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Continue validating your knowledge and maintain a competitive edge in your IT career by keeping your certification active.

Recertifying your Cisco certification

Continue validating your knowledge and maintain a competitive edge in your IT career by keeping your certification active.

Keep your certification active

Watch how recertification works

Keeping your Cisco certification active 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.

How it works

Understand the certification timeline

Most Cisco certifications are active for three years from the date you earn the certification. Your certification becomes active on the day you complete all required Continuing Education. It will be valid for another three years. The Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) entry-level certifications have a 5-year recertification cycle.

Decide how you want to recertify

You can recertify at any time during the active period by re-taking the exam for your existing certification, advancing to the next level of certifications, or earning the required Continuing Education credits.

Learn more about Continuing Education credits

Meet the recertification requirements

You must meet all recertification requirements by the certification expiration date. If you have an expired certification, you must complete the full exam process again to earn active status.

Track your recertification status

If you have an active certification, you are responsible for monitoring its certification status.

Track Entry, Associate, Specialist, or Professional certification Track CCIE or CCDE certification

To recertify Associate-level certifications:

To recertify Specialist-level certifications:

To recertify Professional-level certifications:

To recertify CCIE certifications:

To recertify CCDE certification:

To recertify CCST certifications:

Candidates who have earned the CCST certification prior to July 15, 2025, their certification will remain valid for a lifetime.

Candidates who have earned the certification on July 15, 2025, and beyond will need to recertify using one of the following options:

  • Pass the current CCST exam (Cybersecurity, Networking, or IT Support)
  • Pass any current Associate-level exam
  • Pass any current technology core or concentration exam
  • Pass any current CCDE written exam, CCDE practical exam, or CCIE lab exam

CE credits are not applicable towards CCST recertification.

To recertify CCT certification, choose one option below:

  • Pass the current CCT exam (FLDTEC)
  • Pass any current Associate-level exam
  • Pass any current technology core or concentration exam
  • Pass any current CCDE written Exam, CCDE practical Exam, or CCIE lab exam

CE credits are not applicable towards CCT recertification.

Cisco Customer Success Manager

Your certification is valid for three years. To recertify, you must retake and pass the Cisco Customer Success Manager (820-605 CSM) exam before your certification expires. Continuing Education credits cannot be used to recertify.

Recertification FAQs

Visit Cisco Continuing Education (CE) to learn about various options to earn CE credits towards recertification.

No, Cisco does not provide extensions. If you have an active certification, it’s your responsibility to recertify on time.

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:

  • If you fail an Entry, Associate, Professional, Specialist or CCDE Written exam, you must wait five calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before you can retest for the same exam.
  • If you fail an expert-level lab or practical exam, you must wait 30 calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before you can schedule for the same exam.
  • If you fail an online, unproctored Cisco (700-xxx series) exam, you must wait 48 hours after the failed attempt before you can retest for the same exam.
  • You must wait a minimum of 180 days before taking the same passed Associate, Professional, Specialist, CCDE Written, or online, unproctored Cisco (700-xxx series) exam with an identical exam number.
  • Once you pass any expert-level lab or practical exam, you cannot retake it unless your status becomes “inactive.”

Cisco sends recertification email reminders to the address in your certification profile at 2 years, 1 year, 90, 60, and 30 days before your certification expires.

  • Step 1: Create a new account at Cisco.com using your new email address, and ensure that you activate your new account by clicking the link in the activation email that will be sent to you.
  • Step 2: After your new Cisco.com account has been activated, then create a new case with Cisco Support and request that your new Cisco.com ID for your new email be added to your CSCO account in Certification Tracking System (CTS / CertMetrics). Also inform our Support team whether you'd like your new Cisco.com ID to be made the default ID for your CSCO account.

Work toward recertification with Cisco U.

When you complete certification paths on Cisco U., you’ll be awarderd CE credits, which you can apply toward recertification.

Start for free

More recertification resources

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Get answers to your questions about recertification

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

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