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Validate your skills and advance your career by renewing your Microsoft certification.
Renew your Microsoft certification for free, in just 3 simple steps:
Microsoft’s free and convenient annual certification renewal process ensures you’re up to date on the latest technology advancements. Check your renewal timeline and make sure your skills and certifications are up-to-date. Once you’re eligible, you’ll receive an email reminding you to renew.
Have a question? Check out our FAQ below to learn more about certification renewals, expiration dates, and more. Alternatively, you can visit the Microsoft Learn website.
Do all Microsoft Certifications have the option to renew?
Microsoft associate, specialty, and expert certifications that have been available for more than six months have a renewal option.
Is there a cost to renew Microsoft Certifications?
No. Certification renewal is free to anyone with a valid Microsoft associate, specialty, and expert certification.
Do I need to renew my Microsoft fundamentals certification?
No. Renewal does not apply to fundamentals certifications as they do not expire
Why do role-based certifications expire after one year?
Certifications expire after one year to ensure that tech professionals keep skills up-to-date with evolving technology.
Can I renew my certification by passing a beta exam or by retaking an exam before my certification expires?
No. You must pass the renewal assessment for your certification on Microsoft Learn before your certification expires; no alternative paths are available to renew your certification. There are no exceptions to this policy.
My expert-level certification requires achieving an associate-level certification as a prerequisite. If the associate-level certification expires, will my expert-level certification automatically expire, too?
No. Your expert-level certification will not automatically expire if your associate-level prerequisite certification expires. Each certification must be renewed separately by passing the associated renewal assessment.
My certification expired. What happens now?
If your certification expires, you must earn the certification again by passing the required exam(s).
Are there different ways to renew my certification?
No. The only way to renew a Microsoft Certification is by passing the free, online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.
Can I renew my certification more than six months before it expires?
No. The renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn is only available once you're eligible six months before your certification expires. We recommend taking the renewal assessment well before expiration to allow time for any unforeseen events, such as medical emergencies, technical issues, or multiple retakes.
Where do I go to check what certifications are available for renewal?
Sign into your Learn profile, select the photo avatar, and choose Profile from the dropdown menu. Choose Certifications inside the profile menu and look for the blue Renew button as you scroll through your certifications. If you earned your certification before the integration with Learn, you'll need to connect your Certification Dashboard with your Learn profile to begin your renewal assessment.
How many times can I retake the assessment?
There is no limit to renewal assessment retakes. Just be sure to pass before your certification expires. If you don’t pass, you can try again immediately. After the second try, you'll need to wait at least 24 hours between future attempts.
Once I pass the renewal assessment, how long does it take to update my certification to show the new expiration date?
Once you pass the renewal assessment, the expiration date for your certification will be immediately updated on your Microsoft Learn profile.
Which languages are assessments available in?
Renewal assessments on Microsoft Learn will be available in the same language(s) as their corresponding certification exams.
I have heard renewal assessment is shorter. How do I prepare for the renewal assessment?
The renewal assessment is shorter because it focuses only on relevant updates. Renewal assessments take about 45 minutes to complete. Prepare by using the learning modules on the certification’s renewal page on Microsoft Learn.