ITIL 5 Foundation Exam Check-in 2026: PeopleCert Guide

This guide walks you through the check-in from the first system test to the moment the proctor unlocks your questions. It is written for first-time online candidates, and it covers the places where people lose time or get turned away.

One thing to know up front: ITIL exams are run by PeopleCert, which uses its own proctoring software and live proctors. It is not the Pearson VUE OnVUE flow you may have seen for other certifications. Some habits carry over, but several details do not.

How This Exam Is Delivered

PeopleCert is the examination institute for ITIL. The official ITIL Foundation (Version 5) page shows you pick a time zone and a proctor language while booking, which points to a live-proctored exam. The page does not say outright whether you can sit it online, in a test center, or both (confirm on the official page). PeopleCert’s other pages describe both online exams and classroom exams run by accredited training organizations, and its ID policy applies to both.

For this article, treat online proctoring as the main route and the classroom route as the alternative. If you booked through a training provider, ask them which one you have before you do anything else.

Item	What the sources say
Exam name	ITIL Foundation (Version 5). No exam code is published on the PeopleCert page (confirm on the official page)
Duration	60 minutes
Questions	40, multiple choice
Pass mark	65%
Book policy	Closed book
Languages	9: English, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish
Delivery platform	PeopleCert online proctoring (ExamShield / Web Based Exam Driver) (confirm on the official page)
Check-in window	Self-onboarding in the 10 minutes before the start, per the candidate guidelines (confirm on the official page)
Renewal	Every 3 years, or 60 CPD points

Candidates who already hold ITIL 4 Foundation can take a shorter Foundation Bridge (Version 5) exam instead. This guide covers the full Foundation exam. The check-in is the same either way, but the exam length is not.

Pre-Exam Preparation

Hardware and Network Requirements

PeopleCert publishes two documents that overlap. The older candidate guidelines describe the ExamShield app. A newer page describes the Web Based Exam Driver. They disagree on a few timings, and your registration email decides which one you use (confirm on the official page). The requirements below come from the newer page unless noted.

Windows 10 or 11, or macOS Mojave (10.14) or later.
A dual-core 2.4 GHz processor and at least 4 GB of RAM.
Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Opera. Other browsers do not work.
Broadband of at least 4 Mbps.
A monitor of 15 inches or larger at 1024×768 or higher, with only one screen active.
A keyboard set to English characters, and a mouse or pointing device.
A webcam that can rotate 360 degrees, plus speakers and a microphone.
No virtualization software running. The older ExamShield guide tells you to disable it before you start.

Phones cannot replace your webcam. If your laptop’s built-in camera cannot show the whole room, borrow or buy an external webcam you can swing around.

Use a personal computer if you can. A work laptop can block the proctoring software, and PeopleCert says your IT department must be reachable on exam day if you insist on using one.

Exam Tip: Unplug your second monitor the night before and cover or turn off any unused TV in the room. Only one active screen is allowed, and a screen you forgot about is the quickest way to get a warning from the proctor.

ID Requirements

PeopleCert is stricter about names than most vendors. Read this part twice.

Accepted ID types for online and classroom exams: driving licence, national ID card, passport, registration card or certificate, and residence permit or card.
The ID must be current, original (no photocopies), government-issued, and show a recognizable photo and your date of birth.
Electronic IDs are not accepted.
You need only one ID. The one exception is candidates in Japan who use an employee ID, who must also show a Health Insurance Card.
Extra ID types are accepted for China, Japan, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Check the full list in PeopleCert’s ID policy if you live there.

Which ID should you choose? Candidates anywhere in the world are safest with a passport, because it carries a Latin-character name and a photo in a standard layout. A national ID card is fine if the name is printed in Latin characters. Pick the one whose name matches your PeopleCert profile letter for letter.

Name matching works like this. You must register your first, middle and last name in Latin characters. On exam day the name has to match your ID exactly. A preferred name or nickname that differs from your ID is not accepted. If it does not match, the proctor can end the session and you do not get a refund. You can rebook, but you pay for it.

If your ID uses a non-Latin script, choose a proctor in your own language when you book, where one is offered. If your language is not offered, upload a copy of your ID to your profile and email PeopleCert customer service at least 48 hours before the exam. These checks can delay the start or force a reschedule, so do not leave this to the last day.

Exam Tip: Open your PeopleCert profile today and compare the name field to your ID, character by character. Middle names and accents are where most mismatches hide. If anything differs, email customer service now and not on exam morning.

Testing Environment

Use a private, quiet room where you are alone for the whole exam.
The room should have one doorway, and your webcam must be able to show it.
No transparent walls. Glass walls or indoor windows mean you will not be allowed to test.
Clear the walls and desk of posters, sticky notes, papers and books.
Light the room from the front or side. Do not point a lamp at the webcam.
Avoid bathrooms. PeopleCert does not recommend them.
Silence your phone and put it out of reach, so you have to leave your chair to get it.
Close apps such as AnyDesk, Skype and Teams before you start.

Step-by-Step Check-in Walkthrough

The order below follows PeopleCert’s own documents. Where the two documents give different timings, both are listed.

Check your system at least 24 hours ahead. Run the system compatibility check on the same computer, network and room you will use on exam day. It takes about five minutes. Yellow warnings are advisory and you can continue. Error warnings must be fixed. The older ExamShield guide asks for the check at least one hour before, so do it early and you meet both rules. Sticking point: a red error the day before. Fix: PeopleCert will reschedule you free of charge if your computer does not qualify and you contact them 72 to 48 hours before the exam, so test early enough to use that window.
Install the software the registration email points to. For ExamShield, install it up to 24 hours before. Sticking point: a security tool blocks the install. Fix: pause it while you install, or switch to your personal machine.
Run the check again about two hours before. An operating system update overnight can change your setup. Sticking point: a forced update starts at the worst time. Fix: install updates the day before and restart.
Launch the exam on the day. You can only start when the start time is less than 10 minutes away, per the ExamShield guide (confirm on the official page). Sticking point: you open it too early and it will not let you in. Fix: close the app and open it again 10 minutes before.
Accept the non-disclosure agreement. If you decline it, you cannot take the exam. Read the exam instructions and agree to the rules.
Scan your ID. Use your webcam, or upload an image if the screen offers it. Sticking point: glare on the laminate. Fix: tilt the ID slightly and hold it still, and wait for the capture to confirm.
Click the button that connects you to a proctor. The button is labelled Start now in one document and Let’s Go in the other. This click is your consent to recording.
Complete onboarding with the proctor. The proctor validates your ID and runs security checks, which include audio and video checks and may include screen sharing. Exam time does not run during this stage. Sticking point: the proctor asks you to move the camera or show your desk. Fix: do it right away. Security checks can be repeated and they do not cut into your exam time.
Wait for the proctor to unlock the exam. Start only when the proctor tells you to. Keep your microphone on from here to the end.

PeopleCert does not describe a Pearson-style sequence of selfie, ID photos and room photos taken before you meet anyone. Your room check happens live, with the proctor watching.

What the Proctor Looks For During the Room Check

The proctor wants to see a 360-degree view of your room. The ExamShield guide asks you to be able to show your desk and surroundings on request. Expect these checks:

That you are alone and nobody can walk in without being seen.
That your desk and walls are clear of notes, books and papers.
That there is no second screen, or that it is disconnected and covered.
That your phone is out of reach and silent.
That no headphones or other devices are connected. Headsets are allowed only during onboarding.
That your face and ID can be seen clearly.

Do a practice sweep with your phone’s camera before the day. Walk slowly around the room and look at what a stranger would see. Anything that looks like a note, remove it.

Rules During the Exam

PeopleCert does not publish a list that sorts every behavior into a warning or a ban. What it does say is that minor non-compliance earns a warning and a request to fix it immediately, while ignoring the proctor or posing a serious integrity risk gets the session suspended and ended. The two tiers below follow that logic, and the examples are my reading of the rules, not a quoted list (confirm on the official page).

Tier 1: Fixable Problems the Proctor Can Raise

A second screen you forgot to cover.
A phone within reach, or one that rings.
A poster, sticky note or paper in view.
Leaving the camera’s view for a moment.
Lighting that makes your face hard to see.

Fix each one the moment the proctor asks. Failing to act in time is what turns a warning into a suspended session.

Tier 2: Behaviors That Lead to Termination, Invalidation or a Ban

An ID that is invalid, expired or has a name that does not match. The session can end with no refund.
Refusing or delaying security checks.
Using unauthorized materials, devices or a second person.
Recording, copying or sharing exam content, which the non-disclosure agreement covers.
Anything the proctor considers a significant integrity risk.

Sessions are recorded and can be reviewed after the exam. Possible outcomes of a review include delayed results, a re-sit, annulled results, and deactivation of your PeopleCert profile.

Situation	Likely result
Minor problem, fixed quickly	Warning, exam continues
Warning ignored	Exam suspended and session ended
Mismatched or invalid ID	Session ended, no refund, rebook possible
Serious breach found in review	Delayed or annulled result, re-sit, or profile deactivation

Appeals

PeopleCert has a public appeals policy. As written, you can appeal a decision to amend your results after a malpractice investigation, a declined request for reasonable adjustments, or a case where PeopleCert did not follow its own published procedures fairly. You have one month from the date you were notified to lodge it. Appeals use the PeopleCert Appeal form, sent to customer service, and the policy lists a fee of 85 pounds that is refunded if the appeal is upheld (confirm on the official page). PeopleCert acknowledges the appeal within 48 hours, and the formal decision is final.

Breaks, Scratch Paper, Drinks and Similar Rules

This is where PeopleCert’s documents are thin. Check each point on your own booking confirmation.

Breaks: Neither guide lists a break policy. They say you stay seated in full view of the proctor. With a 60-minute exam, plan to go without one (confirm on the official page). Use the bathroom before you log in.
Scratch paper: The guidelines allow authorized note paper only where the exam permits it, and you must show it to the proctor on request. Whether ITIL Foundation (Version 5) permits any paper is not stated (confirm on the official page). Do not put paper on your desk without asking first. If it is allowed, destroy it after the exam is confirmed complete.
Drinks: Not mentioned in either document (confirm on the official page). Have a drink before you start. If you need one on the desk, ask the proctor at onboarding.
Dictionaries: The guidelines allow hard-copy dictionaries for ITIL exams only. The Foundation exam is closed book, so ask before you rely on this (confirm on the official page).
Headphones: Allowed only during onboarding.
Extra time and adjustments: Up to 25 percent extra time, a reader or a scribe must be requested at least five business days ahead. Other adjustments need ten business days.

Exam Tip: Candidates who are not native English speakers should look at the language options at booking time. The exam is offered in nine languages, so sitting it in your own language may be a better choice than asking for extra time.

Online Proctored vs Test Center

Factor	Online proctored	Test center or classroom
Where	Your own room	An accredited training organization’s site (confirm on the official page)
Equipment	You supply the computer, webcam and network	Usually supplied by the center (confirm on the official page)
ID check	Scanned on camera, then checked by the proctor	Same ID policy applies
Risk	Network, software and room problems	Travel and fixed schedules
Rescheduling	Free up to 48 hours before, then USD 60 down to 4 hours, then USD 120	May differ through the training provider (confirm on the official page)

Online suits you if you have a private room, a stable connection and a personal computer. A classroom or center suits you if your home is noisy, your connection is unreliable, or you only have a locked-down work laptop. Other vendors, such as Pearson VUE, give you more time to check in and a photo-based room scan, so do not assume the same steps apply here.

Exam Day Checklist

The Night Before

Compare your PeopleCert profile name with your ID.
Unplug and cover extra screens.
Run the system check again, then install updates and restart.
Clear your desk and walls.
Charge your laptop and keep it plugged in.

60 Minutes Before

Close all other programs, including remote access and chat tools.
Check that your webcam turns all the way around.
Put your phone on silent and out of reach.
Use the bathroom and get a drink.

30 Minutes Before

Run the system check once more, about two hours ahead if you can.
Have your original ID in your hand.
Tell the people you live with not to enter the room.
Sit down and settle your lighting.

During the Exam

Open the exam 10 minutes before the start time and finish onboarding.
Keep the microphone on.
Follow every proctor request immediately.
Stay in view of the camera.
Watch the clock. A pop-up warns you 15 minutes before time runs out, per the ExamShield guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Candidate Questions

What happens if my internet drops?

If communication is lost, the proctor pauses the timer. When the connection comes back, you resume with the same time remaining. Reconnect right away and do not restart your router mid-exam.

Can I use my laptop’s built-in webcam?

Yes, as long as it can show your whole room when asked. PeopleCert requires a webcam that can rotate 360 degrees. A phone cannot stand in for the webcam.

Does the clock run during check-in?

No. Exam time does not run during onboarding and security checks. It starts when the proctor unlocks the exam.

What if I am late?

Neither document gives a late-arrival grace period (confirm on the official page). Rescheduling fees apply as listed above, so log in early.

What if the proctor rejects my ID?

You will not be allowed to test and there is no refund. You can rebook through the normal process with an ID that meets the rules.

Can I retake the exam if I fail?

PeopleCert offers an optional Take2 re-sit that must be bought before the first exam, no later than 15 minutes before it starts. The re-sit must be taken within six months and through online proctoring. The page does not state a waiting period or a general retake limit (confirm on the official page).

Can a younger candidate take the exam?

Candidates under 16 need a legal guardian present, with their own valid ID, who consents to the recording.

Who do I contact if something breaks?

Technical support is available around the clock through the channels on PeopleCert’s Contact Us page. For ID and booking questions, write to customer service.

Sources

References

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