PeopleCert certification
ITIL Foundation (Version 5) course
The new entry point to the ITIL scheme, introduced by PeopleCert in February 2026. Online, self paced, with tutor support, and built around the published Version 5 syllabus rather than repackaged ITIL 4 material.
ITIL Foundation (Version 5) is the entry level certification in the ITIL qualification scheme, introduced by PeopleCert in February 2026. It gives you the shared vocabulary and operating model used across IT service management, and it is the gateway credential for every higher level Version 5 specialisation.
The exam is 40 multiple choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book, with a 65 per cent pass mark, meaning 26 correct out of 40. There are no prerequisites and no prior ITIL knowledge is assumed.
Our price is £649 including the official PeopleCert examination, your course materials, exam simulator and tutor support. No separate exam fee and no registration fee.
If you already hold ITIL 4, you do not need to start again. ITIL 4 certificates remain valid as prerequisites for higher level Version 5 qualifications, and PeopleCert offers an optional Bridge covering only what has changed. Ask us which route fits before you buy anything.
What is actually new in Version 5
This matters, because a lot of ITIL training currently sold as Version 5 is ITIL 4 material with a new cover. Here is what genuinely changed.
The core architecture carries forward
The service value system, the guiding principles, the four dimensions and the service value chain are all still there and still central. If you know ITIL 4, you are not starting from zero, and anyone telling you otherwise is selling you something.
AI governance is now examinable
Version 5 adds explicit content on how artificial intelligence sits within service management and how it should be governed. It carries a small share of the marks, but it is the clearest signal of where the framework is heading.
Digital product and service management
The shift from project thinking to product thinking is now built into the syllabus, with the product and service lifecycle as a syllabus area in its own right.
Roughly a third is genuinely new
Published analysis of the February 2026 syllabus puts entirely new material at around 36 per cent. Substantial, but not a rewrite, which is why the Bridge exists for ITIL 4 holders.
The syllabus, with the exam weightings
PeopleCert publishes a percentage weighting for each of the seven categories, which determines how many of the 40 questions come from each. Knowing this before you start is the single most practical thing you can do, because it tells you where to put your study hours.
| Syllabus area | Exam weighting | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| The ITIL value system | 40% | The largest single block by some distance. The service value system, guiding principles, service value chain and how value is actually created and delivered. If you learn one area properly, make it this one. |
| Key ITIL terms and definitions | 30% | The shared vocabulary. Dry, and the part people skip, but it carries nearly a third of the marks and every other category assumes you know it. |
| The four dimensions | 10% | Organisations and people, information and technology, partners and suppliers, and value streams and processes. The lens ITIL uses to make sure nothing gets designed in isolation. |
| The product and service lifecycle | 10% | How digital products and services are managed across their life, reflecting the shift from project thinking to product thinking. |
| Value streams | 5% | How work actually flows to deliver an outcome, and where it stops flowing. |
| ITIL and AI | 2.5% | New in Version 5. AI governance and how artificial intelligence is being folded into service management practice. |
| Other frameworks | 2.5% | How ITIL sits alongside other approaches rather than replacing them. |
The one thing to take from that table
The ITIL value system and key terms together account for 70 per cent of the exam. Get those two solid and you are covering the majority of the marks before you touch anything else. That does not mean ignore the remaining five categories, because every one of them appears, but it does mean the order you study in should not be the order the syllabus is printed in.
Weightings are taken from the PeopleCert published Foundation syllabus version 5.0, dated February 2026. PeopleCert revises syllabuses periodically, so check the current version on their site before you sit, and ask us which version your materials cover.
The exam
Straightforward in format, and not a technical exam. It tests whether you understand how service management is meant to work, not how much you can memorise.
There are no scenario simulations. Questions come in standard, list style and missing word formats. Because it is assessed at Bloom's levels 1 and 2, it is testing recall and comprehension rather than analysis, which is why the terminology needs genuine repetition rather than a single read through. People who fail this exam almost always failed on vocabulary, not on understanding.
Price
One price, everything included. No registration fee, no separate exam charge and no cost to access tutor support.
What is included
- Official PeopleCert ITIL Foundation (Version 5) examination
- Full course materials covering all seven syllabus areas
- Exam simulator with timed practice questions
- Tutor support throughout
- Mentor guidance on your wider pathway
- Online access, study at your own pace
| Route | Typical UK price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| PeopleCert exam only | around £269 | The exam sitting. No training, no materials, no support. |
| PeopleCert voucher and eBook bundle | around £682 | Exam plus the official digital guidance. No taught course and no tutor. |
| Course2Career, this course | £649 | Exam, full course, simulator, tutor and mentor support. |
PeopleCert prices recorded August 2026 and vary by country, tax treatment and package, so check current figures on their site before deciding.
Who this is for
Service desk and IT operations staff
If you already work on a service desk, ITIL gives a name and a structure to most of what you do daily. It is one of the fastest ways to make an internal promotion case, because it shows you understand the model rather than just the tickets.
People moving into IT from another field
ITIL is not technical, which makes it unusually accessible. Taken alongside a technical certification such as CompTIA A+ or Network+, it makes a career changer look considerably more credible than either qualification alone.
Existing ITIL 4 holders
You do not need to retake Foundation. Your ITIL 4 certificates remain valid as prerequisites for higher level Version 5 qualifications, and the optional Bridge covers only what changed. Talk to us before buying a full Foundation course you may not need.
Business analysts and transformation roles
Anyone working with digital products and services where a shared vocabulary between technical and business teams is the actual bottleneck.
How the course runs
Online and self paced, with real people attached to it.
Study around work
Materials available on any device, 24 hours a day. Most learners complete Foundation in three to six weeks studying part time. No classroom dates to book time off for.
Tutor support
ITIL terminology is the part that trips people up, and it is far quicker to ask someone than to reread the same paragraph. Tutors are there for exactly that.
Mentor support
Separate from tutoring. Someone to talk to about whether Foundation alone is enough for what you are trying to do, what to pair it with, and which of the Version 5 specialisations is worth going on to.
Practice before you book
Timed practice questions in the same formats as the real exam, so you sit it once. PeopleCert also sells official mock exams if you want an additional check.
Where it leads
Foundation is the gateway credential. Every higher level Version 5 qualification requires it, or an equivalent ITIL 4 certificate.
Start here
ITIL Foundation (Version 5)
The shared vocabulary and the service value system. No prerequisites.
Then specialise
ITIL Product, Service, Experience, Strategy or Transformation
The five Version 5 specialisation streams, each building on Foundation. Which one fits depends on where you want to end up rather than which sounds most senior, and that is worth a conversation before you commit.
ITIL is a registered trade mark of PeopleCert group, used under licence. Examinations are sat with PeopleCert or an approved test centre, never with us, so your result is independent of our involvement.
Common questions
What is ITIL Foundation (Version 5)?
It is the entry level certification in the ITIL qualification scheme, introduced by PeopleCert in February 2026 as the successor entry point to ITIL 4 Foundation. It covers the core concepts of digital product and service management and gives you the shared vocabulary and operating model used across IT service management. The exam code is ITILFND-V5.
Do I need ITIL 4 before taking ITIL Foundation Version 5?
No. There are no prerequisites. Version 5 Foundation is a standalone entry point and assumes no prior ITIL knowledge or IT service management experience. Prior ITIL 4 knowledge helps, because the core architecture carries forward, but it is not required.
What is the ITIL Version 5 exam format?
40 multiple choice questions in 60 minutes, closed book, with a pass mark of 65 per cent, meaning 26 correct answers out of 40. It is assessed at Bloom's levels 1 and 2, so it tests understanding of concepts and definitions rather than scenario analysis. There are no simulations.
How is ITIL Version 5 different from ITIL 4?
The core architecture carries forward: the service value system, the guiding principles, the four dimensions and the service value chain are all still there. What Version 5 adds is examinable content on AI governance and on digital product and service management, reflecting how AI and product centric operating models now shape service delivery. Published analysis puts the proportion of entirely new material at around 36 per cent.
I already hold ITIL 4. Do I need to retake Foundation?
No. ITIL 4 certificates remain valid as prerequisites for higher level Version 5 qualifications. PeopleCert also offers an optional Bridge covering only the new and changed content, though it excludes the Cloud and Sustainability qualifications. If you hold ITIL 4 and want to align with the updated framework, ask us which route makes sense for your situation rather than assuming you need to start again.
What roles is ITIL useful for?
IT service managers, service desk and IT operations staff, business analysts, digital transformation roles, and anyone working with digital products and services. It is also commonly listed as desirable on UK IT support and infrastructure job adverts, which is why people take it alongside technical certifications rather than instead of them.
What does ITIL Foundation Version 5 lead to?
It is the gateway credential for the Version 5 scheme. The higher level specialisations, ITIL Product, ITIL Service, ITIL Experience, ITIL Strategy and ITIL Transformation, all require Foundation Version 5 or an equivalent ITIL 4 certificate as their prerequisite.
How long does the course take?
Most learners complete Foundation in three to six weeks studying part time around work. It is a concepts and vocabulary exam rather than a technical one, so the volume of material is manageable, but the terminology needs genuine repetition rather than a single pass.
Is the exam fee included in the price?
Yes. The official PeopleCert ITIL Foundation Version 5 examination is included in the 649 pound price, along with your course materials, exam simulator and tutor support. There is no separate exam charge and no registration fee. Booked separately, the PeopleCert exam alone costs around 269 pounds and their voucher and eBook bundle around 682 pounds.
How much does ITIL Foundation Version 5 cost in the UK?
Our price is 649 pounds including the official PeopleCert examination. Across the wider UK market, self paced online courses with the exam included typically run from around 500 to 850 pounds, and live instructor led classroom courses from around 1200 to 1800 pounds. Booking the exam alone directly with PeopleCert costs around 269 pounds, but that gives you no training, no materials and no support.
Which languages is the exam available in?
PeopleCert has listed nine exam languages for Version 5: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese and Spanish. Check the current PeopleCert product page when you schedule, because the list is updated periodically.
Not sure whether Foundation or the Bridge is right for you?
Tell us what you already hold and what you are aiming at. If you hold ITIL 4 and only need the Bridge, we will tell you that rather than sell you a full Foundation course. If ITIL is not the right qualification for the role you want, we will say so too.
Full details of our accreditations, registrations and terms are on our credentials and evidence page. Official certification information is published by PeopleCert, and where anything on this page differs from theirs, theirs is correct.