Recertifying your Cisco Certification

Recertifying your Cisco certification is the smart way to hone your technical skills, build networking knowledge and accelerate your career dreams. And now with more ways than ever to recertify, you can start on your path toward recertification as early as today.

Recertifying your Cisco Certification

Recertifying your Cisco certification is the smart way to hone your technical skills, build networking knowledge and accelerate your career dreams. And now with more ways than ever to recertify, you can start on your path toward recertification as early as today.

Recertifying your Cisco Certification

Recertifying your Cisco certification is the smart way to hone your technical skills, build networking knowledge and accelerate your career dreams. And now with more ways than ever to recertify, you can start on your path toward recertification as early as today.

Ways to recertify

Take and pass Certification Exam

Use Continuing Education Credits

Combine Exam and Continuing Education

Continuing Education activities are a great way to earn credits toward recertification.

Cisco Certifications are valid for three years*

Cisco Associate, Professional, and Expert-level certifications are active beginning three years from the date certification is achieved. Each time recertification requirements are met, your “active” status will be extended for an additional three years. For example, here’s how it works:

Your Cisco certification and recertification is valid and active, three years from the date of issue.

You achieve and receive acknowledgement for recertification from the last date you complete all required Continuing Education and recertification activities.

CE credits are recognized from the date you complete a specific activity, or course. This means once you complete all required Continuing Education or recertification activities, your recertification will become active on that day.

* The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) entry-level certifications are valid for a lifetime and do not have an expiration date. They do not require and cannot be used towards recertification.

Recertification requirements

All requirements for recertification must be met by the certification expiration date. Individuals with expired certification(s) must complete the full examination process again to earn active status.

Recertification can occur at any time during the active period by advancing to the next level of certifications, earning continuing education credits, or a combination of both.

Certification Level & Duration

Exam only

Combine Exam & Continuing Education

Entry-level Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) certifications are valid for lifetime and will not have an expiration date. Therefore these certifications will not require recertification.

 

Cisco Certified Technician (CCT) Collaboration, Data Center, and Routing and Switching – 3 years
  • Pass the exam that corresponds to your current certification (CLTECH, DCTECH, or RSTECH)
  • Pass the current CCNA Composite exam
  • Pass any current Cisco Specialist exam
  • Pass any current Technology Core or CCNP Concentration Exam
  • Pass the current CCDE Written Exam, or current CCDE Practical Exam, or CCIE Lab Exam
  • Pass the Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr) interview AND the CCAr board review to extend lower certifications
  • CE credits are not applicable towards CCT recertification

Associate

  • Pass any one associate exam
  • Pass any one professional concentration exam
  • Pass one technology core exam
  • Pass any one expert-level written exam
  • Pass any one expert-level Lab/Practical exam
  • Earn 30 credits
Specialist
  • Pass any one professional concentration exam
  • Pass one technology core exam
  • Pass any one expert-level written exam
  • Pass any one expert-level Lab/Practical exam
  • Earn 40 credits
Professional
  • Pass one technology core exam
  • Pass any two separate professional concentration exams
  • Pass any one expert-level written exam
  • Pass any one expert-level Lab/Practical exam
  • Earn 80 credits

Or


  • Earn 40 credits AND pass any one professional concentration exam
CCIE
  • Pass the CCDE written exam
  • Pass any one expert-level Lab/Practical exam
  • Pass any three separate professional concentration exams
  • Pass one technology core exam and pass any one professional concentration exam
    (This is also a CCNP certification if done in the same track)
  • Pass any two technology core exams
  • Earn 120 credits

Or


  • Earn 40 credits AND pass one technology core exam
  • Earn 40 credits AND pass any two separate professional concentration exams
  • Earn 80 credits AND pass any one professional concentration exam
CCDE
  • Pass the CCDE written exam
  • Pass any one expert-level Lab/Practical exam
  • Pass any three separate professional concentration exams
  • Pass one technology core exam and pass any one professional concentration exam
  • Pass any two technology core exams
  • Earn 120 credits

Or


  • Earn 40 credits AND pass one technology core exam
  • Earn 40 credits AND pass any two separate professional concentration exams
  • Earn 80 credits AND pass any one professional concentration exam

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Questions about recertification?

Ask your recertification questions in the CLN community and receive expert advice regarding Continuing Education.

How to track your recertification status

Certification holders are responsible for monitoring their certification status.

Visit the Certification Tracking System to check the status of your Entry, Associate, Specialist, and Professional certifications.

To check the status of your Expert certifications, visit the CCIE/CCDE Tracker.

Recertification FAQs

Does Cisco give extensions for recertification?

No, Cisco does not provide extensions. It is the individual’s responsibility to recertify on time.

Can I retake the exam if I don’t pass?

Yes, you can retake the exam for the same cost, unless you purchased CCNA Exam Safeguard. However, there is a wait period between the original attempt and a retest:

  • Candidates who fail an Entry, Associate, Professional, Specialist or CCDE Written exam must wait a period of five (5) calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before they may retest for the same exam.
  • Candidates who fail an Expert-level lab or practical exam must wait a period of thirty (30) calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before they may schedule for the same exam.
  • Candidates who fail an Online/Un-proctored Cisco (700-xxx series) exam must wait a period of forty-eight hours (48 hours) after the failed attempt before they may retest for the same exam.
  • A candidate must wait a minimum of 180 days before taking the same passed Associate, Professional, Specialist, CCDE Written, or Online/Un-proctored Cisco (700-xxx series) exam with an identical exam number.
  • Once passed, candidates cannot retake any Expert-level lab or practical exam unless their status becomes Inactive.

How will I be notified about my certification expiration?

Recertification email reminders are sent at 90, 60 and 30 days. Emails are sent to the address on record in the individual’s profile.

How do I change the email associated with tracking my certifications?