MicrosoftAvailable
AZ-104
MS-102 Retirement November 2026: What to Do Before Nov 30
Exam MS-102 retires on November 30, 2026, so there are about three weeks left to sit it. This guide covers who should hurry, what the retirement means for Administrator Expert, a short study plan and how to book with a voucher.
Short answer: Exam MS-102: Microsoft 365 Administrator retires on November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time. If you need it for Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert, book a slot now and finish with a few days of buffer. After that date, Microsoft tells you to follow the certification page for requirements.
Exam MS-102 retires on November 30, 2026, at 11:59 PM Central Standard Time. As of November 6, 2026, about 24 days remain. If you want MS-102 on your record, book it now.
This comes from Microsoft's exam page, checked on November 5, 2026. Microsoft also states: "Complete this exam before the retirement date to ensure it is applied toward your certification."
Who should sit MS-102 before the deadline
You should hurry if you are working toward Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert. MS-102 is part of the requirements for that certification.
Use this table to decide.
Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
You already hold one qualifying associate certification and want the Expert title | Book MS-102 now |
You are studying MS-102 but have not booked | Book a date this week, then study toward it |
You are early in your Microsoft 365 career | Do not rush an Expert-level exam. Open the Microsoft Credentials roundup (June 2026) and the Administrator Expert certification page first |
You cannot study about 25 hours before November 30 | Skip the rush. Read the roundup and the certification page to plan your next step |
Microsoft describes the candidate as an administrator who deploys and manages Microsoft 365 and does tenant-level work in cloud and hybrid environments. You are expected to have functional experience with all Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Entra ID. You also need working knowledge of networking, Active Directory Domain Services, DNS and PowerShell.
How Administrator Expert works and where the replacement path lives
The exam page says that to become a Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert, you must earn at least one of these certifications:
Microsoft 365 Certified: Endpoint Administrator Associate
Microsoft 365 Certified: Teams Administrator Associate
Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate
MS-102 is the other half of that pairing. After the retirement date, Microsoft says to "refer to the related certification for exam requirements." So the Administrator Expert certification page becomes your source of truth once MS-102 is gone.
This guide does not list the new exams. Microsoft's replacement path is in the Microsoft Credentials roundup (June 2026). Open the "Learn more" link in the retirement warning at the top of the MS-102 exam page to reach it.
What the exam measures
The English exam was updated on April 28, 2026. Localized versions follow roughly eight weeks later, though Microsoft warns the schedule can slip. The passing score is 700.
The exam page and the study guide list different weights. Check the official study guide the week you test.
Skill area | Exam page weight | Study guide weight (as of April 28, 2026) |
|---|---|---|
Deploy and manage a Microsoft 365 tenant | 10-15% | 25-30% |
Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access | 25-30% | 25-30% |
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR | 35-40% | 30-35% |
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview | 15-20% | 10-15% |
Both sources give Defender XDR the largest share. Spend most of your hours there, then on Entra.
Supported languages are English, Chinese (Simplified), German, Spanish, French, Japanese and Portuguese (Brazil). If your language is not offered, the study guide says you can request an additional 30 minutes.
A 3-week study plan (about 25 hours)
This plan assumes you already work in Microsoft 365. Adjust it if you are newer.
Week | Hours | Focus |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 | 8 | Entra: sync with Entra Connect Sync or Cloud Sync, IdFix, authentication methods, SSPR, Conditional Access, MFA |
Week 2 | 10 | Defender XDR: Secure Score, incidents, alerts, advanced hunting. Then Purview basics |
Week 3 | 7 | Tenant tasks, roles, PIM, administrative units, then the free practice assessment and the exam sandbox |
The study guide lists bulk user management with Microsoft Graph PowerShell. Practice it in a test tenant:
Connect-MgGraph -Scopes "User.ReadWrite.All"
Get-MgUser -All | Select-Object DisplayName, UserPrincipalName
Get-MgSubscribedSkuTake the free practice assessment on Microsoft Learn around day 14. Use any weak topic to guide your last week. For a similar Microsoft planning guide, see our AZ-104 exam guide.
Book fast with a voucher
Microsoft exams are scheduled through Pearson VUE from the exam page. Here is a safe order of steps.
Sign in to your Microsoft Learn profile with a personal Microsoft account. Microsoft warns that exam records tied to a work or school account are lost, and unrecoverable, if you leave that organization.
Buy your voucher first. Browse our Microsoft exam vouchers and confirm the exam you need is listed. The code is emailed within 12 hours of payment and also appears in your account.
Schedule the exam for a date at least a few days before November 30. That leaves room to reschedule if something goes wrong.
Use the code in the Pearson VUE scheduling flow.
You can cancel an order for a full refund before delivery. A delivered code is non-refundable unless the test provider rejects it as invalid, already used or expired on first use. In that case, contact support within 14 days with your order number and a screenshot, and we replace or refund it. Details are on our refund policy and delivery policy pages.
Common mistakes in the final weeks
Waiting for a perfect score on practice tests. Book first. A date creates focus.
Using an old study source. The exam changed on April 28, 2026. Match your material to the current skills list.
Ignoring Defender XDR. It carries the largest weight on both pages.
Registering with a work account. Use a personal one.
Booking on November 30. The cutoff is 11:59 PM CST, and any technical issue on that day could cost you the attempt.
After you pass: renewal
Microsoft says associate, expert and specialty certifications expire annually. You renew by passing a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Connect your certification profile to Microsoft Learn so you can schedule exams, renew and print certificates.
If you are also building a security track, our cybersecurity certification page lists related options. Ready to test? Get your Microsoft voucher from the store so the code arrives well before the deadline.
Sources
Questions about this topic
Can I still take MS-102 after November 30, 2026?
No. Microsoft lists the retirement time as 11:59 PM Central Standard Time on November 30, 2026. After that, you follow the requirements on the related certification page instead.
Do I need another certification besides MS-102 for Administrator Expert?
Yes. Microsoft says you must earn at least one of three associate certifications: Endpoint Administrator, Teams Administrator, or Identity and Access Administrator. MS-102 is part of the requirements alongside that.
Which account should I use to register for the exam?
Use a personal Microsoft account. Microsoft says exam records registered under a work or school account are lost, and cannot be recovered, if you leave that organization.
How early should I buy a voucher?
Buy it as soon as you decide to test. Our codes are emailed within 12 hours of payment, and you still need time to schedule and, if needed, move your appointment.
Is the exam in languages other than English?
Yes. It is offered in Chinese (Simplified), German, Spanish, French, Japanese and Portuguese (Brazil) as well as English. Localized versions are updated about eight weeks after English, though Microsoft says that can vary.
