The ITIL 5 certification path after Foundation leads to three designations: ITIL Practice Manager, ITIL Managing Professional and ITIL Strategic Leader. Earn all three and you become an ITIL Master. Every designation includes one shared module, ITIL Transformation. So once you have Foundation, the real decision is which of the three designations matches the job you do now, or the one you want next.
Most people should take the module that matches their day-to-day work. Service desk, incident and change people should go for Practice Manager. People who run services or products should go for Managing Professional. Heads of IT and architects should go for Strategic Leader. The rest of this guide covers what each route needs, what PeopleCert sells today, and one catch in the Practice Manager route.
The ITIL 5 Certification Path at a Glance
PeopleCert's ITIL FAQ and the itil.com scheme page set out the designations below. Every route starts with ITIL Foundation (Version 5), ITIL 4 Foundation or the Foundation Bridge.
| Designation | Modules required after Foundation | Number of exams after Foundation | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| ITIL Practice Manager | One Practice module (MSF, PIC or CAI) + ITIL Transformation | 2 | Service desk, incident, change, service level and supplier roles |
| ITIL Managing Professional | ITIL Product + ITIL Service + ITIL Experience + ITIL Transformation | 4 | Service owners, product managers, delivery leads |
| ITIL Strategic Leader | ITIL Strategy + ITIL Transformation | 2 | Heads of IT, architects, transformation leads |
| ITIL Master | All three designations above | 7 modules in total | Senior practitioners going for the top of the scheme |
ITIL Transformation is the module that ties the scheme together. itil.com says you only need to complete it once, and it counts across all designations. If you plan to collect more than one designation, pass Transformation early.
Exam Tip: ITIL AI Governance (Version 5) sits outside the designations. It is an extension module with no prerequisite, so it adds a credential without counting towards Practice Manager, Managing Professional or Strategic Leader.
Which Modules Are Actually Available Today
ITIL (Version 5) has been released in phases, so the scheme on paper is ahead of what you can book. PeopleCert's ITIL catalogue currently lists these Version 5 products:
- ITIL Foundation (Version 5)
- ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5)
- ITIL Product (Version 5)
- ITIL Service (Version 5)
- ITIL Experience (Version 5)
- ITIL Strategy (Version 5)
- ITIL Transformation (Version 5)
- ITIL AI Governance (Version 5)
That means the Managing Professional and Strategic Leader routes can be completed entirely on Version 5 modules today.
The three Version 5 Practice modules are not in the catalogue yet. PeopleCert's Practice Manager page says the Practice requirement is currently met by passing one of three ITIL 4 modules: Monitor, Support and Fulfil; Plan, Implement and Control; or Collaborate, Assure and Improve. It adds that the Version 5 Practice modules will become the route once they are available. PeopleCert has not published a release date for them.
That is the catch. PeopleCert plans to sunset every ITIL 4 module on 31 December 2027. If you want Practice Manager soon, you would sit an ITIL 4 Specialist exam now, knowing a Version 5 replacement is coming.
ITIL 5 Higher-Level Exam Format and Prerequisites
The official exam pages for ITIL Product, ITIL Strategy and ITIL Transformation (Version 5) all state the same format:
| Detail | PeopleCert figure |
|---|---|
| Questions | 40 multiple choice |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Book policy | Open book |
| Pass mark | 70% |
| Prerequisite | Any ITIL 4 certification, ITIL Foundation (Version 5) or ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5) |
| Training | Mandatory, through an Accredited Training Organisation or ITIL Official eLearning |
| Renewal | Every 3 years, 60 CPD points |
The training requirement is the biggest practical difference from Foundation. You cannot self-study a higher-level module and book the exam on its own. PeopleCert will not release your result without proof of training. On the Product, Strategy and Transformation pages, the cheapest package that includes the course is the eLearning option at £1,359 including VAT. The £682 exam bundle is listed as for retakes only.
Exam Tip: Open book does not make these exams easy. You get 90 minutes for 40 scenario questions, which leaves just over two minutes each. Candidates who have not learned their way around the official eBook run out of time looking things up.
Which Designation Should You Choose?
Choose Practice Manager if you work in operations
Practice Manager is the route closest to the work most ITIL Foundation holders actually do. Each Practice module bundles five practices:
- Monitor, Support and Fulfil: service desk, incident management, problem management, service request management, monitoring and event management
- Plan, Implement and Control: change enablement, deployment management, release management, service configuration management, IT asset management
- Collaborate, Assure and Improve: relationship management, supplier management, service level management, continual improvement, information security management
You pick one. A service desk team leader picks MSF. A change or release manager picks PIC. Someone managing suppliers and SLAs picks CAI. With only two exams after Foundation, this is the shortest designation to finish. It is also the route affected by the ITIL 4 timing issue above.
Choose Managing Professional if you own a service or product
Managing Professional is the longest route, with four exams after Foundation: Product, Service, Experience and Transformation. It covers how digital products and services are designed, run and experienced by the people who use them. It suits service owners, product managers and delivery leads who are accountable for how a service performs.
It is also the route with the clearest recognition in job adverts, because the ITIL 4 designation had the same name. Recruiters who ask for "ITIL MP" will recognise it.
Choose Strategic Leader if you set direction
Strategic Leader needs only ITIL Strategy and ITIL Transformation. It is aimed at people who decide what IT should do rather than how a practice runs: heads of IT, enterprise architects, CIO-track managers and transformation leads. If you do not have budget or roadmap responsibility yet, Practice Manager or Managing Professional will give you more to use in your current job.
Add AI Governance if your organisation is adopting AI
ITIL AI Governance is a standalone extension module with no prerequisite. It suits risk, compliance and service leaders who need to show they can govern AI use, and you can take it at any point. Our ITIL AI Governance guide covers the format and cost, and CertCrush has a dedicated ITIL AI Governance course.
If You Already Hold ITIL 4
You do not need to restart the path. itil.com states that ITIL 4 qualifications are fully recognised as prerequisites for all higher-level ITIL (Version 5) certifications, and that ITIL 4 Foundation holders do not need to retake Foundation.
You have two further options:
- ITIL Foundation Bridge (Version 5) gives an ITIL 4 holder the Version 5 Foundation credential. It is scheduled to retire on 31 December 2027. Our ITIL 4 retirement guide covers whether it is worth the money.
- ITIL Managing Professional Transition (Version 5) is described on itil.com for ITIL 4 Managing Professionals, ITIL 4 Masters and ITIL v3 Experts and Masters, with two required exams and no planned sunset. At the time of writing it does not appear in PeopleCert's ITIL catalogue, so check with an accredited training provider before you budget for it.
A Sensible Order to Take the Modules
For most candidates starting from scratch, this order keeps options open:
- ITIL Foundation (Version 5). Our ITIL 5 Foundation explainer covers the exam, and the beginner's study plan gets you through it.
- ITIL Transformation. It counts towards every designation, so it is never wasted whichever route you settle on.
- The module that matches your job. A Practice module, ITIL Strategy, or the first of Product, Service and Experience.
- Finish the designation, then decide whether a second one is worth it for your career.
The exception is someone who knows they want Practice Manager in the next 12 months. The Version 5 Practice modules have no release date, so taking the ITIL 4 Practice module before the December 2027 sunset may be the only way to finish in that window.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ITIL certification pathway?
After ITIL Foundation, the ITIL (Version 5) pathway branches into three designations: Practice Manager, Managing Professional and Strategic Leader. Each one needs ITIL Transformation plus route-specific modules. Holding all three earns the ITIL Master designation.
Is ITIL 5 certification worth it?
Foundation is worth it for anyone working in or moving into IT service management, because it is the prerequisite for everything else and is widely requested in job adverts. The higher-level modules are worth it when they match your role, since each one needs paid accredited training. Pick one designation and finish it rather than collecting single modules.
Is ITIL 4 or 5 better?
For a new candidate, ITIL (Version 5) is the better choice. ITIL 4 modules are scheduled to sunset on 31 December 2027, and ITIL 4 Foundation and ITIL Foundation (Version 5) cost about the same. The exception is the Practice Manager route, where the Practice module is still an ITIL 4 exam until PeopleCert releases the Version 5 equivalents.
Is ITIL still relevant in 2026?
Yes. PeopleCert released a full new version of the framework in 2026, which is not what a vendor does with a fading certification. ITIL Foundation remains a common requirement for service desk, service management and IT operations roles.
Ready to Start Practising?
Every route on the ITIL 5 certification path starts with Foundation. CertCrush's ITIL 5 Foundation course includes a study guide and practice exams written against the Version 5 syllabus, so you can find your weak areas before you book the real exam. Create a free account and start practising today.