SHRM Recertification: PDCs vs Retaking the Exam

Your SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP certification expires every three years. When that deadline approaches, you have exactly two options: earn 60 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) or retake the certification exam. Those are the only paths SHRM offers. There is no third option and no extension.

Most credential holders default to PDCs because that is the path everyone talks about. But some HR professionals genuinely consider retaking the exam, either because they have fallen behind on credits or because they assume the exam is faster. Before you commit, you need to understand what each path involves, what each costs, and what happens if something goes wrong.

This guide compares both SHRM recertification paths side by side: the rules, costs, timelines, risks, and the scenarios where each one might make sense.

How SHRM Recertification Works: The Two Paths

SHRM gives every credential holder a 3-year recertification cycle. Your cycle starts the day you pass your exam and ends on the last day of your birth month three years later. Before that end date, you must complete one of the following:

Earn 60 PDCs through qualifying professional development activities and submit your recertification application with the $165 recertification fee.
Retake and pass your SHRM certification exam at your current credential level.

If you do neither, your certification lapses. You lose the credential and the letters after your name. To get it back, you would need to reapply and pass the exam from scratch.

Both paths lead to the same result: a renewed certification and a fresh 3-year cycle. But the experience of getting there is very different depending on which path you choose.

Path 1: Earning 60 PDCs Over 3 Years

The PDC path is how the overwhelming majority of SHRM credential holders recertify. You accumulate 60 Professional Development Credits across your 3-year cycle through a mix of learning activities, work projects, and professional contributions.

What Counts as a PDC?

SHRM organizes qualifying activities into three categories:

Advance Your Education (no cap): Online courses, webinars, conferences, seminars, college courses, and structured e-learning from SHRM-recognized providers. There is no limit to how many PDCs you can earn in this category, which means you could technically earn all 60 here.
Advance Your Organization (30 PDC cap): On-the-job HR projects that create measurable organizational value. Things like implementing a new HRIS, redesigning a compensation structure, or leading a diversity initiative.
Advance Your Profession (30 PDC cap): Volunteering for SHRM chapters, mentoring other HR professionals, publishing articles, presenting at conferences, or serving on professional boards.

The math is simple: 1 hour of qualifying activity = 1 PDC. PDCs are recorded in 15-minute increments (0.25 PDC minimum). If you spread your effort evenly, that works out to roughly 20 PDCs per year, or about 1.5 to 2 PDCs per month.

Why Most People Choose PDCs

The PDC path has several structural advantages:

Spread the effort over 3 years. You are not cramming everything into a single high-stakes moment. You learn a few things each month and the credits accumulate.
Flexible scheduling. You choose when and how you earn credits. Busy quarter at work? Ease off. Lighter month? Knock out a few courses. The 3-year window gives you room to adjust.
No pass/fail risk. You complete an activity, you get the credit. There is no scenario where you do the work and still lose your certification.
Continuous professional development. You are actually learning things that apply to your job. New employment law changes, updated compliance frameworks, leadership strategies, HR technology trends. This is not just checkbox activity; it keeps your skills current.
Carryover credits. SHRM allows you to roll up to 20 excess PDCs into your next cycle. If you earn 75 PDCs, those extra 15 (capped at 20) carry forward.

For a detailed breakdown of every qualifying activity and how to track them, see our complete guide to earning SHRM PDCs.

What PDCs Cost

The cost of PDCs depends entirely on how you earn them. Here is a realistic range:

Free options: SHRM chapter events, webinars, workplace projects, volunteer activities. These cost nothing but require your time.
Pre-approved online platforms: Services like RecertifyHR offer unlimited access to SHRM pre-approved courses for $250/year. Over a 3-year cycle, that is $750 total for access to 68+ courses covering more PDCs than you need.
Conferences: $500-$2,000+ per event, though you can earn 15-30 PDCs at a single multi-day conference.
Individual courses from other providers: $20-$200+ per course, depending on the provider and format.

Add the $165 SHRM recertification fee (paid when you submit your application), and the total cost for the PDC path typically lands between $500 and $1,500 over three years. If you use a flat-rate platform like RecertifyHR, you can keep it closer to the low end.

Path 2: Retaking the SHRM Exam

Instead of earning PDCs, you can retake your SHRM certification exam. If you pass, your certification renews and a new 3-year cycle begins. This sounds straightforward, but there are critical details most people miss.

The Rules for Exam Retake Recertification

You must retake the exam at your current level. If you hold a SHRM-CP, you take the SHRM-CP exam. If you hold a SHRM-SCP, you take the SHRM-SCP exam. You cannot use this path to upgrade your credential level.
You cannot schedule the exam earlier than 12 months before your cycle end date. SHRM does not allow you to knock this out two years early. The earliest you can sit for the exam is during your final year.
You must pass. This is not a participation exercise. The exam has a pass rate, and not everyone clears it. SHRM does not publish exact pass rates, but industry estimates suggest roughly 65-70% for the SHRM-CP and 50-55% for the SHRM-SCP.

What Happens If You Fail

This is the part that catches people off guard, and it is the single most important thing to understand about the exam retake path:

If you choose to recertify by exam and you fail, your SHRM certification is revoked. You cannot fall back to PDCs. There is no second chance within the same cycle.

If you opt for the exam path and do not pass, you lose your credential entirely. You would need to reapply for eligibility and pass the exam as a new candidate to get it back. There is no grace period, no partial credit for “almost passing,” and no ability to switch to PDCs after an exam failure. It is an all-or-nothing wager on a single test day.

What the Exam Costs

SHRM exam fees for recertification are the same as initial certification fees:

SHRM members: $300
Non-members: $400

On top of the exam fee, factor in study materials. Most people invest in at least one exam prep resource:

SHRM Learning System: $1,000-$1,500
Third-party prep courses: $200-$800
Study guides and practice exams: $50-$150

Then there is the time cost. Most candidates study for 2-4 months, dedicating 5-15 hours per week. That is a significant investment concentrated into a single effort, compared to the gradual pace of PDCs.

PDCs vs Exam: Side-by-Side Comparison

Here is how the two paths compare across the factors that matter most:

Timeline: PDCs spread over 3 years (~20/year) vs. Exam available only in the final 12 months of your cycle
Total cost: PDCs typically $500-$1,500 over 3 years (including $165 recert fee) vs. Exam $300-$400 + $200-$1,500 in study materials
Risk of losing credential: PDCs have zero risk (complete the work, get the credit) vs. Exam has real risk (fail and your certification is revoked)
Time commitment pattern: PDCs require 1-2 hours per month, flexible vs. Exam requires concentrated 2-4 month study period
Professional development value: PDCs expose you to a wide range of current HR topics vs. Exam reviews foundational HR knowledge you already learned
Fallback option: PDCs always work if you do the activities vs. Exam has no fallback to PDCs if you fail
Carryover benefit: Up to 20 excess PDCs roll into your next cycle vs. Exam provides zero carryover
Stress level: PDCs are low-pressure and incremental vs. Exam is high-pressure, single-event

When the Exam Path Might Make Sense

Despite the risks, there are a few specific situations where retaking the exam could be a reasonable choice:

You Have Almost No PDCs With Months Left

If your cycle ends in 8 months and you have earned 5 out of 60 PDCs, you are facing a steep climb. Earning 55 PDCs in that window is possible but requires serious commitment. If you are someone who tests well and your HR knowledge is strong, the exam might be a faster route. But you need to be honest with yourself about your exam readiness, because the consequence of failure is losing the credential entirely.

You Recently Passed the Exam

If you are in your first recertification cycle and the exam material is still relatively fresh in your mind, retaking it carries less preparation risk than it would for someone who tested five or six years ago. The content evolves, but the core competencies remain stable enough that recent test-takers have an advantage.

You Genuinely Prefer Exams to Coursework

Some people are strong test-takers who dislike ongoing coursework. If you would rather study hard for a month and take a test than complete courses over three years, that is a legitimate preference. Just make sure you are weighing the preference against the downside risk.

Even in These Cases, PDCs Are Usually Better

Even when the exam seems appealing, the risk profile of the PDC path is fundamentally safer. With PDCs, the worst-case scenario is that you need to fit in more activities toward the end of your cycle. With the exam, the worst-case scenario is losing your credential. Those are not equivalent risks.

If you have fallen behind on PDCs, a platform like RecertifyHR can help you catch up quickly. With 68+ SHRM pre-approved courses available on-demand, you can earn multiple PDCs per week if you need to accelerate. That is a much safer approach than betting your credential on a single exam.

The Smarter Approach: Building PDCs Into Your Routine

The best way to avoid the “exam vs PDCs” dilemma entirely is to build PDC accumulation into your regular professional routine. Here is a practical framework:

Year 1: Build the Foundation (20 PDCs)

Complete 10-12 online courses from a pre-approved provider (10-12 PDCs)
Attend 1-2 SHRM chapter events or webinars (2-4 PDCs)
Claim credit for qualifying work projects (4-6 PDCs)

Year 2: Stay Consistent (20 PDCs)

Continue online learning at a pace of 1-2 courses per month (10-15 PDCs)
Attend a regional or national HR conference (5-10 PDCs)
Volunteer with your local SHRM chapter (2-5 PDCs)

Year 3: Close the Gap (20 PDCs)

Finish any remaining coursework (variable)
Claim any on-the-job HR projects you have not yet reported
Submit your recertification application with the $165 fee

At this pace, you are investing roughly 1.5 to 2 hours per month on structured learning, which is a manageable commitment for any working HR professional. And because SHRM allows up to 20 excess PDCs to carry over, any extra effort in one cycle gives you a head start on the next.

If you want a structured way to work through this, try RecertifyHR’s free Change Management course to earn your first PDC and see how the platform works. It takes about an hour and gives you 1 PDC immediately.

How RecertifyHR Makes PDCs Easy

RecertifyHR is an official SHRM Education Partner, which means every course on the platform is pre-approved for SHRM PDCs. You do not need to submit documentation, petition for credit approval, or worry about whether your activities will be accepted. Complete the course, get the credit.

Here is what the platform offers:

68+ courses covering HR topics across all SHRM competency areas
SHRM pre-approved so every PDC is automatically recognized
$250/year for unlimited access to the entire course library
Self-paced online format you can fit around your work schedule
2,800+ HR professionals already using the platform for recertification

For credential holders focused on the SHRM-CP, we have a detailed breakdown of the full recertification process in our SHRM-CP recertification guide. If you hold the SHRM-SCP, see our SHRM-SCP recertification requirements page for the specifics at that level.

The PDC path does not have to be complicated or expensive. With the right system, it runs in the background of your professional life.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I switch from the exam path to PDCs if I change my mind?

Yes, as long as you have not already taken the exam. If you registered for the exam but have not sat for it yet, you can withdraw and pursue PDCs instead (check SHRM’s refund/cancellation policy for the exam fee). However, once you take the exam and fail, you cannot switch to the PDC path for that cycle. The decision becomes final when you sit for the test.

What happens if I fail the recertification exam?

Your SHRM certification is revoked. You cannot fall back to PDCs, and there is no retake option within the same cycle. To regain your credential, you would need to reapply for exam eligibility and pass the certification exam as a new candidate. This is why the exam path carries significantly more risk than earning PDCs.

Is retaking the exam cheaper than earning PDCs?

Not necessarily. The exam fee is $300-$400, but most people also invest in study materials ($200-$1,500). When you add the cost of study time and the risk of losing your credential, the exam is not the bargain it appears to be. A platform like RecertifyHR costs $250/year for unlimited PDC access, and there is zero risk of losing your certification in the process.

How early can I schedule the SHRM recertification exam?

You can schedule the exam no earlier than 12 months before your recertification cycle end date. SHRM does not allow you to take the exam further in advance than that. This means the exam path is only available during the final year of your 3-year cycle, which limits your flexibility compared to PDCs.

Do I still need to pay the $165 recertification fee if I retake the exam?

No. If you recertify by passing the exam, the exam fee replaces the recertification fee. You pay the exam registration cost ($300 for SHRM members, $400 for non-members) but not the separate $165 recertification application fee. That fee only applies to the PDC path.

Can I earn PDCs as a backup while also planning to take the exam?

Yes, and this is actually a smart strategy if you are considering the exam. Continue earning PDCs throughout your cycle. If you decide to take the exam and pass, your certification renews through the exam path. If you decide not to take the exam after all, you still have your PDCs to submit for recertification. The only scenario where this fails is if you take the exam and do not pass, because at that point you cannot use your accumulated PDCs as a fallback.

SHRM Recertification: PDCs vs Retaking the Exam