When Can I Finally Renew My Microsoft Certification

When Can I Finally Renew My Microsoft Certification

When can I finally renew my Microsoft certification? - I’m certainly not alone with this or similar questions and the associated uncertainty. Okay, a certain impatience certainly resonates as well. After all, I would also like to schedule it into my daily routine. But how?

Facts

The role-based and specialized Microsoft certifications in the areas of Azure, Dynamics 365, Microsoft 365, Power Platform, and Security, Compliance and Identity are valid for one year, with the exception of the Foundation certifications, which do not expire. However, since February 2021, Microsoft offers the possibility to renew these certifications for one year each, free of charge.

To do this, you will receive an email from Microsoft 6 months (i.e. exactly 180 days) before the certification expires with all the necessary information to extend the certificate free of charge.

Against the impatience

But those who, like me, like to be prepared and planned for such issues, have to wait for the mail so far, it seems.

As always, a closer look at the URL structure will help the curious. You will notice that the existing structures like https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/certifications/azure-solutions-architect/ only need to be extended by the path segment renew/ . This addition will take us to a completely new page with extensive information about recertification, provided we are logged in with our Microsoft Learn account.

At first glance, we can see until when the certification is valid and how many days are left. Below that is the prompt:

If you have this certification and it will expire within six months, you are eligible to renew. Show that you have kept current with the latest Azure updates by passing the renewal assessment. You can also prepare to renew with the curated collection of learning modules.

Skills measured in renewal assessment:

  • Design a data storage solution for relational data
  • Design a data storage solution for non-relational data
  • Describe high availability and disaster recovery strategies
  • Design an Azure compute solution
  • Design an application architecture
  • Design network solutions
  • Design data integration

Countdown in hours
Screenshot from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/certifications/azure-solutions-architect/renew/
This is followed by hour-by-hour information on when the renewal exam will be available and a list of available learning paths and modules that can still be taken during the preparation time. Due to technological development, some modules are updated or new modules are added, so it is worth taking a look regularly.

Other extension exams.

This URL segment extension works with all role-based and specialized Microsoft certifications, as the following examples show.

Summary

It’s not a life-changing lifehack and 6 months (180 days) is really enough time to get your head around it. But if you have more than two or three certifications, scheduling certainly makes sense, so good luck with your next (re)certification.

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