By Samuel Parri
August 20, 2026
A Practical Guide to Modern Digital Product and Service Management
ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) is the entry-level ITIL® certification for understanding how organizations co-create value by managing digital products and services across an integrated lifecycle in complex, AI-enabled environments.
ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) builds a modern foundation in digital product and service management. It brings together value co-creation, the ITIL® Value System, lifecycle thinking, governance, management practices, value streams, and continual improvement so that teams can make better decisions and deliver measurable outcomes.
PeopleCert (the global ITIL® governing body) describes Version 5 as an evolution of ITIL® rather than a reset. It retains important ITIL® 4 concepts while strengthening the framework for product-centric, AI-enabled, fast-changing organizations.
ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) at a Glance
| Official title | ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) |
| Exam | 40 multiple-choice questions • 60 minutes • closed book |
| Pass mark | 65% (26 correct answers out of 40) |
| Training | Not mandatory at Foundation level; self-study is permitted |
| Languages | Exam available in 9 languages as of August 2026 |
| Renewal | Certification renewal every 3 years |
| For ITIL® 4 holders | ITIL® Foundation Bridge (Version 5) is an optional fast-track update route |
Who Is ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) For?
It is relevant to people who help design, build, deliver, support, improve, govern, or manage digital products and services. Typical audiences include:
- IT service management and service desk professionals
- Digital product managers, product owners, and product teams
- IT operations, application development, and engineering professionals
- Project, program, transformation, and change management professionals
- Customer success, experience, supplier, and relationship managers
- Team leaders, architects, process leads, and service owners
- Professionals working in agile, DevOps, automation, or AI-enabled environments
What Will You Learn?
The Foundation syllabus is best understood as a connected set of concepts rather than isolated topics. Learners build an understanding of:
- Digital product and service management concepts: value creation, continual improvement, and managing products and services across their lifecycle
- Value co-creation: how providers, consumers, and other stakeholders collaborate while considering outcomes, costs, risks, experience, and sustainability
- The four dimensions of product and service management: Organizations and People; Value Streams and Processes; Information and Technology; Partners and Suppliers
- The ITIL Value System: how guiding principles, governance, value chain activities, management practices, and continual improvement work together
- The ITIL Guiding Principles: how to use them to make decisions, collaborate, and adapt guidance to context
- The product and service lifecycle: the purpose of the lifecycle activities and how they work together to create value
- ITIL management practices: how practice guidance supports consistent and effective ways of working
- Continual improvement: how to use the continual improvement model to improve products, services, practices, and ways of working
- Value stream mapping and management: how to identify, map, and improve end-to-end flow, visibility, and outcomes
Three practical capabilities to emphasize:
- Lifecycle thinking
- Collaborative, value-focused working
- A continual improvement mindset.
These make the Foundation material easier to connect to day-to-day work.
How Is the ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) Exam Structured?
- Questions: 40 multiple-choice questions
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Format: Closed book
- Passing score: 65%, which is 26 correct answers out of 40
- Training requirement: PeopleCert does not mandate training for Foundation; candidates may self-study
- Languages: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Spanish
What Is New in Version 5 Compared with ITIL® 4?
The strongest message is “evolution, not revolution.” Version 5 retains the ITIL® Value System and other familiar concepts, while making the framework more explicit about digital products, AI, complexity, lifecycle management, and integrated value delivery.
| Area | ITIL® 4 | ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary emphasis | Service management with a strong value-system and digital-management orientation | Explicitly unifies digital product and service management across the organization |
| Lifecycle | Uses the six-activity Service Value Chain | Introduces an eight-stage Product and Service Lifecycle Model: Discover, Design, Acquire, Build, Transition, Operate, Deliver, Support |
| AI | Not designed as an AI-native framework | AI-native by design, with stronger attention to responsible AI, governance, trust, and informed decision-making |
| Complexity | Designed to be adaptable across different contexts | Explicitly "complexity-native," encouraging experimentation and learning in uncertain or VUCA environments |
| Management practices | 34 management practices | 34 practices remain, with adjustments and organization into Product and Service Management Practices and General Management Practices |
| Transition path | Existing ITIL® 4 credentials and knowledge remain relevant | Eligible ITIL® 4 holders may use the optional Foundation Bridge; ITIL® 4 certifications remain recognized prerequisites for higher-level Version 5 modules |
The Eight-Stage Product and Service Lifecycle Model
- Discover
- Design
- Acquire
- Build
- Transition
- Operate
- Deliver
- Support
What Value Can the Certification Provide?
Rather than anchor the value of the credential to a single salary statistic, it is more useful to focus on what the certification can demonstrate and enable:
- A shared vocabulary for product, service, experience, governance, value, and continual improvement
- A globally recognized foundation for digital products and service management
- A practical way to connect strategy, lifecycle activities, operations, stakeholder experience, and measurable value
- A foundation for progressing into higher-level ITIL® (Version 5) learning pathways
- Relevant knowledge for AI-enabled and rapidly changing digital environments
Where Can You Go After Foundation?
Foundation is the entry point into the Version 5 qualification scheme. Current higher-level learning includes modules focused on Product, Service, Experience, Strategy, Transformation, and Practice Manager pathways, along with the ITIL® AI Governance extension module. Exact prerequisites and designation rules should be checked on PeopleCert because the Version 5 scheme is being released in phases.
Does ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) Certification Expire?
It has a three-year renewal date. PeopleCert currently provides three main renewal routes:
- Maintain an active PeopleCert Plus membership and log 20 CPD points per year for three consecutive years
- Earn another certification from the same product suite before the renewal date
- Retake and pass the same certification exam
A note on wording: It is more accurate to say the certification “must be renewed every 3 years” than that it “expires.” If a certification is not renewed, PeopleCert can continue to show it in the verification service while marking it as not aligned with current certification requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are written to address the issues learners are most likely to ask after reading the guide.
What is the official name: ITIL 5, ITIL v5, or ITIL Foundation (Version 5)?
PeopleCert's official title is ITIL® Foundation (Version 5). "ITIL 5" and "ITIL v5" are common shorthand, but "ITIL 4 Foundation v5" should be avoided because it mixes two different version labels.
Is training required before I take the Foundation exam?
No. PeopleCert does not mandate training for ITIL Foundation (Version 5), so self-study is permitted. Accredited training or official eLearning is encouraged, and training becomes mandatory for higher-level Version 5 modules.
What does the Foundation exam look like?
It is a closed-book, 40-question multiple-choice exam with a 60-minute duration. The pass mark is 65%, or 26 correct answers.
I already have ITIL® 4 Foundation. Do I need to take the full Version 5 Foundation exam?
What is the ITIL® Foundation Bridge (Version 5)?
I only have ITIL® v3 Foundation. Can I use that as a prerequisite for higher-level Version 5 modules?
Does the launch of Version 5 make my ITIL® 4 certification invalid?
No.PeopleCert states that existing ITIL® knowledge and certifications remain relevant. ITIL® 4 certificates continue within the same product suite and are recognized in the Version 5 transition rules, subject to the normal certification renewal policy.
How long is an exam voucher valid?
PeopleCert'sgeneral exam guidance states that candidates have 12 months to sit an exam after purchase. If a voucher is supplied by a training partner, always use the expiration date shown on the actual voucher as the controlling date.
How do I keep my Version 5 certification current?
The certification has a three-year renewal date. Current options include logging 20 CPD points per year for three consecutive years throughPeopleCert Plus, earning another certification in the same product suite, or retaking the same certification exam.
Is Version 5 only for traditional IT service management roles?
No. Version 5 explicitly broadens the focusto digital product and service management and is relevant to product, service, experience, transformation, governance, operations, project, and technology roles.
How long will the ITIL® 4 and Foundation Bridge routes remain available?
What steps should I follow to become ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) certified?
- Choose how you want to learn. You may self-study or take an accredited instructor-led or official eLearning course. Training is recommended, but it is not mandatory for the ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) exam.
- Study the ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) syllabus and official learning materials. Focus on understanding the key concepts, terminology, ITIL Value System, Four Dimensions, product and service lifecycle, value streams, management practices, continual improvement, AI, and digital product and service management.
- Practice with sample or mock exam questions. Use them to identify areas that need additional review and become comfortable with the style of questions you will encounter.
- Purchase or obtain an exam voucher. You can purchase an exam option through PeopleCert or receive a voucher as part of an accredited training course.
- Create or sign in to your PeopleCert account. Redeem your exam voucher, complete your candidate profile, and schedule your exam.
- Take the certification exam. The ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) exam contains 40 multiple-choice questions, is 60 minutes, is closed book, and requires a score of 65% (26 correct answers) to pass.
- Celebrate your certification—and put the knowledge to work! Once you pass, you have earned the ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) certification and can begin applying ITIL® concepts and practices in your organization.
Five Key Takeaways to Remember
- Version 5 is an evolution of ITIL® 4, not a wholesale reset.
- The framework now explicitly integrates digital product and service management across an end-to-end lifecycle.
- The eight-stage lifecycle and AI-native, complexity-aware orientation are major Version 5 changes.
- ITIL® 4 holders have transition flexibility; the Foundation Bridge is optional for eligible holders.
- For exam and certification rules, use current PeopleCert guidance because prices, transition dates, and policies can change.
Official PeopleCert ITIL® Sources
- PeopleCert — ITIL Foundation (Version 5)
- PeopleCert — Frequently Asked Questions about ITIL
- PeopleCert — ITIL Foundation (Version 5): What’s New?
- PeopleCert — Keep Your Certifications Current
- PeopleCert — General FAQ
ITIL® and the Swirl logo are registered trademarks of the PeopleCert group. Used under license from PeopleCert. All rights reserved.
Samuel Parri
Samuel Parri is an accomplished Customer Success Leader and Program Management Professional with a proven success record serving customers worldwide by providing extraordinary value to drive success. He is known for improving people, process, tools, onboarding, and customer satisfaction.
Samuel brings his project and client-facing experience to one of the most difficult parts of the job: managing expectations. His presentations help audiences communicate more clearly, influence more effectively, and navigate competing stakeholder demands with both professionalism and good humor.
