Exam retirements and new exams: the dates that matter
Last days to sit retiring exams and launch dates for new versions, read from the vendors’ own pages. Checked 5 November 2026. Every row says what to do and links to the voucher for that exam.
Upcoming dates
| Date | Exam | What changes | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| CompTIA Security+ V8 (SY0-801) | New version expected to launch on or around this date, with more coverage of AI-related risks, security operations and modern environments. Security+ V7 (SY0-701) stays available after the launch. Vendor page | If you have already studied for SY0-701, sit it; the certification you earn is the same. Start V8 only if you begin studying after launch. CompTIA vouchers. | |
| CompTIA CySA+ V3 (CS0-003) learning products | English learning products for the retiring version are withdrawn. The exam itself stays open until 22 December. Vendor page | Buy any V3 study material you still need before this date. CS0-003 voucher. | |
| Microsoft MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator | Retires at 11:59 PM Central Time. It is the exam for Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert. Vendor page | Book and pass before the date if you want this certification path; Microsoft's credentials roundup lists the replacement path. Microsoft vouchers. | |
| AWS re:Invent 2026, Las Vegas | Not a retirement: AWS has said in-person attendees receive a 50% discount voucher valid for any AWS Certification exam, and certification news usually lands during the week. Vendor page | Attending? Use the attendee voucher. Not attending? Compare our AWS voucher prices with the list price. AWS vouchers. | |
| CompTIA CySA+ V3 (CS0-003) English exam | Last day for the English exam. Translated versions retire on 23 March 2027. CySA+ V4 is the new version. Vendor page | Sit CS0-003 before this date if you have prepared for it; otherwise prepare for V4. CS0-003 voucher. | |
| AWS Advanced Networking – Specialty (ANS-C01) | Last day to take the exam. AWS has not named a replacement; it points to Skill Builder networking training. A certification you earn stays valid for its full three-year term. Vendor page | Book before the date. The exam fee is 300 USD; our voucher is cheaper and delivered by email. ANS-C01 voucher. | |
| CompTIA CySA+ V3 (CS0-003) translations | Last day for the translated versions of the retiring exam. Vendor page | Candidates sitting in a language other than English have until this date. CS0-003 voucher. |
How a retirement works
A vendor announces the last day for an exam, usually three to six months ahead. Appointments after that day are cancelled, and the exam cannot be booked again. Anyone who passes before the last day earns the normal certification with its normal validity. Translated versions and study material often retire on different days from the English exam, so check the row for your language.
Common questions
Does my certification expire when the exam retires?
No. A retired exam cannot be taken after its last day, but a certification you have already earned keeps its own validity period (three years for AWS and CompTIA, one year for Microsoft role-based certifications, renewed through Microsoft Learn).
Can I use an exam voucher I bought now on the new version of the exam?
Usually yes, when the new version is sold by the same exam provider at the same price: a voucher pays the exam fee for a certification, not a specific version. Check the product page for the exam the voucher covers, and ask us before buying if you plan to sit a version that is not out yet.
Should I take the old version or wait for the new one?
If you have already studied for the current version, sit it before it retires: the certification is the same. Start on the new version only when you begin studying after the launch, because its study material and practice tests take months to catch up.
Where do these dates come from?
Each row links to the vendor page it was read from, checked on 5 November 2026. We do not copy dates from third-party trackers. If a vendor changes a date, the vendor page is right and this table is updated afterwards.
Book the exam before the date
See every voucher price next to the official exam fee, browse all exam vouchers, or read how and when a voucher code is delivered.