How to Renew Your CompTIA Certification: The Complete CEU Guide

Most CompTIA certifications expire after three years — and letting one lapse means retaking the exam, since there's no grace period. The good news is that renewing is straightforward once you understand the Continuing Education (CE) program. This guide explains how renewal works, how many continuing education units (CEUs) each certification needs, the activities that earn them, the fees, and a shortcut that can renew several certifications at once.

This is the general guide. For step-by-step, certification-specific requirements, see the dedicated guides linked throughout.

The three-year cycle

Most current CompTIA certifications are valid for three years from the date you pass. They're part of the CompTIA Continuing Education program, which includes A+, Network+, Security+, CySA+, PenTest+, SecurityX, Linux+, Cloud+, and others. To keep a certification active, you renew it before it expires — either by earning CEUs or by passing a higher-level exam.

Two important exceptions and rules to know up front:

• No grace period. If a certification expires, you lose certified status immediately, and the only way back is to retake the current version of the exam.
• Server+ is Good for Life. It doesn't expire and needs no renewal — a genuine exception among CompTIA certifications.

How many CEUs do you need?

The CEU requirement scales with the certification's level — higher-level certifications require more. The standard requirements are:

A single CEU is roughly equivalent to one hour of a qualifying activity. Note that renewing higher certifications also renews the lower ones automatically (more on that below), so you rarely renew each one separately.

The stackable renewal shortcut

Here's the shortcut many people discover too late: earning a higher-level CompTIA certification automatically renews all the lower-level ones beneath it — with no CEU submission and the renewal fee waived for those lower certifications.

For example:

• Passing CySA+, PenTest+, or SecurityX automatically renews Security+ (and Network+ and A+).
• Passing Security+ renews Network+ and A+.
• Passing Cloud+ can renew Network+.

The key rule: the renewing certification must be higher-level than the one it renews. A same-level or lower certification doesn't count — for instance, Linux+ doesn't renew Security+, because it isn't above it in the security hierarchy. If your career plan already includes a higher certification, timing it before your lower ones expire renews everything in one move.

Ways to earn CEUs

If you're not stacking a higher certification, you build CEUs from approved activities. You can mix and match these to reach your total:

• Training and courses. Self-paced or instructor-led courses earn roughly one CEU per training hour. This is the most flexible route.
• Higher education. College courses earn CEUs (commonly around 10 CEUs per qualifying 3–4 credit-hour class).
• Industry certifications. Earning other IT certifications (from CompTIA or third parties like ISC2, GIAC, EC-Council, ISACA) can count as CEUs — though non-CompTIA certifications count as CEUs rather than triggering automatic renewal, and must be submitted manually.
• Conferences and webinars. Attending qualifying industry events earns CEUs per hour.
• Professional experience. Relevant work experience can count toward CEUs with documentation.
• Content creation and teaching. Publishing articles or white papers, or teaching relevant material, earns CEUs.

A common requirement across multiple-activity renewals is that activities be at least 50% relevant to the certification's exam objectives, with proper documentation.

Fees

Renewal involves a continuing education fee, commonly around $50 per year (roughly $150 across the three-year cycle). That's typically far cheaper than retaking the exam, which is one reason letting a certification lapse is worth avoiding. Fees are tied to your CE cycle rather than the calendar year.

How to submit

You manage renewal through your CompTIA account (CertMetrics / CertMaster CE): track your certification's expiration date, log CEUs as you earn them, upload documentation, pay the CE fee, and submit before your deadline. CompTIA's CEU assessment tool helps validate units before you submit. Some activities — like earning a qualifying CompTIA certification — are submitted automatically.

A simple renewal strategy

1. Note your expiration date the day you certify, and plan backward.
2. Decide your route: if you're pursuing a higher certification anyway, let it stack-renew everything. If not, plan your CEU activities across the three years.
3. Log as you go. Don't scramble in month 35 — record CEUs when you earn them.
4. Pay the CE fee and submit before expiry. Remember: no grace period.

Certification-specific guides

Requirements and the best renewal route vary by certification. For step-by-step details on the ones people ask about most:

• How to renew A+ (220-1201/1202) — 20 CEUs
• How to renew Network+ (N10-009) — 30 CEUs
• How to renew Security+ (SY0-701) — 50 CEUs
• How to renew CySA+ (CS0-003) — 60 CEUs
• How to renew PenTest+ (PT0-003) — 60 CEUs
• How to renew SecurityX / CASP+ (CAS-005) — 75 CEUs

Planning which certification to earn next? Our CompTIA certification roadmap shows how they stack — useful for choosing a higher certification that renews the ones you already hold. As an Authorized CompTIA Partner, we carry official training and vouchers.

FAQ

How long are CompTIA certifications valid? Most are valid for three years from the date you pass. Server+ is the exception — it's Good for Life.

What happens if my certification expires? You lose certified status immediately; there's no grace period. The only way back is to retake the current version of the exam.

Can one certification renew another? Yes. Earning a higher-level CompTIA certification automatically renews the lower ones beneath it, with the fee waived and no CEU submission.

Do non-CompTIA certifications help? They can count as CEUs toward renewal (submitted manually), but they don't trigger automatic renewal the way a higher CompTIA certification does.

How much does renewal cost? Typically around $50 per year (about $150 over three years) — usually much cheaper than retaking the exam.

Where do I submit my CEUs? Through your CompTIA account (CertMaster CE / CertMetrics), where you log activities, upload documentation, pay fees, and submit before your expiration date.