PMI replaced its Registered Education Provider (REP) program with the Authorized Training Partner (ATP) program. The core change: ATPs must lead PMP exam preparation with PMI-provided course materials, taught by instructors who complete PMI’s Train the Trainer program. REP providers built their own content. PMI retired the REP program on 31 December 2020, except in China.
The switch still shapes your choices in 2026. Beginning 1 December 2026, live instructor-led PMP training counts toward the 35-hour requirement only when an ATP, a China REP, or an eligible accredited academic program delivers it. For the full ATP definition, read PMI Authorized Training Partner (PMI-ATP) Since 2003.
What Are the Main Differences Between REP and ATP?
REP and ATP differ in 7 areas: program status, PMP exam prep content, PMP instructor training, PDU-only course rules, PDU authority, verification, and live-training eligibility from 1 December 2026. The largest change sits in content: ATPs use PMI-provided materials.
| # | Area | REP | ATP |
| 1 | Status | Retired 31 December 2020 outside China | Current PMI program |
| 2 | PMP exam prep content | Provider-developed | PMI-provided materials required |
| 3 | PMP exam prep instructors | Set by the provider | Complete PMI Train the Trainer – PMP Exam Prep |
| 4 | PDU-only and other-certification courses | Provider content | PMI content not required |
| 5 | PDU authority | REP-registered activities | Pre-approved by PMI to offer PDUs |
| 6 | Verification | REP logo and registration | ATP directory listing and digital badge |
| 7 | Live PMP hours from 1 December 2026 | China REP only | Eligible |
What Was the PMI REP Program?
The REP program registered education providers whose courses earned PDUs. REPs wrote and ran their own courses, and PMI listed their activities for PDU purposes. PMI retired the program globally on 31 December 2020. China keeps a separate REP pathway.
REP providers registered activities with PMI. The Talent Triangle allocation of each activity was a REP responsibility, and PMI set that requirement for all REPs in 2015. Former REPs report that they chose their own textbooks, online courses, and teaching methods.
PMI’s program notice, quoted by training providers, states that the REP program retires on 31 December 2020. PMI’s PMP certification page confirms that a China Registered Education Provider pathway still exists under the 2026 rules.
Why Did PMI Replace REP With ATP?
PMI replaced REP to align PMP exam preparation worldwide. Training providers that lived through the switch report two gaps PMI targeted: course content that did not track PMI testing, and inconsistent quality across instructors.
PMI announced the replacement in late 2019, in the run-up to a new PMP exam. PMI’s announcement, quoted in a PMI community discussion, states: “The new PMI Authorized Training Partner Program will replace the current R.E.P. program.” It ties the change to preparing candidates for the new PMP exam.
PMI’s letter to providers, quoted by a former REP, stated the operating rule: “training partners will be required to use PMI-provided course materials to lead PMP Exam Preparation.”
The ATP program also changed the business model. PMI sells ATPs instructor kits and student kits, sets four program tiers (Access, Foundational, Professional, and Premier), and requires 1 or more years in business for the first three tiers and 3 or more years for Premier.
What Changed for Course Content?
ATPs lead PMP exam preparation with PMI-licensed content, which PMI builds around the exam content outline. REP providers wrote their own PMP prep courses. For PDU-only courses and other PMI certifications, an ATP does not have to use PMI content.
Two content rules define the ATP model:
- Use PMI-provided materials for PMP exam preparation. PMI-licensed material is not optional.
- Build PDU-only courses and courses for other PMI certifications without PMI content. PMI does not require it there.
PMI keeps the PMP prep content current. It launched the 2026 PMP course for ATPs on 14 April 2026 and updates existing kits automatically. The full inventory of what an ATP student receives sits in PMI-Licensed Course Content: What ATP Students Receive.
What Changed for Instructors?
ATP instructors who teach PMP exam prep complete PMI’s “Authorized Training Partner Train the Trainer – PMP Exam Prep” course. They affiliate with an ATP, keep their PMI certifications active, and teach only for that ATP. REP providers vetted their own instructors.
PMI’s ATP rules add three constraints that REP never imposed:
- Complete Train the Trainer for each course the instructor teaches.
- Affiliate with an ATP before teaching its classes.
- Avoid freelance delivery of PMI-licensed content.
The Train the Trainer requirement for PMP exam prep does not extend to PDU-only courses or training for other certifications. Instructors there follow the ATP’s own standards.
Does the REP Logo Still Apply?
The REP logo marks a retired program outside China. A provider that advertises “PMI R.E.P.” today advertises a status PMI ended on 31 December 2020. Verify current standing through the ATP directory, which lists active Authorized Training Partners.
The REP logo is still a registered PMI mark, and some provider footers still carry the trademark notice. A trademark notice names a mark. It does not confirm a current program.
Check three things when you see REP wording:
- Search the provider in the PMI ATP directory.
- Read the ATP badge start date and authorization period.
- Ask whether the provider claims the China REP pathway, which stays valid for live training in China.
A provider that shows REP wording and no ATP listing fails the check. The steps sit in How to Verify a PMI Authorized Training Partner in the Official ATP Directory.
Does REP-Era Training Still Count Toward the PMP 35 Hours?
Training completed before 1 December 2026 remains eligible under the requirements in place at the time, including REP-era and non-ATP courses that covered qualifying topics. Qualifying hours never expire. From 1 December 2026, live training counts only through an ATP, a China REP, or an eligible accredited program.
PMI states that qualifying project management training does not expire and does not have to come from one provider. Compare an older course’s content with the current PMP Examination Content Outline to find topics you still need to study. The 2026 outline weights People at 33%, Process at 41%, and Business Environment at 26%.
Keep the completion certificate, syllabus, and hour count. PMI requests them if your application is selected for audit. The full eligibility picture sits in PMI ATP vs Non-ATP Training: 8 Differences That Affect PMP Preparation.
How Do You Confirm a Provider Is an ATP and Not a Former REP?
Search the provider’s legal name in the PMI ATP directory, read the digital ATP badge for its start date and authorization period, and ask for the instructor’s ATP badge. A former REP without an ATP listing does not qualify under the 2026 live-training rule.
Run the 3 checks from the previous section, then ask the provider one more question: “Which PMI-licensed kit do I receive?” A genuine ATP names the kit and its version. A former REP that never joined the ATP program has no PMI-licensed kit to name.
Project Management Training Institute presents itself as a PMI Premier Authorized Training Partner in Dallas, TX. Verify the listing and the badge dates yourself. When they match, compare live class dates and delivery formats on PMP Certification Training — PMI Authorized Training Partner.
