How Many Times Can You Retake the ITIL Foundation Exam?

There's no limit to how many times you can retake the ITIL Foundation exam. If you don't pass on your first attempt, you can retake it as many times as needed by purchasing a new exam voucher for each attempt.

There's also no mandatory waiting period between attempts, so you can reschedule whenever you feel ready. If you're looking to build a stronger foundation before your next attempt, our ITIL® Foundation (Version 5) Training covers the full syllabus with practice tests to help you pass with confidence.

ITIL Foundation Exam Retakes

PeopleCert does not cap the number of ITIL Foundation retake attempts. There is no waiting period either, so a retake can technically be booked the same day as a failed attempt. Each retake needs its own paid voucher unless a discounted resit option called Take2 was purchased before the original exam. Employers cannot see how many attempts it took to pass, since the certification record only shows a pass, not the history behind it. The practical limit, in most cases, is budget and preparation time rather than any rule set by PeopleCert.

Is There an Official Limit on ITIL Foundation Retakes?

No. PeopleCert, the organization that administers ITIL exams on behalf of AXELOS, places no cap on the number of attempts a candidate can make. Someone could fail five times and still be eligible to sit the exam a sixth time, provided a valid voucher is purchased for that attempt. The exam itself stays the same each time: 40 multiple choice questions, 60 minutes, closed book, with a passing score of 65 percent, or 26 correct answers.

Some accredited training organizations run their own guarantee programs on top of PeopleCert's policy, occasionally capping free retake support at a third attempt before requiring a course fee refund request instead of another free voucher. That limit comes from the training provider's own bundle terms, not from PeopleCert itself, so it is worth checking the fine print on whichever bundle a course was purchased through. Anyone building toward this certification for the first time can review the ITIL 4 Foundation Certification course details to understand what a standard exam voucher actually includes.

What It Costs to Retake the ITIL Foundation Exam

Standard Retake Voucher

Without any add purchased in advance, a retake costs the same as the original exam voucher, typically somewhere between 300 and 400 US dollars depending on region and currency. The original voucher gets consumed now, it is used, whether the result is a pass or a failure, so a new one must be purchased for every fresh attempt. Anyone whose original preparation leaned on outdated material might use a retake as a chance to study from the current ITIL Foundation (Version 5) Certification syllabus instead of the version they originally trained on.

The Take2 Resit Option

PeopleCert offers an add on called Take2, which functions like exam insurance. It has to be purchased before the original exam is taken, either at checkout, from the shopping cart, or up to 15 minutes before the scheduled exam session. If the original attempt fails, Take2 provides one resit at a much lower cost than a full new voucher, and that resit stays valid for six months from the original exam date. It cannot be purchased retroactively after a failed attempt, which makes it worth considering before sitting the exam the first time, especially for anyone feeling uncertain about readiness. PeopleCert Plus members get a Take2 included automatically with eligible exams as part of the membership.

Is There a Waiting Period Between Attempts?

PeopleCert does not enforce a mandatory waiting period, so a retake could be booked within a day of a failed attempt if a voucher or Take2 is available. That said, rebooking immediately rarely improves results unless the reason for the failure is already clear. Most candidates who fail to struggle with applying ITIL terminology to scenario-based questions rather than simply not knowing definitions, and that kind of gap usually needs focused review rather than a quick repeat attempt. Reviewing how ITIL certification is typically approached from the start can help pinpoint where preparation went wrong the first time. A one-to-three-week gap, spent reviewing weak areas and working through practice questions, tends to produce better second attempt results than same day rebooking.

Do Employers See How Many Attempts It Took?

No. PeopleCert's certificate verification service confirms a candidate's name, certificate number, and current certification status, nothing about attempt history. A certification earned on a third attempt looks identical on record to one earned on the first try. Employers checking credentials through PeopleCert's official verification tool have no way to see failed attempts, which takes some pressure off anyone worried about how a retake might look later.

How to Improve Chances on a Retake

A failed attempt is useful for information if it gets reviewed properly rather than brushed past. A few things tend to help the second time around.

• Review the exam results of breakdown if one was provided, since it often points to specific weak topics rather than leaving guesswork.
• Spend more time on scenario-based practice questions instead of re reading definitions, since the real exam leans heavily on application rather than recall.
• Consider a short, structured review course rather than self-study alone if the first attempt relied entirely on independent reading.
• Budget for either a fresh voucher or, ideally, a Take2 resit purchased ahead of the next attempt to avoid full price twice.

Anyone who originally certified on an older ITIL 4 syllabus and is now retaking a related exam might find it faster to move onto the newest framework altogether through the ITIL Foundation Bridge Course (Version 5), rather than repeating the exact same content a second time.

Professionals mapping out their certification budget across multiple attempts sometimes find it useful to check how ITIL certification pricing breaks down before committing to a specific voucher or bundle option.

ITIL Foundation Retake Comparison

Factor	Standard Retake	Take2 Resit
Purchase Timing	Anytime, including after a failed attempt	Must be bought before the original exam
Typical Cost	Full exam voucher price	Significantly discounted
Validity Window	No expiry beyond standard voucher terms	Six months from original exam date
Availability	Always available	Included free with PeopleCert Plus membership

Conclusion

There is no official ceiling on how many times the ITIL Foundation exam can be retaken, and no waiting period standing in the way of a quick rebooking. The real constraints come down to cost and preparation, not policy. A Take2 resit purchased ahead of time makes a second attempt far cheaper, and a short pause to review what went wrong tends to matter more than how fast a retake gets booked. 

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