Renew your Microsoft Certification

Microsoft Certifications validate having relevant skills and knowledge needed to successfully perform in job roles for a modern digital business. Certifications can help open career opportunities and demonstrate your ability to support your organization’s digital transformation. And, given the speed at which technology evolves in a cloud world, it’s important to keep your skills current and your certification active.

On December 15, Microsoft introduced a new approach to help learners stay current. Those who have an active certification expiring within six months can renew their certification annually – at no cost – by passing a renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn.

Certification renewal schedule

Approximately six months after role-based and specialty certifications have been in market, associated renewal assessments and collections of learning modules will be made available on Microsoft Learn. Renewal assessments will be updated in alignment with updates made to certification exams.

When you’re eligible to renew your certification, you’ll be notified via email linked with your Microsoft Certification ID (MCID). You will receive up to four email reminders before your certification expires. After you have renewed your certification, you’ll no longer receive reminders until it’s time to renew again.

The first set of renewal assessments that will be made available are listed here. These are planned in the order that individual learner eligibility opens for renewals. Learners are eligible for renewals within six month prior to their certification expiration. Please check this page for updates/changes to the list.

Benefits of renewing your certification

• Maintain your Microsoft Certification with a continuous learning mindset and keep your skills current at no cost.
• Validate your skills with the latest technology updates that affect the job role.
• Renew your certification without having to pay for and pass any exam(s).

Certification renewal requirements

• If you hold a valid Microsoft role-based or specialty certification that expires within approximately six months, you may renew it.
• To renew your certification, pass the associated assessment on Microsoft Learn before your certification expires.

How to renew your certification

• To identify which certifications are available for you to renew, visit your Certification Dashboard.
• Ensure your certification profile is connected to your Docs profile on Microsoft Learn.
• As soon as you’re eligible to renew, you will receive an email notification directing you to the assessment that will be available on Microsoft Learn.
• When you pass the online assessment, your certification will be extended by one additional year from the current expiration date.
• To help prepare for the assessment, advance your skills with a collection of free, self-paced learning modules. Explore available modules associated on the certification renewal page.

Changes to certification expiration policy

On December 15, 2020 Microsoft announced a change in certification expiration policy. Starting Wednesday, June, 30 2021 @12am GMT (June, 29 2021 @5pm PT), any role-based or specialty certification earned will be valid for one year from the date you earned it. Any role-based and specialty certifications earned before June 2021 will remain valid for two years from the date you earned it.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, check out frequently asked questions about renewing Microsoft Certifications.

1. Can I renew my certification before I receive notifications that I’m eligible to do so?No, the renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn is only available once you’re eligible – approximately six months before your certification expires. You will receive a notification email from Microsoft, alerting you when the renewal assessment is available.
2. Is it mandatory for me to connect my certification profile to my Docs profile on Microsoft Learn?Yes, connecting your certification profile enables you to take the renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn when you’re within the eligibility window. You’ll also have a more personalized experience.As part of the renewal process, you will be required to use the same personal Microsoft account credentials for both your certification profile and Doc profile on Microsoft Learn. Please note that only one certification profile can be connected to one Docs profile. If you have multiple certification profiles, please contact our certification support team to merge your Microsoft Certification profiles before connecting to your Docs profile.
3. What’s the difference between my Microsoft Certification profile and Docs profile on Microsoft Learn?Your Microsoft Certification profile holds the record of your certification history with Microsoft, and you access it with a personal Microsoft account. If you have registered for a Microsoft Certification exam or accessed the Certification Dashboard, you have a Microsoft Certification profile.Your Docs profile on Microsoft Learn includes activity history across Microsoft Learn, Docs, Q&A, and code samples. You access it using either a personal Microsoft account or a work or school account.
4. I have a Microsoft Certification profile and a Docs profile on Learn, each associated with different personal accounts. How do I connect these two profiles?Before you can connect a Microsoft Certification profile and Docs on Learn profile that each use different personal accounts, you will need to choose a single personal account to use for both. To review your options for connecting these accounts, please see the document “Aligning accounts between Certification Profile and Learn Profile”.
5. My certification expired. What happens now?If your certification expires, you must earn the certification again by passing the required exam(s).
6. Can I renew my certification by passing a beta exam or by retaking an exam before my certification expires?No. To renew your certification, you need to pass the renewal assessment before your certification expires.
7. Do all Microsoft Certifications have the option to renew?Microsoft role-based and specialty certifications that have been available for more than six months will have the renewal option.
8. Do I need to renew my Microsoft fundamentals certification?No. The certification renewal process does not apply to fundamentals certifications since they do not expire.
9. Are the renewal assessments aligned to the regular exam update cadence?Yes, updates to the assessments are aligned with certification exam updates.
10. Which languages are assessments available in?Renewal assessments on Microsoft Learn will be available in the same language(s) as their corresponding certification exams.
11. How many times can I retake the assessment?You may retake the assessment as many times as you need to take it to pass, and you must pass before your certification expires. If you do not pass the first time, you may immediately attempt the assessment again. However, after the second try, you must wait at least 24 hours before any additional attempts.
12. If I renew my expert level role-based certification and it includes an associate-level pre-requisite certification, does my associate-level certification also automatically renew?No. Each certification must be renewed separately by passing the associated assessment.
13. My expert-level certification requires achieving an associate-level certification as a pre-requisite. If the associate-level certification expires, will my expert level automatically expire too?No, your expert-level certification will not automatically expire if your associate-level pre-requisite certification expires. Each certification must be renewed separately by passing the associated assessment.

If you never took a Microsoft Certification, have a look at Value of a Certification!

Original reference https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/learn/certifications/renew-your-microsoft-certification