How soon can I retake a failed certification exam?
Retake waiting periods vary by vendor: CompTIA requires 14 days before the first retake, 14 days between subsequent retakes, and limits candidates to three attempts in a 12-month period. Cisco requires 180 days after a third failed attempt. AWS requires 14 days between attempts with no stated annual limit. Microsoft requires 24 hours after the first failure, 14 days after the second, and 6 months after the third. Always verify current policies on the vendor's website before scheduling.
Failing a certification exam is a common experience. According to data from CompTIA, a significant portion of candidates fail on their first attempt, and this percentage increases for higher-level and more difficult certifications. Understanding retake policies before you first sit for an exam helps you plan financially, psychologically, and logistically.
This guide compiles current retake policies across major certification vendors and explains how to approach a retake more successfully than the first attempt.
Retake Policies by Vendor
CompTIA
CompTIA's retake policy as of 2024:
- First retake: Must wait 14 days after the failed attempt
- Subsequent retakes: Must wait 14 days between each attempt
- Annual limit: No more than three attempts for the same exam within a 12-month period
- Cost: Full exam fee for each retake
- Exception: If you pass an exam, you cannot retake it for 12 months
| Attempt | Waiting Period | Annual Limit |
|---|---|---|
| First retake after failure | 14 days | 3 attempts per 12 months |
| Second retake | 14 days from last attempt | |
| Third retake in 12 months | Last attempt in that 12-month period |
Cisco
Cisco's retake policy is more restrictive for later attempts:
- First retake: 5 days after the first failure
- Second retake: 5 days after the second failure
- Subsequent retakes: 180-day waiting period after a third failure on the same exam
- CCIE/CCDE lab exams: Higher failure fees and different waiting periods
The 180-day waiting period after three failures is among the most punitive in the industry and reflects Cisco's view that multiple failures indicate need for substantial additional preparation.
Amazon Web Services
AWS retake policy:
- First retake: 14 days after failure
- Subsequent retakes: 14 days between attempts
- No stated maximum attempts per 12 months, though AWS reserves the right to modify this
- Cost: Full exam fee ($150-$300 depending on certification level)
Microsoft
Microsoft's retake policy:
- First retake: 24 hours after failure
- Second retake: 14 days after the second failure
- Third retake: 6 months after the third failure
- Limit: No more than 5 attempts per 12 months
- Passing: After passing, must wait 12 months before retaking
Microsoft's 24-hour window after the first failure is one of the most generous immediate retake policies among major vendors, though the 6-month period after a third failure provides an effective hard brake on serial attempts without adequate preparation.
PMI (PMP)
PMI's retake policy for PMP:
- Attempts allowed: Three attempts within one year of initial eligibility
- Waiting period: 1 year from the first attempt if all three attempts are used
- Process: Must reapply after exhausting all attempts within the eligibility period
The Financial Cost of Failing
Understanding retake costs motivates thorough preparation:
| Certification | Exam Fee | Cost of Two Failures |
|---|---|---|
| CompTIA Security+ | ~$392 | $1,176 total |
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate | $150 | $450 total |
| Cisco CCNA | $330 | $990 total |
| Microsoft AZ-104 | $165 | $495 total |
| PMP | $405 (PMI member) | $1,215 for three attempts |
"Every dollar spent on quality study materials is a dollar saved on retake fees. The Sybex study guide and a practice exam platform cost $80 combined. One failed exam costs $150-$400. The math is unambiguous." -- Certification preparation community financial planning advice
Strategies for a Successful Retake
A failed exam is valuable data if you use it correctly. Most vendors provide domain-level score breakdowns (not specific questions or answers) that reveal which areas need improvement.
Analyze your failure report:
- Most vendors send a diagnostic report showing your performance by domain
- Identify domains where you scored below 70%
- These become your primary focus for retake preparation
Change your study approach:
- If you used only a study guide, add a practice exam platform
- If you used practice exams, analyze wrong answers more systematically
- If you ran out of time, practice timed exams more extensively
Increase hands-on practice:
- Simulation questions are often the differentiator between passing and failing
- Add lab work specific to domains where you underperformed
Schedule a longer preparation window:
- Adding just two to three weeks of preparation time after a careful failure analysis is more effective than rushing back to retake within the minimum waiting period
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a failed exam appear on my transcript or certification record? No. Certification vendors do not report failed attempts on official transcripts or verification records. Employers who verify certifications through vendors only see currently active credentials, not failed attempts.
Should I retake immediately after the waiting period or take more time? Taking more time is almost always better. The minimum waiting period exists to prevent impulsive retakes. Candidates who invest three to four additional weeks of targeted preparation after reviewing their failure report pass at significantly higher rates than those who retake at the minimum wait time.
What if I disagree with my exam score? Scoring challenges (formal score appeals) are available from most vendors but are rarely successful. Psychometric validation ensures that scores reflect actual performance. Documented errors in exam content can be submitted as challenges. If you believe a specific question was flawed, most vendors have a process for submitting question challenges, though these are reviewed after the exam window closes.
References
- CompTIA. (2024). CompTIA Certification Exam Retake Policy. https://www.comptia.org/certifications/testing/exam-retake-policy
- Cisco Systems. (2024). Cisco Certification Exam Retake Policy. https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/training-events/training-certifications/certifications/exam-policies.html
- Amazon Web Services. (2024). AWS Certification Exam Retake Policy. https://aws.amazon.com/certification/policies/
- Microsoft. (2024). Microsoft Certification Exam Retake Policy. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/support/exam-reschedule-and-cancellation-policy
- Project Management Institute. (2024). PMP Exam Retake Policy. https://www.pmi.org/certifications/project-management-pmp/earn-the-pmp/pmp-exam-preparation
- Google Cloud. (2024). Google Cloud Certification Exam Retake Policy. https://cloud.google.com/certification/faqs