When you submit your PMP® application, there is a 5% to 10% chance that your application will be selected for an audit. No one knows for sure because PMI does not release the exact percentage of applicants who are audit.
When you are selected for an audit, you must print your audit forms. Then, you must get the contact people that you have listed on your application to sign these forms.
PMI does not accept digital signatures. You need to get your managers to physically sign your audit documents. Since PMI only accepts original signatures, you need to snail mail the signed documentations.
It gets tricky if you have changed jobs or moved. Getting in contact with your ex-managers can be a challenge.
If you live in different cities, you need to send your managers your audit forms, and wait for them to snail mail it back to you with their signatures on them. Once all your audit forms are compiled together, you will send it as a package to PMI.
Read more about the PMI audit process and what you need to do here.
When will you be notified that your application is selected for an audit?
You will know whether you are selected for an audit or not within 2 minutes after you’ve submitted your payment. PMI’s system will randomly decide whether your application will be audited or not straight away.
However, according to PMI’s policies, they do reserve the rights to audit you at anytime. This (almost) never happens – it would take a very special situation for PMI to enforce this policy.
Thus, it is safe to say that if you waited two minutes and you did not receive an email informing you that you are selected for an audit, you will not be audited.
Why does PMI audit candidates?
PMI randomly audit candidates to ensure the experiences they put on their applications are real.
If you are selected for an audit and your contact person does not sign your audit form, PMI will assume that you have lied about your experiences, and thus, you will not be eligible to write the PMP® exam.
It is important to reach out to your managers before you submit your application and make sure that they agree with what you have put onto your application.
Can I lower my chances of getting audited?
No. The process is completely random.
The best way to prepare for an audit is to reach out to all of your contact people (or managers) BEFORE you submit your application and make sure that they agree with the number of hours that you are claiming for the project.
In this way, if you are selected for an audit, you have nothing to fear.