Governance

Structure

• LPI is a nonprofit organization. 
• The electoral system is designed to balance the Nomination Committee-driven slate (to ensure skills/diversity) with member-driven nominations (to allow any eligible member more direct access).

Board of Directors

• The LPI Board of Directors provides strategic direction and oversight over all aspects of LPI’s certification, education, membership and other activities. 
• Responsibilities of directors include approving the corporate plan and annual budget, attending board meetings (both virtual and physical at the Annual General Meeting), and serving on committees. 
• Directors serve three-year terms, with possibility of re-election. 
• Desired candidate attributes include: a passion for open source, previous board/governance experience, risk/opportunity understanding, education/IT/labour/small business experience, entrepreneurial or C-suite experience, understanding of relevant law (contract, internet, IT, privacy, trademarks/patents), leadership skills, inclusive workforce mindset, willingness to serve the term. 
• In its by-laws, the membership program was instituted so that members (instead of purely appointments) can vote for directors. Prior to this change, board directors were chosen by appointment. 

Elections / How the Election Process Works

• Elections are held annually in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting (AGM) to fill vacancies on the Board. 
• Each eligible member receives two ballots:

-One to choose one or more Directors from the Nomination Committee slate. 

-One to choose one Director from the Member-nominated slate. 

• The Board consists of up to 10 Nomination Committee-nominated directors and up to 3 Member-nominated directors. 
• Member nominated candidates: any LPI member in good standing may self-nominate (and require at least 5 other member endorsements). 
• The Nomination Committee process: anyone can apply (not necessarily a member), the Committee reviews applications (confidentially) and selects a slate. 
• Candidate requirements include the ability to read/write/understand English. Disclosure of real or potential conflicts of interest is required; failing to disclose may invalidate candidacy. 
• Candidate platforms and biographies are shared publicly (on LPI.org and the discuss.LPI.org forum) to allow members to review. 

Membership / Voting Eligibility

• Only LPI Members in good standing are eligible to vote. 
• Members must become eligible by a specified date (for example in 2025, the deadline was 21 May 2025).
  

Learn More

Governance: https://www.lpi.org/history/

Meet Our Board of Directors: https://www.lpi.org/about-lpi/meet-our-board-of-directors/

Certifications

LPI certifications fall into three categories:

1) Essentials

The Essentials certificates were created for candidates who are starting a career in open source or who wish to demonstrate their abilities.

Certificates have lifetime validity.

Linux Essentials

Linux Professional Institute Linux Essentials exam tests the candidate’s ability to use a basic command-line editor and demonstrate an understanding of processes, programs and components of the Linux operating system.

Security Essentials

IT security is absolutely crucial for individuals and organizations in today’s digital world. The Security Essentials exam covers preliminary knowledge in all important fields of IT security.

Web Development Essentials

Modern software applications are commonly developed for the Web. The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Web Development Essentials program supports your first steps in software development.

Open Source Essentials

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Open Source Essentials program covers the common knowledge that anyone who is professionally involved with open source should have.

2) Linux Professional

Linux Professional Institute‘s Linux Professional Track is designed to evaluate the knowledge and skills of Linux systems administrators. To keep pace with evolving technology, the exam objectives are updated on average every three years and Linux Professional Institute certifications are valid for five years before you must recertify or certify at a higher level.

Although the exams may be taken in any order, lower level certifications must be achieved before higher-level certifications can be awarded.

LPIC-1

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-1 tests ability to perform maintenance tasks with the command line, install and configure a computer running Linux and be able to configure basic networking.

LPIC-2

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-2 tests ability to administer small to medium–sized mixed networks.

LPIC-3 Mixed Environments

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-3 Mixed Environments tests ability to integrate Linux services in an enterprise-wide mixed environment.

LPIC-3 Security

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-3 Security tests ability to secure and harden Linux-based servers, services and networks enterprise-wide.

LPIC-3 Virtualization and Containerization

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-3 Virtualization and Containerization covers the administration of Linux systems enterprise-wide with an emphasis on Virtualization & Containerization.

LPIC-3 High Availability and Storage Clusters

Linux Professional Institute LPIC-3 High Availability and Storage Clusters covers the administration of Linux systems enterprise-wide with an emphasis on high availability systems and storage.

3) Open Technology

The Open Technology professional certifications are designed to evaluate the knowledge and skills of open technology tools, such as DevOps tools and BSD Specialist. To keep pace with evolving technologies, open technology track exam objectives are updated on average every three years and certifications are valid for five years before you must recertify or certify at a higher level.

For Open Technology certifications, a single exam is awarded with certification, and there are no prerequisites for the exams.

DevOps Tools Engineer

Certified DevOps Tools Engineer should have a working knowledge of DevOps-related domains such as Software Engineering and Architecture, Container and Machine Deployment, Configuration Management and Monitoring.

BSD Specialist

The BSD Specialist certificate requires passing a single exam. This exam tests skills in administering FreeBSD, NetBSD, and OpenBSD systems. Covering the three major BSD systems ensures that the certification holder is comfortable working in BSD-based environments of any kind.

Learn More

Summary of LPI Certifications: https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/summary-of-lpi-certifications/

Exams

How to Get Started

Here’s a typical process for taking an LPI exam:

1. Choose which certification you want. Review the track and the exam objectives. 
2. Review the exam objectives for that certification. Knowing the objectives helps you prepare. 
3. Create your LPI ID: You must register with LPI and obtain an LPI ID (this is separate from the exam‐scheduling system). 
4. Purchase an exam voucher (or pay the exam fee) and schedule the exam. The exams are delivered via Pearson VUE (or online proctoring). Pricing is determined by the country of the candidate.
5. Take the exam either at a testing centre or online (if supported) and then await your results and certification. 

Exam Format

• For the Essentials level (e.g., Linux Essentials): 40 questions in 60 minutes. 
• For LPIC-1: Each exam (101 / 102) is 90 minutes, ~60 multiple‐choice & fill‐in‐the‐blank questions. 
• Questions are vendor-neutral (i.e., not tied to a single Linux distribution).

Languages & Validity

• Exams are offered in multiple languages depending on the level. For example, the Essentials exam is in English, Japanese, Portuguese (Brazilian), German, Dutch. 
• Validity: For Essentials track, certificate is lifetime (no recertification). 
• For the Linux Professional track (LPIC levels), the certification is valid for 5 years before you must recertify, move to a higher level, or become a member.

Learn More

Get Certified: https://www.lpi.org/our-certifications/getting-started/

Learning Materials

The LPI Learning site (learning.lpi.org) is an initiative of LPI to provide free teaching and learning materials aligned with their Linux and open-source certification programs. 

These “Learning Materials” are organized around the objectives of LPI’s exams: each lesson corresponds to a topic listed in an exam’s objectives. 

The materials are designed for both classroom use (teachers/trainers) and self-study. Materials can be found for the following languages:

• English
• Bosnian/Croatian 
• French (Français)
• German (Deutsch)
• Greek
• Hungarian
• Japanese (日本語)
• Polish (Polski)
• Portuguese (Português)
• Spanish (Español)
• Turkish (Türkçe)
• Ukrainian (Українська)
• Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

Learning materials help learners prepare for LPI’s certification exams such as “Linux Essentials”, “LPIC-1” etc. They are also suitable for educators/trainers who are teaching Linux/open source topics and want per-structured lessons with exercises. 

The materials are free for non-commercial use (downloadable in PDF or used in class) and continuously updated.

Learn More

Visit Learning: https://learning.lpi.org/en/

Membership

The Linux Professional Institute (LPI) Membership Program connects certified open-source professionals from around the world and gives them a formal role within LPI’s global community. It’s designed for professionals who have achieved LPI’s advanced certifications and want to continue growing, contributing, and influencing the future of open source.

How Membership Works

Eligibility

To become a member, you must hold an active professional-level certification:

LPIC-1, LPIC-2, LPIC-3, DevOps Tools Engineer, or BSD Specialist

(Note: Essentials certifications do not qualify for membership.)

Applicants with expired certifications can become eligible by submitting 20 PDUs.

Annual Membership Fee

Members pay a modest yearly fee to maintain active status. Pricing is determined by the country of the applicant.

At least one eligible certification must remain active (renewed within five years).

PDUs (Professional Development Units) 

Members can maintain their certification and membership eligibility by earning PDUs through approved learning, teaching, and contribution activities.

Professional Development Units (PDUs)

PDUs recognize a member’s ongoing professional growth and community involvement. They allow members to keep their certifications and membership active without retaking exams, as long as they demonstrate continuous engagement.

Members earn PDUs through activities such as:

• Completing additional certifications (LPI or recognized equivalents).
• Teaching, mentoring, or training in Linux and open-source topics.
• Contributing to open-source projects (code, documentation, translation, advocacy).
• Attending or presenting at conferences, webinars, and workshops.
• Publishing technical articles, blogs, or research papers related to open source.

Each qualifying activity grants a specific number of PDUs, which can be logged and tracked in the LPI Member Portal.

Member Benefits

• Voting Rights – Participate in LPI Board of Directors elections, directly influencing the organization’s direction. This includes getting elected to take one of three seats on the board specifically reserved for members.
• Professional Recognition – Receive an official physical and digital certificate of membership.
• Lifelong Learning – Maintain active certification through PDUs instead of retesting.
• Discounts – Reduced pricing on exams and special partner discounts.
• Networking Opportunities – Join a global community of certified open-source professionals.
• Eligibility to become an Approved Trainer.

What is unique about the LPI membership program

• The LPI Membership Program is the first governance-based professional membership in the IT certification world.
• Members govern and elect the organization’s leadership.
• It is founded on open-source values such as transparency, merit, and collaboration.
• It supports lifelong professional growth through PDUs, rewarding learning and community participation instead of just test-taking.
• It offers a novel way for certification holders to keep their certifications active.

Approved Trainer

• This designation is for individual trainers who are LPI members and have demonstrated both subject-matter expertise and instructional ability.
• Benefits include access to resources, use of the Approved Trainer logo, and discounts for students.
• Requirements are to hold a certified LPI professional level certification, providing a CV and teaching video, either having instructional experience or a recognized trainer credential, and attending a “Train the Trainer” webinar.

Learn More

Join Membership: https://www.lpi.org/member/

Become an Approved Trainer: https://www.lpi.org/community-programs/approved-trainer/

Member FAQ: https://www.lpi.org/member/faq/

Partner Programs

LPI invites organizations to join its global partner ecosystem so they can leverage its vendor-neutral Linux and open-source certification standards. 

Partners gain benefits like access to recognized certifications, free learning materials, marketing and branding support, networking in the Linux community, and opportunities to grow services in the open-source market. The process involves applying, getting eligibility reviewed, and signing an agreement to unlock the partnership advantages.

Academic Partner

• Targeted at educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities) offering IT-related courses, especially those integrating Linux and open source software into their curriculum. 
• Designed to help these institutions equip their students with open-source skills and industry-recognized certifications.
• Students can concurrently earn certifications in addition to their diplomas.

Training Partner

• For training providers and individual trainers who deliver IT / open-source education. 
• Aimed at helping trainers align their offerings with LPI’s globally-recognized certifications and thereby enhance the value of their training.

Solution Provider

• Designed for open-source and Linux-based “solution providers” (i.e., companies offering services or consulting) who want to combine their services with LPI’s vendor-neutral certification credentials.
• Allows partners to leverage LPI’s certification brand to boost trust and visibility.  

Publishing Partner

• Aimed at individuals, organizations and companies who publish material in preparation for our exams. 
• It is a platform for cooperation and bundling of activities for the benefit of candidates worldwide.
• For non-commercial authors or publishing platforms the partnership is free of charge! Publishers and commercial platforms pay an annual fee.

Learn More

Become a Partner: https://www.lpi.org/partner-programs/

Community (Volunteer) Programs

Booth Buddy

• Advocate & Represent at Events
• LPI invites volunteers to help at Linux/open source events as booth staff: representing LPI locally, engaging with attendees, and promoting open source. 

Share Your Voice

• Write/Publish Content
• LPI invites members or aspiring members to contribute articles, blogs or open source-technology commentary. 

Translation & Localization

• For those multilingual, there are opportunities to translate or review Linux/open-source learning material or resources. 
• This allows broader global reach of open source education.

Exam Development & Learning Material Contribution

• LPI invites community members to join the exam development team: helping define certifications, write questions, review items. 
• Also, contributing to learning materials: authors, reviewers, translators. 

Clubs Program: “Linux Clubs”

• Supports teachers, community organisers, Linux User Groups (LUGs), etc. 
• The goal is to make technology learning fun, support community centres, second-career learners, seniors, veterans, etc. 
• Benefits include: Free learning materials, support forum, free/discounted exam vouchers for club members (teacher free annual exam, two free Linux Essentials exams for club members each year)

Hall of Fellows

• The Linux Professional Institute Hall of Fellows recognizes people for their long-term and significant contributions to the FOSS community and the Linux Professional Institute.
• The Hall of Fellows is a permanent record of their accomplishments for the benefit of future generations of FOSS users.

Learn More

Join the Community: https://www.lpi.org/community-programs/

Meet Our Fellows: https://www.lpi.org/hall-of-fellows/

Marketing

Online presence

Website (lpi.org) – Central hub for certifications, exam info, community resources, partner programs, events, and sign-ups for updates.

Social media channels – Active presence on LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Mastodon to share announcements, campaigns, success stories, events, and community highlights.

Articles – Longer-form, authoritative pieces (e.g., partnerships, program updates, initiatives) aimed at informing stakeholders and showcasing impact.

Blog posts – Practical, story-driven content (career tips, exam prep, community spotlights, event recaps) to educate and engage the open-source audience.

Newsletters – Opt-in email updates with news, event invites, promotions, new learning materials, and calls to participate in community programs.

Print media

LPI produces brochures and rack cards to share information about certifications, partner programs and other critical information. 

Branding

• Purpose-Driven Identity: LPI’s brand is built around its mission to promote open source by elevating the people who work with it.
• Vendor-Neutral and Global: LPI stands out as a nonprofit that’s completely independent of any specific Linux distribution or training company, with certified professionals in over 180 countries.
• Distinct Visual Style: The brand uses a gold-toned logo to stand out in a sea of blue tech logos, paired with clean typography (Gill Sans and Open Sans) and simple, modern design elements.
• Authentic Imagery: Photography and graphics emphasize real people, diverse environments, and genuine collaboration—avoiding stock clichés to mirror the inclusivity of the open-source community.
• Consistency Builds Trust: LPI’s brand isn’t just a logo—it’s about maintaining a consistent look, tone, and message across all platforms to express reliability, openness, and professionalism.

Learn More:

LPI Brand Book: https://www.lpi.org/sites/default/files/LPI%20Brand%20Book.pdf

News: https://www.lpi.org/articles/

Blog: https://www.lpi.org/blog/

Operations / Customer Service

find.lpi.org

• Serves as a directory/search tool designed to help individuals and organizations locate approved training partners that deliver LPI-certified courses. 
• Useful for organizations training staff or wanting to partner with certified trainers, it gives visibility into recognized providers.
• Bridges LPI’s certification ecosystem and training supply, ensuring that training aligns with exam topics and recognized standards.

Accounts / portals

Candidate Area & Credential Management System

https://www.lpi.org/account

• Register for an LPI ID
• Update contact information
• Set account preferences
• View your exams and certifications, and download certification PDFs

Community Member Portal & LPI Web Store

https://people.lpi.org

• Purchase exam vouchers from LPI and redeem coupons
• Join membership
• Access member benefits
• Submit PDUs (professional development units) for membership

Community Discussion Forums

https://discuss.lpi.org

• Connect with fellow LPI community
• Create and join discussion groups

Pearson VUE Account

https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/lpi.html

• Create or update your Pearson VUE account
• Schedule exams (online or in-person)
• Locate testing centres
• Take exams online (Pearson VUE OnVUE)

Pearson VUE Marketplace

https://www.lpimarketplace.com

• Purchase exams vouchers from Pearson VUE

Credly

https://www.credly.com/users/sign_in

• Manage digital badges

Partner Portal

https://partners.lpi.org/login

• Where partners can manage their account

Partner Resources Portal

https://www.lpi.org/partner-resources/

• A resource hub for all LPI partners (training, channel, hiring) including marketing materials, logos, templates, voucher ordering, brand guidelines, and support.