ITIL certification: the complete guide 2023

by Akshat Narwal · Published 20/04/2023 · Updated 07/05/2023

ITIL certification: the complete guide 2023

Do you work in IT support? So ITIL certification is a real asset to develop your skills. Discover the complete guide to obtaining ITIL certification.

ITIL is the main framework IT experts use in IT service management (ITSM). Here’s our go-to guide for all things ITIL certifications.

The ITIL framework is a detailed practice set that aligns IT services with business needs.

ITIL certification: the complete guide 2023

ITIL comprises five main parts, each covering different stages of the ITSM lifecycle. ITIL is often considered the foundation of IT support. It is a set of good practices concerning IT support.

For example, a set of ITIL (self-service in the service desk) best practices could reduce the number of people who physically show up to support to ask for a solution to their problems. It is necessary to have a self-service portal in your ITSM tool to achieve this goal.

ITIL certification: the complete guide 2023

Contents

The principles of ITIL, are they?
Why obtain ITIL V4 certification?
ITIL certification exam.
How much does ITIL certification cost?
Complementary ITIL certifications.
What are the intricacies of ITIL certification?
ITIL certification: FAQs.

The principles of ITIL, are they?

As mentioned in the previous section, ITIL is a set of best practices that help you deliver an end-to-end IT service. ITIL, in its current form, has undergone several updates and revisions.

Service Strategy
Service design
Service Transition
Service operation
Continuous improvement of services

The latest version of ITIL, also known as ITIL v4, focuses on integrating business and IT. The principles of ITIL, when consistently followed, can help you better manage and reduce risk, reduce IT support costs, create an ecosystem that enables growth, scale, and change, and help you strengthen the relationship with your users.

Why get ITIL v4 certification?

An ITIL certification has many advantages if you work in the IT support industry. Here are a few :

Better preparation

With a thorough knowledge of the ITIL framework, you can better manage your work. Used wisely, certification will help you be more productive and efficient.

Professional development and better salary

In the world of ITSM, those with an ITIL certification have an advantage over others. Thanks to the certification, you could see your salary increase (up to almost 15%) depending on where you live and your experience.

Speak the language of the pros.

ITIL is by far the most widely adopted ITSM methodology. With an ITIL certification, you learn common terminologies used, accepted, and recognized by IT professionals in various industries and countries.

A global vision

ITIL certification gives you an overview of how IT fits in with the rest of the business. It allows a better perspective on different IT initiatives and the verification that your decisions align with the company’s overall objectives.

ITIL certification exam.

ITIL sometimes uses an “ITIL credit system” to award certifications. All ITIL and related qualifications are given specific ‘credit values.’ As a candidate progresses to the next stages of certification, they are awarded credits at each level. A total of 22 points is required to receive the “ITIL expert certification.”

The different ITIL qualification levels focus on different facets of ITIL best practices. The five levels of ITIL certification are:

The “Foundation” level

This is the first level of certification. It covers general knowledge of the main elements, the basic concepts of ITIL, the important definitions used in the ITIL service lifecycle, and how these elements contribute to service management practices.

The Foundation level of the ITIL certification is intended for professionals:

Who wishes to understand the basics of the ITIL repository?
Who wants to understand better how ITIL can be implemented to improve IT service management?

The Foundation level consists of a multiple-choice questionnaire of 40 questions and allows candidates who pass this level to receive two credits. You must obtain a minimum of 65% (26/40) to obtain certification. The Foundation level is a closed-book exam with no prerequisites to try your luck. Anyone interested in IT service management can get started.

The “Practitioner” level

The Practitioner level is the second stage of the ITIL certification. This step bridges the Foundation and Intermediate levels (the third level of ITIL certification). The main objective of the Practitioner level is to provide IT staff with the means to adopt the ITIL framework in their workplace.

The ITIL practitioner adds value to all IT service management initiatives by drawing on best practices from other methodologies such as DevOps, Agile, and Lean. Like the Foundation level, the Practitioner level is a 40-question multiple-choice quiz that must be completed in 135 minutes. You need at least 70% (28/40) to pass this level. Unlike the first level, this is an open-book exam. Passing this level allows you to obtain three credits.

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The “Intermediate” level

This level offers a flexible structure and includes two categories:

The Service Lifecycle consists of five reviews. The five reviews cover service strategy, service design, service transition, service operations, and continuous service improvement.
Service Capability, with four reviews, includes Schedule Protection & Optimization, Release Control & Validation, Operational Support & Analysis, and Service Offerings & Agreements.

As you may have understood, each module of the ITIL Intermediate certification focuses on different aspects of service management. You can choose to take as many Intermediate qualifications as you wish. You can mix modules from these two categories depending on what you want to get out of the module.

The Intermediate level allows you to obtain 15 or 16 credits (depending on the modules chosen). However, the Intermediate level is only offered to people who have passed the ITIL Foundation exam and have received accredited training from an accredited ITIL training organization.

The “Expert” level

If you want to demonstrate the extent of your knowledge of ITIL standards, the ITIL Expert certification is for you. The Expert certiification is offered to people with complete and in-depth knowledge and the skills associated with the good practices of ITIL.

There are prerequisites for anyone wishing to take an ITIL Expert certification:

The candidate must have taken an ITIL Foundation or gateway certification exam.
The candidate must have obtained at least 17 credits through the Foundation and Intermediate courses.
The candidate must have followed the module “Management throughout the life cycle” (MALC) to reach 22 credits, the minimum qualification for the ITIL Expert certification.

The “Masters” level

Each candidate at the ITIL Master level must demonstrate their success in implementing projects in a context relating to ITIL in their workplace. Axelos, the creators of the ITIL frameworks, suggest no fixed or required curriculum or training. To be able to attempt the ITIL certiification at the Master’s level, it is necessary to:

Have passed the ITIL Expert certification.
Have worked in the field of ITSM for at least five years in leadership, management, or management consulting position.

The Life Cycle Management certification allows the candidate to obtain five credits. The minimum prerequisite to sit for the exam is to have passed the ITIL Foundation exam and obtained 15 additional credits (through the Intermediate courses). In other words, you need a minimum of 17 credits to pass this exam. IT professionals worldwide use this exam as a gateway to earning the ITIL Expert certification.

With each level of certification completed, you receive the certification and credits awarded.

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How much does ITIL certification cost?

The cost of ITIL certification varies by country. The cost is determined by the country in which you take the exam. Registration fees for certification range from $150 to $500. These are just the costs of taking the exam. In most cases, candidates and IT staff use an external service provider to help them prepare for the ITIL certification exams. Again, the cost of training varies depending on the institution offering the training, and prices can range from $500 to $1000. However, some IT professionals prepare for certification independently, eliminating the costs associated with the external provider.

Complementary ITIL certifications.

In addition to the five levels of ITIL certification, the ITIL credit system provides credit for additional training, commonly known as additional ITIL certifications. Obtaining a maximum of 6 credits is possible by following one or more of these complementary certifications. The Axelos site presents the full ITIL credits program to help you better manage the total number of credits you have obtained. It also provides an overview of additional certifications you may want or should obtain depending on your career aspirations and areas of interest.

However, it is necessary to be careful and check that there is no overlap between the modules at different levels. Axelos uses the percentage of overlap to separate the categories by low, medium, or high overlap. As a candidate, you must stay in the “low overlap” area to get the proper credits.

What are the intricacies of ITIL certification?

Now that you know more about the required training path, it’s time to examine its intricacies. When you sit for the exam, choose one of the accredited training and exam institutions. You can find the list and other information here. If you need help linking your certifications to your career plan, here’s a handy guide to matching skills to certifications. Before going for the ITIL cerrtification, one must pass at least one of the ITIL exam practice exams available online. However, you can purchase an ITI exam preparation kit cheaply if you prefer to prepare independently.

In addition, Axelos also offers an official app for Android and iOS: