CompTIA Network+ renewal keeps your certification active after it expires. The certification is valid for 3 years from the date you earn it. You can renew through the CompTIA CE program using continuing education units within that 3-year cycle, by passing the current version of the exam again, or by earning a higher CompTIA certification.
Certifications that expire are only useful if you know the renewal rules before the clock runs out, not after. This page covers exactly how long CompTIA Network+ stays valid and the ways CompTIA lets you keep it current.
How long does CompTIA Network+ last?
CompTIA Network+ is valid for 3 years from the date you pass the exam. After that period, the certification is no longer considered current unless you have renewed it through one of CompTIA's recognized paths.
Does CompTIA Network+ expire?
Yes. Like other CompTIA certifications, Network+ is not valid indefinitely. If you do not renew before the end of your 3-year cycle, your certification lapses, and you would need to start over through the current exam to hold an active Network+ credential again.
How to renew CompTIA Network+
CompTIA gives you three ways to renew:
- CompTIA CE program — earn continuing education units (CEUs) within your 3-year cycle.
- Pass the current exam version again — sit whichever N10 exam code is current at the time and pass it.
- Earn a higher CompTIA certification — passing a higher-level CompTIA credential on the Network+ ce track also renews your Network+ status.
Any one of these three paths keeps your certification active; you do not need to do all three.
A detail worth knowing: you cannot retake the same exam code to recertify
If you passed N10-009 specifically, you cannot recertify by simply retaking N10-009 itself once you have already passed it. Recertification by exam means passing whichever exam version is current at the time you renew, which may be a newer code than the one you originally passed, or going through the CE program or a higher certification instead. Plan your renewal path with that in mind rather than assuming a straightforward repeat of your original exam.
Choosing a renewal path
Which path makes sense depends on your situation. Continuing education fits candidates who are actively working in the field and can document relevant activity within the 3-year window. Retaking a current exam version fits candidates who prefer a single defined task over ongoing tracking. Earning a higher certification fits candidates who were planning to advance anyway and can let that upgrade cover Network+ renewal at the same time. See the career path page for what a higher-level CompTIA certification after Network+ could look like.
Planning ahead
Do not wait until close to the end of your 3-year cycle to decide how you will renew. If you are leaning toward the CE program, start tracking qualifying activity early in the cycle. If you are leaning toward retaking an exam, check the exam format and cost and booking pages well ahead of your expiration date so you have time to prepare properly rather than cramming against a deadline.
Why the exam changes underneath renewal-by-exam
CompTIA periodically retires older exam versions and replaces them with a new code, which is part of why recertifying by retaking your original exam code is not an option. A candidate who passed an earlier Network+ version, for example, would renew today by sitting the current N10-009 exam rather than the retired one. This matters for planning: if your renewal strategy is to pass a current exam, build in time to study any content that has changed since you first certified, rather than assuming your original preparation still matches the current domain weights exactly.
If you are preparing for the exam itself
Everything above assumes you already hold Network+ and are thinking about renewal. If you have not passed it yet, start with the prerequisites and exam objectives pages instead, and come back to this page once your certification is active and you want to plan how to keep it that way.
Exam facts on this page come from CompTIA’s own pages (official exam page). Prices, versions and policies change — confirm there before you book.