In this paper, the optimal design of a progressively group-censored life test with the restriction of experimental budget is developed for the Chen distribution is considered. The maximum likelihood estimates, approximate confidence intervals for the parameters based on progressively group-censored sample are obtained. Wu et al.’s (2008a) approach is used to determine the number of test units, the number of inspections and the length of inspection interval of a life test under a pre-determined budget of experiment such that the determinant of the asymptotic variances-covariance matrix of estimators of parameters is minimum. A numerical example is presented and the sensitivity analysis is also studied.