Does CompTIA A+ Expire? Renewal and CEUs Explained
Yes. A CompTIA A+ certification is valid for 3 years from the date you earned it. To keep it, renew before it expires: earn 20 CEUs (continuing education units) and pay a $75 CE fee, pass a higher-level CompTIA certification such as Network+, or, for older A+ versions, complete CompTIA's CertMaster CE course. A+ certifications earned before January 1, 2011 are good for life and never expire.
Ways to renew A+
| Option | Cost | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Earn 20 CEUs | $75 CE fee | Log CEUs from training, work experience, teaching and other activities, then pay the fee before your certification expires. |
| Pass a higher-level CompTIA certification | That exam's voucher (Network+ is $399) | Network+, Security+, Linux+, CySA+, PenTest+ or SecurityX renews A+ automatically, with no CE fee. |
| Earn a qualifying non-CompTIA certification | That exam, plus the $75 CE fee | One certification on CompTIA's A+ list, such as Cisco CCNA or AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, covers all 20 CEUs. |
| Complete CertMaster CE | $139 | CompTIA's 8 to 10 hour online renewal course, with no CE fee. It's only for A+ earned on 220-1101/1102 or earlier, not V15. |
| Pass the latest A+ version | Two vouchers at $274 | Counts only once a newer A+ version than yours is out. V15 (220-1201/1202) is the current version. |
Whichever you choose, it has to be finished before your certification expires. Earning or renewing Network+, Security+, Linux+, CySA+, PenTest+ or SecurityX renews A+ too, and A+ then shares that certification's expiration date. Other CompTIA certifications, such as Data+ and Project+, don't fully renew A+.
When does my A+ expire?
A+ expiry date calculator
Use the certification date shown in your CompTIA account.
The 3 years start on the date you earned the certification, which your CompTIA account shows. CompTIA's own example: certified on January 15, 2025, renew by January 15, 2028, and the renewed certification then runs to January 15, 2031.
Earning CEUs: what counts for A+
You need 20 CEUs within the 3 years. Activities must relate to the A+ objectives: for most activities, at least 50% of the content (or of your work, for work experience) has to. Most activities have a cap:
| Activity | CEUs | Most per cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Training course | 1 per hour | 20 |
| College course (3 to 4 credit hours) | 10 per course | 20 |
| Live webinar | 1 per hour | 4 |
| Industry conference | 1 per hour | 4 |
| IT work experience | 3 per year | 9 |
| Teaching or mentoring | 1 per hour | 10 |
| Creating instructional materials | 2 per hour | 10 |
| Article or white paper (4+ pages) | 4 each | 8 |
| Blog post (500+ words) | 1 each | 8 |
Some certifications from other vendors count too. A single certification on CompTIA's A+ list, such as Cisco CCNA, AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Microsoft Azure Fundamentals or ISC2 CC, covers all 20 CEUs, and others give partial credit. The $75 CE fee still applies.
Fees, uploading and audits
- The CE fee is $75 for the whole 3 years, not a yearly charge, and you pay it only when you renew with CEUs or a non-CompTIA certification. Renewing with CertMaster CE, the latest A+ version, or a higher-level CompTIA certification that fully renews A+ has no CE fee. Paying the fee on its own doesn't renew anything.
- Upload CEUs in your CompTIA account at login.comptia.org, under Continuing Education, with your certificate or other proof attached.
- Keep your records. CompTIA audits CE submissions at random, even after a cycle ends, so keep a copy of every certificate and letter you upload.
- Sign the Code of Ethics and Candidate Agreement each year, before you upload CEUs or pay the fee. CompTIA won't renew a certification without them.
What happens if A+ expires
After the expiration date there's a 30-day grace period to pay fees and upload CEUs you'd already earned, but it doesn't give extra time for new activities. After that, an expired certification can't be renewed: your digital badge shows as expired, and the way back is to pass the current version of the A+ exams. CompTIA emails reminders 2 years, 1 year, 180, 90 and 30 days before your certification expires.
Planning ahead as a student
- Network+ within 3 years renews A+ with no CE fee. If Network+ is your next certification, passing it moves A+ to Network+'s expiration date. The A+ vs Network+ guide compares the two.
- CertMaster CE doesn't cover V15. CompTIA's current CertMaster CE course is only for A+ earned on 220-1101/1102 or earlier, so V15 holders can't use it.
- Retaking A+ counts only once a newer version is out. V15 (220-1201/1202) is the current version, and CompTIA estimates it will retire in 2028.
- Log CEUs as you go. Training courses, live webinars and a year of A+-related IT work all count, so keep certificates and letters as you earn them.
For now, focus on passing. Practise with the free A+ lab simulations and the free A+ practice test.