How Long Do IT Certifications Last?

The sad reality is that most IT certifications expire, which can be frustrating after you spend days or weeks studying. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Technology changes over time, and we need to stay up to date on new developments as they emerge. 

We’ve created a comprehensive guide that explains how long IT certifications are valid and how you can stay current. With all the changes happening in IT certifications, now’s a good time to look at how long certifications last and what you can do to remain current. 

Which IT Certifications Expire?

Here’s a quick look at the common IT certifications and when they expire.

Some Microsoft Certifications Expire; Others are Lifetime 

Microsoft has extensively overhauled its certification program in the past few years. In 2020, Microsoft announced that the MCSA, MCSD, and MCSE would retire on January 31, 2021. People certified during this time would have a valid MCSE for three years and an MCSD for two years.

Microsoft now focuses on role-based certifications, aligning them more closely with current roles and positions. This is due to Azure and Cloud products continuously evolving and adding new features. Microsoft offers certifications for roles such as Azure Administrator Associate, Azure Security Engineer Associate, and Power BI Data Analyst Associate.

Fundamental exams like the AI-900 and AZ-900 do not expire and require no additional renewals. However, Associate, Expert, and Specialty Certifications need to be recertified. The great news is that renewing your Microsoft certification is free! All you need to do is log in to Microsoft Learn and complete your online assessment during your six-month eligibility window. Once you complete the assessment, your certification is extended for another year.

The assessments are not proctored. Instead, they are open-book and much shorter than the actual certification exam. This is because the recertification tests mainly highlight the latest changes and updates to the certification and associated technologies. You can take the assessment as many times as needed, as long as you do so before the certification expires.

Most VMware Certifications No Longer Expire

Until 2019, VMware required recertification for its VCP-level certifications every two years. That’s no longer the case. In 2019, VMware announced it was moving away from mandatory recertification for the VCP line of certifications. Even though recertification isn’t mandatory, you should consider it. If you are looking to work with newer versions of VMware products, then you might consider recertifying to accommodate major changes. 

VMware develops a new exam series for each product version, which means it offers many certifications. The exams themselves were typically retired after a few years, and the certifications were valid for two years. 

VMware moved to simplify its certification program in recent years. Instead of version-based certifications, VMware certifications are now versioned by year. Instead of earning the VCP-DCV 6.5, as it was in 2019, certifications now reflect the year: VCP-DCV 2019, VCP-DCV 2020, and the latest iteration, VCP-DCV 2024.

Most VMWare certification holders choose to "renew" by taking new exam versions as they're released, but there is no vendor requirement to do so. 

Cisco Certifications Expire Every 2 to 5 Years

Cisco certifications expire at different intervals depending on their level of expertise, and you have multiple options to renew.  

How to Recertify Your CCNA, CCNP, or Specialist

Cisco requires you to recertify your CCNA, CCNP, or Specialist certifications every three years. While that might seem daunting, you have several options. You can either pass one exam, earn Continuing Education credits, or complete multiple 'activities' that include teaching or mentoring, publishing an article, or using on-the-job training to earn CEUs. 

If you choose the exam route, Cisco isn't too picky about which one you decide to take. They'll accept one exam from any associate, professional, specialist, or expert level. It's important to note that they don't require you to earn another certification—only pass an exam. However, CCT exams don't count toward recertification.

It's crucial to keep these certifications valid. If you don't recertify your CCNA, CCNP, or Specialist, you'll need to start over and pass the required exams again.

Explore CBT Nuggets Cisco certification training. 

How to Recertify your CCIE or CCDE

Cisco requires recertification for CCIE or CCDE every three years. You can either pass one exam, earn Continuing Education credits, or complete activities such as teaching, gaining work experience, or publishing blogs. 

For the exam option, you can pass any expert-level written or lab exam, any technology core exam, any two professional concentration exams, or a combination of one technology core exam and one professional concentration exam.

Alternatively, you can earn 120 Continuing Education credits or combine earning credits with passing exams. For example, earning 40 credits and passing one technology core exam, or earning 80 credits and passing one professional concentration exam.

Unlike the CCNA and CCNP, if you miss the three-year CCIE or CCDE recertification deadline, your certification becomes inactive, and you'll need to pass the required exams again to regain active status.

How to Recertify Your CCar

If you have your CCar, you now have it for life. The certification is no longer offered, so there is no way to renew. 

Here is a breakdown on the Cisco website if you would like to check any other details.

CompTIA Certifications Expire Every Three Years

CompTIA has among the most straightforward validity guidelines but the most robust continuing education program. Most CompTIA certifications, including CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, Cloud+, PenTest+, Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+), Data+, and DataSys+, are good for three years.

The remaining three certifications—CompTIA Linux+, Project+, and Server+—did not expire, but they do now. Similar to the other exams, they expire after three years. 

How to Recertify Your CompTIA Certification

CompTIA has a vibrant continuing education (CE) program with many options for earning CE units—or CEUs. You need to accrue enough units to renew your CompTIA certification. Here are the number of CEUs you’ll need for each exam. 

The most direct route to renewal is earning a qualifying higher-level CompTIA certification or completing CompTIA CertMaster CE. These activities automatically renew your certification without requiring manual submission.

Because CompTIA renews its exams every three years or so, you can also opt to take the new exam version for immediate renewal. 

Approved training courses from most IT vendors are one way to earn CEUs. There are also several other ways to earn enough CEUs. For instance, you can earn another CompTIA certification, complete a college course, publish a blog post, attend a live webinar, or even write a book. 

CBT Nuggets training is also pre-approved for CEUs, so you can earn one CEU for each hour of training. The maximum number of CEUs you can earn for these activities varies by certification. Luckily, CompTIA has excellent documentation on how to earn CEUs, how many you need, and the limitations. 

It’s important to note that higher-level CompTIA certifications fully renew lower-level certifications, but the inverse is not true. For instance, renewing Security+ or Server+ will automatically recertify both Network+ and A+, and Network+ will fully renew A+. Here’s the full renewal hierarchy for CompTIA certifications. CompTIA has more information regarding recertification hierarchies here.

ISC2 Requires Recertification Every Three Years

Similar to the CompTIA renewal process, ISC2 has standardized its recertification process. Though, they word it a little differently. Earning an ISC2 certification requires ISC2 membership, which must be maintained with triennial dues and continuing professional education (CPE) credits. 

How to Recertify Your ISC2 Certification

ISC2 members can renew their certification (and membership) by completing a combination of activities over a three-year period that totals the required CPEs. ISC2 recognizes lots of activities for credits, like attending conferences, publishing articles, and even volunteering. Like most certification programs, ISC2 requires more CPEs for higher-level certifications.  

AWS Requires Recertification Every Three Years

Amazon certifications are good for three years. They have a fairly straightforward recertification program, but they have added some new methods that make recertifying a bit easier. It isn’t the most extensive recertification program we’ve seen, but it gives candidates more choices than before.

There is a new recertification option called AWS Cloud Quest. It is a 3D role-playing game that helps you build practical AWS skills, a novel approach to recertification. It allows you to recertify some AWS certifications for 3 years, making it a fun way to stay certified without taking an exam. The roles available in the game are:

• Cloud Practitioner 

• Serverless Developer

• Solutions Architect

• Machine Learning Specialist

• Security Specialist

• Data Analytics Specialist

• Networking Specialist

Other AWS certifications allow you to retake the same exam or take a higher-level exam. For example, if you wanted to renew your AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Associate certification, you could retake the same exam or earn the AWS Certified Solutions Architect—Professional certification. Check out their website for full details about AWS recertification.

Why Some Certifications Expire, and Others Don’t

There have been some big changes in IT certification recently, though most certifications still expire. Microsoft and VMware are outliers because their certifications support products rather than skills. They’ll tell you they wanted to put career progression back in the hands of professionals.

In reality, they’re admitting that if you were certified two years ago, you’re likely just as qualified to manage the product or service today if it hasn’t undergone any substantial changes or version releases. Microsoft and VMware release certifications with new products, so it makes sense for those certifications to be good for life. 

It’s unlikely that Cisco, CompTIA, and ISC2 certifications will change anytime soon. That’s because they’re skills-based certifications—not product-based. Products largely remain the same from their release to the end of their life, while skills need to be regularly updated. 

Certifications are designed to validate your skills and knowledge in an industry-approved way. When the necessary technical skills change, as they often do, there must be a way to update them across the industry. That’s exactly what certification (and recertification) does—and it seems unlikely that’ll change. 

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