or cancel their exam before two calendar days prior to their scheduled appointment.  PMI says they will endeavor to be flexible with candidates who cancel within the 30-day window due to extenuating circumstances, and will evaluate those situations on a case-by-case basis.