How to Renew CompTIA A+
Your CompTIA A+ is valid for three years. To keep it, you earn just 20 CEUs — the lowest target in the CompTIA stack — and pay a small CE fee. No re-exam required. Here is exactly how the renewal cycle works, the fastest ways to earn your credits, and what happens if you let it lapse.
01 The short answer
A+ is the entry point of the CompTIA stack, so it carries the lightest renewal load of the three core certifications — 20 CEUs versus 30 for Network+ and 50 for Security+. That makes it one of the easiest professional IT certifications to keep current: a single course or one stacked exam clears the whole cycle. The trick is simply not to forget the three-year deadline.
The most common mistake A+ holders make is treating renewal as something they will sort out later, then realising in the final month that the clock has nearly run out. CEUs do not have to be earned all at once, but they do all have to be logged and the CE fee paid before your personal expiry date. Because the easiest route — CertMaster CE — can be completed in a single sitting, there is rarely any reason to panic; the real risk is simply losing track of when your three years are up. Set a reminder for a few months before, and renewal becomes a formality rather than a scramble.
02 The CEU requirement, in detail
Unlike some programmes, CompTIA does not split A+ credits into mandatory technical and optional groups — you simply need to reach 20 CEUs from approved activities over the three years. What varies is how many CEUs each activity is worth, and the requirement climbs as you move up the stack. A single qualifying activity can be worth anything from a fraction of a CEU to the full 20, so it pays to pick the right one rather than stitching together a dozen small ones.
The figure to anchor on is 20. Everything in the CompTIA CE catalogue is measured against that target, and because A+ sits at the base of the stack, it is the lowest bar CompTIA sets. Network+ holders carry 30, Security+ holders 50, and the more advanced certifications more still — but for a standalone A+ you only ever need to clear 20 across the full three years, an average of under seven CEUs a year.
| Requirement | Amount | What counts |
|---|---|---|
| A+ CEUs / cycle | 20 over 3 years | The lowest CEU target of the CompTIA core stack |
| Sources of CEUs | Mix freely | Training, higher certifications, college courses, conferences, webinars, publishing, and relevant work experience |
| Network+ (for comparison) | 30 CEUs | Renewing Network+ also renews A+ beneath it |
| Security+ (for comparison) | 50 CEUs | Renewing Security+ renews Network+ and A+ in one go |
03 Six ways to earn the 20 CEUs
You do not have to do any one thing to renew A+. CompTIA approves a broad mix of activities, and most A+ holders clear 20 CEUs with a single course or stacked exam. The six routes below cover almost everyone — you can lean entirely on one or blend several until the total reaches 20. Each carries a rough CEU value so you can see at a glance how far it gets you.
CertMaster CE for A+
A single self-paced online course built specifically to renew A+. Finish it and all 20 CEUs post at once — and the price includes your CE fee, so there is nothing extra to pay.
Earn Network+ or Security+
Passing a higher CompTIA exam renews A+ automatically through the stackable model — no separate CEU submission needed. The best option if you are advancing your career anyway.
Earn an industry certification
Many non-CompTIA certifications from approved providers count toward your CEU total. CompTIA publishes the CEU value of each qualifying certification.
Complete a college course
Relevant college or university courses in IT subjects earn CEUs based on contact hours. Keep your transcript or completion record as evidence.
Training, webinars & conferences
Industry training, vendor webinars, and multi-day conferences each carry a CEU value. A single conference can supply a large slice of your 20 in one go.
Relevant work experience
Documented, A+-relevant work experience can be submitted for CEUs — a way to earn credit for what you already do, provided you can evidence it.
04 The renewal cycle, step by step
However you choose to earn your CEUs, the renewal itself follows the same four steps. None of them is difficult — the only one people stumble on is the deadline — and if you renew through CertMaster CE, steps one and three collapse into a single purchase. Here is the full loop.
↻ Repeats every 3 years
Earn 20 CEUs
Hit 20 CEUs from approved activities — or simply take the CertMaster CE course for A+, which covers all 20 at once.
Log them
Record each activity in your CompTIA certification account and keep your supporting evidence in case of an audit.
Pay the CE fee
Settle the A+ CE fee (about $25 a year). If you renew via CertMaster CE, the fee is already bundled into the course price.
Renewed for 3 years
Once your 20 CEUs and fee are in, A+ renews for another three years — no re-exam, and the clock resets.
05 What happens if your A+ expires
Renewal is cheap and quick; letting A+ lapse is neither. The whole point of the CE programme is that staying current costs a fraction of what regaining the certification does — so it is worth understanding exactly what is at stake if the three years run out and the deadline passes unmet.
06 FAQ
How many CEUs does CompTIA A+ renewal require?
CompTIA A+ requires 20 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) over each three-year cycle. That is the lowest requirement in the CompTIA stack: A+ needs 20, Network+ needs 30 and Security+ needs 50. You earn CEUs from a mix of approved activities such as training, higher certifications, college courses, conferences and relevant work experience, and you log them in your CompTIA certification account.
Does CompTIA A+ expire?
Yes. The current A+ is valid for three years from the date you pass and must be renewed through CompTIA's Continuing Education programme. The one exception is very old A+ certifications earned before 2011, which were issued as "good for life" and never expire. Any A+ earned under the current model does expire after three years if you do not renew it.
What is the easiest way to renew CompTIA A+?
The single fastest path is the CompTIA CertMaster CE course for A+ — a self-paced online course that, on completion, earns all 20 CEUs at once and renews the certification. The CertMaster CE price includes the CE fee, so you do not pay it separately. Alternatively, earning a higher CompTIA certification such as Network+ or Security+ renews A+ automatically through the stackable-certification model.
What happens if my CompTIA A+ expires?
If you let A+ lapse past the three-year window and any grace period, the certification expires and can no longer be used on your CV or LinkedIn. To regain it you must sit and pass the current A+ exams again — which for A+ means both core exams. That is far more time and money than earning 20 CEUs, so it is much cheaper to stay current.
