Yes — most of them do. Role-based and specialty Microsoft certifications expire exactly one year after you pass the exam. Miss the renewal window and you lose the credential and have to retake the full exam at full cost. Active fundamentals certifications (AZ-900, SC-900, DP-900, etc.) are the exception — they never expire.
Which Certifications Expire (and Which Don't)
Microsoft splits its certifications into two groups with different expiry rules:
⏰ Expire After 1 Year
Role-based and specialty certifications
- • AZ-104 (Azure Administrator)
- • AZ-305 (Azure Solutions Architect)
- • AZ-500 (Azure Security Engineer)
- • AZ-700 (Azure Network Engineer)
- • SC-300 (Identity & Access Admin)
- • SC-200 (Security Operations)
- • MS-102 (Microsoft 365 Admin)
- • MD-102 (Endpoint Administrator)
- • MS-700, MS-721, PL-300…
- All associate, expert & specialty certs
✅ Never Expire (Active)
Currently available fundamentals certifications
- • AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals)
- • SC-900 (Security Fundamentals)
- • DP-900 (Data Fundamentals)
- • PL-900 (Power Platform Fundamentals)
- • AI-900 (AI Fundamentals)
- • AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals)
- • AB-900 (Copilot and Agent Admin Fundamentals)
- • GH-900 (GitHub Foundations)
Retired (no longer offered): MS-900 (Mar 2026), MB-910 & MB-920 (Dec 2025). Existing credentials remain on your transcript permanently.
Rule of thumb:If the exam number ends in -900 or the word "Fundamentals" is in the name, it never expires. Everything else expires in one year.
How Long Are They Valid?
Role-based and specialty certifications are valid for exactly one year from the date you pass the exam — not from when your transcript updates or when you receive the badge.
If you passed AZ-104 on June 1, 2025, it expires on June 1, 2026. Your Microsoft Learn transcript shows the exact expiry date under each certification.
Note: When you renew a certification, the new expiry is one year from your renewal date, not one year from the original expiry. So renewing early does not cost you time.
When the Renewal Window Opens
Microsoft opens the renewal window six months before your certification expires. You'll receive an email from Microsoft when you become eligible. You can also check your eligibility anytime on your Microsoft Learn profile.
Renewal Timeline at a Glance
Pass exam
Renewal window opens — free assessment available
Microsoft sends reminder emails
Certification expires — renewal closes
The renewal assessment is free, online, open-book, and unproctored. It takes about 45 minutes and focuses on new features added since you last certified. You can retake it as many times as needed within the window. See our complete renewal guide for step-by-step instructions.
What Happens If You Let It Expire
Once the expiry date passes, the credential is gone. There is no grace period. To regain it you must:
- Register for the full proctored exam
- Pay the full exam fee (typically $165 USD)
- Pass the exam from scratch
Real cost of missing renewal: The renewal assessment is free. The replacement exam costs $165+. Missing the window by even one day means paying in full again.
How to Track Your Expiry Dates
The simplest approach: check your Microsoft Learn transcript. Every active certification shows an expiry date on your profile page, and Microsoft emails you when you become eligible to renew.
The problem is that those emails are easy to miss, and if you hold multiple certifications on different renewal cycles, it's easy to lose track. A dedicated tracker helps.
Free: Certification Expiry Tracker
MSCertQuiz has a built-in expiry tracker. Add your certifications, enter your pass date, and get email reminders before you expire — automatically. Free users can track one cert with a 15-day reminder. Pro users track up to 10 certs with 90/30/7-day reminders.
Track My Certifications →Frequently Asked Questions
Does AZ-900 expire?
No. AZ-900 is a fundamentals certification and never expires. You will never need to renew it.
Does AZ-104 expire?
Yes. AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) is a role-based certification and expires one year after you pass. The free renewal assessment opens six months before expiry.
Do Microsoft certifications expire if you are not working in the field?
Yes — expiry is time-based, not use-based. The clock starts the day you pass and stops at one year, regardless of whether you are actively using the skills.
Can you renew a Microsoft certification early?
Yes. The renewal window opens six months before expiry. Renewing early is recommended — your new expiry date is one year from the renewal date, so you do not lose any time.
Is renewal free?
Yes. The renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn is completely free. It is shorter than the original exam, open-book, and unproctored. You can retake it as many times as needed.
What Microsoft certifications never expire?
Currently active fundamentals certifications never expire: AZ-900, SC-900, DP-900, PL-900, AI-900, AI-901, AB-900, and GH-900. Note that MS-900, MB-910, and MB-920 were retired in 2025–2026 — they are no longer offered, though credentials already earned stay on your transcript permanently.