Does CCNP Expire? Yes — 3-Year Recertification Required

Yes, Cisco CCNP expires every 3 years. You must earn 80 Continuing Education (CE) credits or pass a qualifying exam to maintain your certification. CCNP is Cisco's professional-level certification available in tracks like Enterprise, Security, Data Center, Service Provider, Collaboration, and DevNet. Renewing CCNP also automatically renews your CCNA through Cisco's cascade system.

CCNP Recertification Options

Cisco provides multiple paths to maintain CCNP. Choose the one that best fits your budget and learning style:

Option	Requirements	Cost
CE Credits	80 CE credits over 3 years	$0-$2,000
CCNP Exam	Pass any CCNP core or concentration exam	$330
CCIE Lab	Pass any CCIE lab exam	$1,600
Mix CE + Exam	Combine CE credits with exam credits	Varies

How to Earn CCNP CE Credits

80 CE credits over 3 years averages to about 27 credits per year. Here are the primary sources:

• Cisco U. online courses: 8-64 CE credits per course, available on demand
• Cisco Live conference: 40-80 CE credits per event — can nearly cover your entire 3-year requirement
• Cisco Learning Credits (CLCs): Free if your employer is a Cisco partner
• Cisco authored content: Writing blogs, whitepapers, or training materials — 10 CE credits per item
• Instructor-led training: Cisco authorized courses typically provide 24-40 CE credits
• Cisco DevNet learning: Programming and automation courses count toward CE credits

Cisco Cascade Renewal System

One of the most valuable aspects of Cisco's certification program is the cascade renewal system. When you renew a higher-level certification, all lower-level certifications are automatically renewed:

• Renewing CCNP → automatically renews CCNA
• Renewing CCIE → automatically renews CCNP and CCNA
• Earning a new CCNP track → renews existing CCNP and CCNA

This means CCNP holders never need to separately maintain their CCNA certification, saving both time and money.

CCNP Tracks and Their Renewal

All CCNP tracks follow the same renewal requirements. Renewing any track renews all your CCNP certifications:

CCNP Track	Core Exam	Focus Area
Enterprise	ENCOR (350-401)	Routing, switching, wireless, SD-WAN
Security	SCOR (350-701)	Network security, firewalls, VPN
Data Center	DCCOR (350-601)	ACI, compute, storage networking
Service Provider	SPCOR (350-501)	MPLS, segment routing, VPN services
Collaboration	CLCOR (350-801)	UC, video, Webex

What Happens If CCNP Expires?

• Lose CCNP designation: Cannot use the title professionally
• CCNA also expires: Your associate-level cert goes inactive too
• Must re-earn from scratch: Pass the CCNP core exam plus one concentration exam
• No grace period for CE path: Once expired, exam is the only reinstatement option
• Previous CE credits lost: Any credits earned during the expired cycle don't carry over

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CCNP expire?

Yes. CCNP expires every 3 years. Earn 80 CE credits or pass a qualifying exam to renew.

How many CE credits does CCNP need?

80 CE credits over 3 years. Cisco U. courses, Cisco Live, and authored content are the primary sources.

Does renewing CCNP also renew CCNA?

Yes. Cisco's cascade renewal means maintaining CCNP automatically maintains CCNA. You never need to separately renew CCNA if your CCNP is active.

What is the cheapest way to renew CCNP?

Free if your employer provides Cisco Learning Credits. Otherwise, passing a single CCNP concentration exam ($330) is the most cost-effective option.

What happens if CCNP expires?

You lose the CCNP title and CCNA also expires. You must pass the CCNP core exam plus one concentration exam to re-earn the certification.

Can I renew CCNP by earning CCIE?

Yes. Passing any CCIE lab exam automatically renews CCNP and CCNA through cascade renewal.