Data+ DA0-001 to DA0-002: What Changed in the V2 Exam

If you researched Data+ a while ago, you may have studied — or bought materials for — DA0-001. That exam has retired. CompTIA replaced it with DA0-002 (V2), and this isn't a cosmetic update: the passing score went up, the blueprint was reorganized, and a meaningful amount of new content was added. This article explains exactly what changed and how to study the right version.

For the full current picture, see the complete Data+ guide. This piece focuses on the transition.

The retirement, briefly

DA0-002 launched on October 14, 2025, and the English DA0-001 retired on April 14, 2026, after a roughly six-month overlap. The Japanese and Thai versions of DA0-001 run until July 16, 2026. After that, DA0-002 is the only Data+ exam available anywhere.

The practical implication: if you're starting now, you're taking DA0-002 — and DA0-001 study materials no longer match the current blueprint. If you're working from a course or study guide bought in 2024 or 2025, check the exam code on the label before you invest more time in it.

What stayed the same

The shape of the exam is familiar:

• Up to 90 questions in 90 minutes.
• Multiple-choice and performance-based questions.
• Five domains covering the same broad territory — concepts, acquisition and preparation, analysis, visualization and reporting, and governance.
• Vendor-neutral, early-career focus, with 18–24 months of reporting or business analyst experience recommended.

So your foundational data knowledge carries over. The changes are about the bar, the balance, and the modern content.

What changed: the passing score

The clearest change, and the one people miss: DA0-002 requires 720 on the 100–900 scale, up from DA0-001's 675. Same question count, same time limit — slightly higher bar. If you've read older advice calibrated to 675, adjust your readiness target. See the format guide for the full mechanics.

What changed: the blueprint

V2 reorganized the five domains and rebalanced them. The current weighting is:

The weighting is notably even, with Data Analysis and Data Acquisition and Preparation together making up nearly half the exam. Full detail is in the domains guide.

What changed: the content

This is where V2 really differs. The additions reflect what data work actually looks like now:

• AI awareness. Entirely new. Generative AI, large language models, foundational models, NLP, and automated reporting concepts appear at an awareness level — reflecting how AI tooling is reshaping the analyst's workflow. You don't need to build models; you need to know what these are and where they fit.
• Cloud and modern infrastructure. Public, private, and hybrid cloud models, object/file/block storage, and containerization basics are explicitly covered. DA0-001 treated these lightly.
• Modern data tooling. Power BI, Tableau, Looker, pandas, Anaconda, DBeaver, and notebook environments are referenced specifically, replacing older legacy tool references.
• ETL vs ELT. V2 explicitly tests whether you understand the difference and when each is appropriate.
• Stronger governance coverage. Documentation, lineage, explainability, ethics, and compliance get more attention — fittingly, as AI enters the pipeline.

How to study if you're coming from DA0-001

Three moves make the transition efficient:

1. Keep your fundamentals. SQL, cleaning, statistics, visualization principles, and governance basics all carry over. Confirm them and move on.
2. Front-load the new content. Give real attention to AI concepts, cloud and containerization basics, ETL vs ELT, and the modern tooling references. This is where V1 veterans have gaps.
3. Raise your readiness bar. With 720 to pass instead of 675, aim for a more comfortable practice margin before booking.

Make sure your materials are current

The single biggest mistake in this transition is studying from DA0-001 materials for a DA0-002 exam. They'll cover the shared fundamentals but miss the AI, cloud, and tooling content entirely — and they're calibrated to a lower passing score. Unauthorized "brain dumps" also violate CompTIA's candidate agreement, which can cost you your certification. Use current, official DA0-002 resources.

Study the current version: CompTIA Data+ CertMaster Learn (DA0-002) covers the updated objectives, and CertMaster Labs (DA0-002) build the hands-on skills the PBQs reward. Prefer structured self-study? CertMaster Study (DA0-002) is built for review and retention. As an Authorized CompTIA Partner, we carry official, current versions. Deciding whether Data+ is the right step now? See is Data+ worth it.

FAQ

Can I still take DA0-001? Not in English — it retired on April 14, 2026. The Japanese and Thai versions run until July 16, 2026. After that, DA0-002 is the only version.

Is my existing Data+ certification still valid? Yes. An earned Data+ certification remains valid for its three-year term regardless of the exam version you passed. The version change affects new candidates.

Is DA0-002 harder than DA0-001? The bar is slightly higher — 720 to pass versus 675 — and there's new AI, cloud, and tooling content. The format and overall difficulty level are otherwise comparable.

What's the most important new topic? AI awareness is the flagship addition, alongside expanded cloud/containerization content and the explicit ETL vs ELT distinction.

Can I study from my old DA0-001 materials? Only for the shared fundamentals, and cautiously. They miss the new content and are calibrated to the old passing score, so use current DA0-002 resources for the exam you'll actually sit.