ITIL Version 5 is Live, and we just received permission from PeopleCert to share this with you.

Here is what we know as of this moment. We will update over the next several days and are open to questions so please comment below.

• There is an ITIL Version 5 Foundation Certification. The exam will be available starting February 12, 2026.
• ITIL Version 5 is 40% ITIL 4, 36% New and 24% Changed.
• There is an ITIL Version 4 to 5 Bridge Exam. This exam will be available starting February 26, 2026.
• Advanced ITIL Version 5 Certifications do not require students to have the Foundation Version 5 Certification. You can take advanced ITIL 5 Certifications with your ITIL 4 Foundation Certification.
• The Advanced ITIL Tracks are changing a bit. All ITIL 4 Advanced Certification candidates will be offered a transition course like they did with ITIL Version 3 to 4. These will be coming out later in the year.
• We are in production on an ITIL Version 5 in an hour presentation and will release it in the coming week.

Very Important Point – If you have an ITIL 4 Foundation Exam Voucher and you have not scheduled your exam, you can have it changed to an ITIL Foundation Version 5 Exam.

• This is really important. There will be a 1-day Bridge Course that gives you what you need to learn the differences from ITIL 4 to ITIL Version 5.
• This means you can continue with your ITIL 4 Foundation Training as ITIL Version 5 is ITIL 4+. What I mean by that is it is based on ITIL 4 and many of the features are the same. It also adds new features and modifies a number of the ITIL 4 features.

I have been getting many emails from people who are very distressed about what the “New ITIL” means to advanced ITIL 4 Certification Holders and those who are in the middle of their studies for Practice Manager, Managing Professional, Strategic Leader and Master.

My first piece of advice is Take a Deep Breath! There is nothing available in ITIL version 5 now for Advanced Certification Holders. Keep on track and finish your ITIL 4 courses. Take your ITIL4 exams and receive your ITIL 4 designations.

The advanced ITIL version 5 courses will begin being released in Q2 of 2026, and they start with the Transformation Certification. The Transformation exam will be required for all ITIL 4 Practice Managers, Managing Professionals, Strategic Leaders and I believe also for ITIL 4 Masters. The Masters and Managing Professionals may also have another course to take. This has not been determined yet.

You can finish 4 in 2026 and then when you are ready to add the ITIL 5 Designation you can take the Transformation Course/Exam and, for Masters and MP’s the additional exam if PC decides to have a second exam for these designations.

In a nutshell, there are no advanced ITIL 5 courses now. If stay with ITIL 4, then you have 1 or 2 courses to take to get the ITIL 5 designation when they come out. If you stop and wait for ITIL 5, then you will have to take all the new courses for each area which is a greater expense.

My advice, stay the course. Get your ITIL 4 Designations. The content is here. The exam prices are lower and PeopleCert has none of the advanced content available now.

I hope this is helpful and look forward to your comments!