ITIL® Version 5 Certifications: Complete Certification Pathway

ITIL® Version 5 provides a modern certification pathway for professionals involved in digital product management, IT service management, customer and employee experience, strategy, organisational change and continual improvement.

The qualification scheme begins with ITIL Foundation and progresses through role-focused specialist modules and three advanced professional designations: Practice Manager, Managing Professional and Strategic Leader. Professionals who achieve all three designations are awarded ITIL Master, the highest designation within the ITIL Version 5 certification scheme.

Whether you are new to ITIL, already hold an ITIL 4 qualification or have significant experience in IT service management, this guide will help you understand the available certifications and select an appropriate route.

The ITIL® Version 5 certification pathway

What is ITIL® Version 5?

ITIL Version 5 is the latest evolution of the ITIL framework. It expands the traditional focus on IT service management to provide integrated guidance for managing digital products, services and experiences across their full lifecycle.

The framework reflects the way modern organisations operate in increasingly complex, interconnected and AI-enabled environments. It places strong emphasis on value creation, digital product and service management, experience, strategy, governance, transformation and responsible use of artificial intelligence.

PeopleCert describes ITIL Version 5 as AI-native. This means that roles, practices, activities, processes and value streams are designed so they can be supported and enhanced by capabilities such as automation, predictive insights and intelligent decision support.

The certification scheme is also more role-focused than previous versions. Rather than following one rigid sequence, learners can select modules and designations that align with their responsibilities, career goals and existing experience.

Starting your ITIL® Version 5 journey

ITIL® Foundation (Version 5)

ITIL Foundation is the recommended starting point for anyone who is new to ITIL.

The certification introduces the core concepts, models and principles used to manage digital products and services and explains how organisations create, deliver and sustain value. It also provides the foundation required to progress towards the advanced ITIL Version 5 modules and professional designations.

The course is suitable for:

• IT service management professionals
• Service desk and technical support staff
• IT managers and team leaders
• Product and service owners
• Project and programme professionals
• Business analysts
• Digital transformation professionals
• Anyone whose work involves technology-enabled products or services

Foundation is not limited to people working in conventional IT support roles. It can also be valuable for professionals involved in customer experience, governance, business change, digital products and organisational strategy.

ITIL® Foundation Bridge (Version 5)

ITIL Foundation Bridge provides an accelerated route for eligible professionals who already hold an ITIL 4 certification.

Rather than repeating the complete Foundation syllabus, the Bridge concentrates on the updated terminology, concepts, models and principles introduced in ITIL Version 5. PeopleCert describes it as a focused route through which ITIL 4 certified professionals can upgrade to the ITIL Foundation Version 5 certification by learning what has changed.

This course is particularly suitable for:

• ITIL 4 Foundation certificate holders
• Professionals with higher-level ITIL 4 certifications
• Organisations transitioning teams from ITIL 4 to Version 5
• Learners who want an efficient update before progressing to specialist modules

PeopleCert states that the Bridge course includes an assessment and leads to the ITIL Foundation Version 5 certification and a digital badge. It is optional because eligible ITIL 4 certifications may also be used as prerequisites for higher-level Version 5 modules.

ITIL® Version 5 specialist modules

Following Foundation, learners can progress to the role-focused specialist modules. Each module develops capability in a distinct area of digital product and service management.

The five principal modules are:

• ITIL Product
• ITIL Service
• ITIL Experience
• ITIL Strategy
• ITIL Transformation

The modules can be taken individually to develop expertise in a particular area or combined to achieve one of the advanced professional designations.

ITIL® Product (Version 5)

ITIL Product focuses on managing digital products as integrated value streams across their full lifecycle.

The module explores how product capabilities, services and business outcomes connect. It helps professionals make evidence-informed decisions, coordinate cross-functional teams and maintain alignment between customer needs, product development and organisational objectives.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Product managers
• Product owners
• Digital product leaders
• Business analysts
• Solution and enterprise architects
• Development and delivery managers
• Professionals working across product and service teams

ITIL Product forms part of the ITIL Managing Professional designation.

ITIL® Service (Version 5)

ITIL Service develops the skills required to design, deliver, operate and continually improve reliable digital services.

Topics include service relationships, service levels, operational performance, resilience, continuity and measurable customer outcomes. The module connects day-to-day service delivery with broader organisational value and long-term improvement.

It is suitable for:

• IT service managers
• Service delivery managers
• Operations managers
• Service owners
• Incident and problem management professionals
• Service-level managers
• Technical support leaders

ITIL Service forms part of the ITIL Managing Professional designation.

ITIL® Experience (Version 5)

ITIL Experience focuses on the experiences of customers, users, employees and other stakeholders throughout the digital product and service lifecycle.

The module explores human-centred and AI-aware design, trust, stakeholder perception and evidence-informed decision-making. It helps organisations look beyond technical performance and assess whether their products and services create meaningful outcomes for the people who use and support them.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Customer experience professionals
• User experience professionals
• Employee experience leaders
• Service designers
• Product managers
• Business relationship managers
• Digital transformation professionals

ITIL Experience forms part of the ITIL Managing Professional designation.

ITIL® Strategy (Version 5)

ITIL Strategy is designed for professionals responsible for determining direction, prioritising investment and connecting technology with organisational objectives.

The module provides guidance on developing and implementing strategies that create lasting value. It addresses strategic alignment, decision-making in complex environments and the relationship between business outcomes, technology, investment and execution.

It is suited to:

• CIOs and IT directors
• Senior IT managers
• Digital leaders
• Strategy professionals
• Enterprise architects
• Portfolio and programme leaders
• Technology consultants

ITIL Strategy forms part of the ITIL Strategic Leader designation.

ITIL® Transformation (Version 5)

ITIL Transformation provides practical guidance for planning, leading, embedding and sustaining change across digital products and services.

The module brings together governance, execution and continual learning. It helps professionals build organisational resilience, manage transformation coherently and demonstrate measurable value in complex and AI-enabled environments.

It is relevant to:

• Transformation managers
• Change leaders
• Programme and portfolio managers
• Senior IT managers
• Service improvement professionals
• Consultants
• Leaders implementing new operating models or technologies

ITIL Transformation is a central component of the Version 5 qualification scheme and forms part of the Practice Manager, Managing Professional and Strategic Leader pathways.

ITIL® Version 5 professional designations

The advanced scheme contains three professional designations:

• ITIL Practice Manager
• ITIL Managing Professional
• ITIL Strategic Leader

Each designation represents a different area of professional capability. Learners may work towards one designation that reflects their role or progress towards all three and ultimately become an ITIL Master.

ITIL® Practice Manager

The Practice Manager designation recognises the ability to apply, coordinate and improve ITIL management practices in real working environments.

To achieve the Version 5 designation through the standard route shown in the current qualification scheme, candidates complete one of the three Practice Manager bundles together with ITIL Transformation:

Monitor, Support and Fulfil

This bundle covers practices associated with supporting users, restoring services and fulfilling operational demand.

It is well suited to professionals involved in:

• Service desk operations
• Incident management
• Problem management
• Service request management
• Monitoring and event management
• Technical support

Plan, Implement and Control

This bundle focuses on planning, coordinating and controlling changes to products, services and technology environments.

It is suited to professionals involved in:

• Change enablement
• Release management
• Deployment management
• Service configuration management
• IT asset management

Collaborate, Assure and Improve

This bundle focuses on cross-functional collaboration, assurance, relationships and continual improvement.

It is particularly relevant to:

• Relationship managers
• Supplier managers
• Continual improvement professionals
• Information security professionals
• Service-level managers
• Knowledge managers

ITIL 4 Practice Manager designation holders can upgrade to ITIL Practice Manager Version 5 by completing ITIL Transformation.

ITIL® Managing Professional

The Managing Professional designation demonstrates the ability to manage successful digital products and services from end to end.

It combines four specialist modules:

1. ITIL Product
2. ITIL Service
3. ITIL Experience
4. ITIL Transformation

Together, these modules cover the product lifecycle, service delivery and operations, stakeholder experience and organisational transformation. PeopleCert describes the designation as validating the ability to manage digital products and services from end to end and translate strategy into measurable business outcomes.

The designation is particularly suitable for:

• IT managers
• Product and service leaders
• Service delivery managers
• Digital operations managers
• Programme and transformation managers
• IT consultants
• Professionals with responsibility across multiple stages of the product or service lifecycle

Learners can achieve the designation by completing the four individual modules or, where eligible, through the Managing Professional Transition route.

ITIL® Strategic Leader

The Strategic Leader designation is intended for current and aspiring leaders who influence digital strategy, investment, governance and organisational transformation.

It requires:

1. ITIL Strategy
2. ITIL Transformation

Together, the two modules develop the ability to align business goals, technology and investment while leading transformation in complex and AI-enabled environments.

The designation is particularly relevant to:

• CIOs
• Chief digital officers
• IT directors
• Heads of technology
• Senior consultants
• Enterprise architects
• Digital transformation leaders
• Senior portfolio and programme professionals

Professionals who already hold the ITIL 4 Strategic Leader designation can upgrade to the Version 5 designation by completing ITIL Transformation.

ITIL® Master (Version 5)

ITIL Master is the highest designation in the ITIL Version 5 certification scheme.

It is awarded to professionals who achieve all three advanced designations:

• ITIL Practice Manager
• ITIL Managing Professional
• ITIL Strategic Leader

The designation demonstrates broad capability across management practices, digital products, service delivery, experience, strategy and organisational transformation.

ITIL Master is most relevant to experienced professionals who need to operate across strategic, managerial and operational levels, including:

• CIOs and technology directors
• Senior IT and digital leaders
• Heads of service management
• Transformation directors
• Senior consultants
• Enterprise service management leaders
• Senior portfolio and programme professionals

An ITIL 4 Master can transition to ITIL Master Version 5 through the Managing Professional Transition module. Successful completion upgrades the relevant Managing Professional, Practice Manager and Strategic Leader designations and results in the Version 5 Master designation.

ITIL® AI Governance extension module

AI Governance is an optional extension certification within the ITIL Version 5 scheme.It is intended to help professionals understand the organisational impact of artificial intelligence and support responsible, transparent and ethical AI governance.

The module sits outside the requirements for the Practice Manager, Managing Professional and Strategic Leader designations. It can therefore be taken as an additional specialism by professionals whose roles involve AI policy, oversight, risk, compliance, digital governance or responsible adoption.

It may be particularly valuable for:

• IT and digital leaders
• AI governance professionals
• Risk and compliance managers
• Enterprise architects
• Information governance professionals
• Transformation leaders
• Professionals responsible for AI policy and assurance