How to Renew Your CCNA Certification
Your CCNA is valid for three years. To keep it, you recertify by passing an exam, by earning 30 Continuing Education credits, or by combining both. Here is exactly how each route works, which one is fastest for you, and what happens if you let it lapse.
01 The short answer
Cisco unified its recertification model across the whole certification programme, so the same exam-or-Continuing-Education logic that applies to CCNP and the specialist tracks also applies to CCNA — only the credit total changes by level. For CCNA, the bar is 30 CE credits; higher certifications such as CCNP and CCIE require more. The crucial point is that you no longer have to sit an exam at all if you would rather learn continuously and bank credits instead.
02 The two recert paths, compared
Every route to a renewed CCNA falls into one of three buckets: sit an exam, earn Continuing Education credits, or blend the two. Here is how they line up so you can pick the one that fits your time and budget.
| Route | What you do | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Exam route | Retake CCNA 200-301, or pass any higher qualifying Cisco exam — an associate-level exam, a CCNP core exam, or a professional-level exam — before your expiry date | People levelling up anyway, or who prefer one focused study push to ongoing admin |
| Continuing Education route | Earn 30 CE credits from Cisco training and qualifying activities, then submit them in your Cisco certification account before expiry | People who learn continuously and would rather not sit another exam |
| Combination | Mix partial CE credits with a qualifying exam to reach the threshold — useful if you have some credits but not the full 30 | People part-way through either route who want to close the gap flexibly |
03 The ways to recertify your CCNA
You have more options than just re-sitting the test. A mix of exams and Continuing Education activities — some of which you may already be doing for work — all count towards keeping your CCNA active.
Retake the CCNA 200-301 exam
The most direct route: pass the current CCNA exam again before your expiry date and your three-year cycle resets in full. One exam, no credit admin.
Pass a higher Cisco exam
Passing a CCNP core or professional-level exam — or another qualifying associate exam — recertifies your CCNA and adds a stronger certification to your CV at the same time.
Earn CE credits via Cisco training
Cisco Continuing Education courses award credits towards your 30. A digital-learning course of roughly fourteen hours can earn about a dozen credits, so two or three clear the bar.
Take online Cisco courses
On-demand and self-paced Cisco Digital Learning items map to CE credits when they appear in the qualifying catalogue. Keep enrolling and your credits accumulate towards renewal.
Instructor-led training
A multi-day instructor-led course from an authorised Cisco Learning Partner can earn a large block of CE credits in one go — often enough to recertify on its own.
Mix an exam with CE credits
Short of the full 30? Pair the credits you already hold with a qualifying exam to top up to the threshold. The combination route is built for exactly this gap.
04 The renewal cycle, step by step
↻ Repeats every 3 years
Check your deadline
Find your exact CCNA expiry date in your Cisco certification account — three years from when you passed.
Choose your path
Decide between the exam route, the 30-credit CE route, or a combination of the two.
Complete it
Sit the qualifying exam, or earn and submit your CE credits, before the expiry date arrives.
Recertified
Meet the requirement and your CCNA renews for another three years — the clock resets from that date.
05 What happens if your CCNA lapses
Unlike some certifications, Cisco is strict here: there is no cushion once the date passes, so the timing matters.
06 FAQ
How long is a CCNA valid and how do I renew it?
Your CCNA is valid for three years from the date you pass the exam. To renew it you recertify within that window by one of three routes: pass a qualifying Cisco exam, earn 30 Continuing Education (CE) credits, or use a combination of both. Complete one of these before your expiry date and the certification renews for another three years.
How many Continuing Education credits does CCNA recertification require?
CCNA recertification requires 30 Continuing Education (CE) credits earned within your three-year cycle. Higher Cisco certifications need more — for example, CCNP requires more credits than CCNA. CE credits come from Cisco training such as digital learning courses, instructor-led training delivered by authorised partners, and other qualifying activities, and are valid for three years from the date the activity is completed.
Can I recertify CCNA without an exam?
Yes. The Continuing Education route lets you recertify CCNA without sitting any exam by earning 30 CE credits through qualifying Cisco training and activities. You can also use a combination of partial CE credits plus a qualifying exam. The exam itself is only mandatory if you let the certification lapse, in which case you must pass it again to regain it.
What happens if my CCNA expires?
Cisco does not offer extensions or a grace period, and CE credits do not carry over once a certification lapses. If your CCNA expires you become inactive and must re-take and pass the CCNA 200-301 exam to regain it. Because of this it is far cheaper to recertify on time by exam or by earning your 30 CE credits before the deadline.
