Does CompTIA A+ Expire? Yes — 3-Year Renewal Guide

Yes, CompTIA A+ expires every 3 years. Renewal requires 40 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and a $50 annual fee ($150 total over 3 years). CompTIA's Continuing Education (CE) program keeps A+ holders current with evolving hardware, software, and troubleshooting technologies. The easiest renewal path is CertMaster CE, CompTIA's automated online course.

CompTIA A+ Renewal Options

CompTIA offers several paths to earn the required 40 CEUs:

Renewal Path	CEUs	Cost	Effort
CertMaster CE	All 40	$199	Easiest
Earn Network+ or Security+	All (cascade)	$358+	High
Mix of activities	Varies	$0-$500	Moderate
Retake both exams	N/A	$716	Highest

CEU Sources for CompTIA A+ Renewal

• CompTIA webinars: 1 CEU per hour — free on CompTIA's website
• Industry conferences: 1 CEU per hour of attendance
• College courses: 1 CEU per hour of instruction in IT-related subjects
• Publishing articles/blogs: Up to 6 CEUs per published work
• Teaching IT classes: 1 CEU per hour taught
• Non-CompTIA certifications: Microsoft, Cisco, AWS certs earn CEUs (varies)
• CompTIA CertMaster Learn: Provides CEUs through self-paced learning modules

CompTIA Cascade Renewal System

CompTIA's cascade renewal is one of the best features of the CE program. Renewing a higher-level certification automatically renews all lower-level certs:

• Earning/renewing Network+ → automatically renews A+
• Earning/renewing Security+ → automatically renews A+ and Network+
• Earning/renewing CySA+ → automatically renews Security+, Network+, and A+
• Earning/renewing CASP+ → automatically renews all lower CompTIA certs

This means if you plan to earn Network+ or Security+, you don't need to separately renew A+. The cascade handles it automatically.

3-Year Cost of Maintaining CompTIA A+

Expense	CertMaster CE	DIY CEUs
Renewal Fee ($50 × 3)	$150	$150
CEU Activities	$199	$0 (free sources)
Total	$349	$150

What Happens If A+ Expires?

• Lose A+ designation: Cannot use "CompTIA A+" on your resume or LinkedIn
• Must retake both exams: Core 1 and Core 2, $358 each = $716 total
• No grace period: Once expired, the only option is retaking the current version exams
• May need to study updated content: Exam objectives change with new versions

Frequently Asked Questions

Does CompTIA A+ expire?

Yes. A+ expires every 3 years. You need 40 CEUs and must pay the $50/year renewal fee.

How many CEUs does A+ need for renewal?

40 CEUs over 3 years. No annual minimum. CertMaster CE ($199) provides all 40 automatically.

What is the easiest way to renew A+?

CertMaster CE ($199) is the easiest — it's an online self-paced course that provides all 40 CEUs and handles renewal automatically.

Does earning Network+ or Security+ renew A+?

Yes. CompTIA's cascade system automatically renews A+ when you earn or renew any higher-level CompTIA cert (Network+, Security+, CySA+, CASP+).

What happens if A+ expires?

You must retake both exams (Core 1 and Core 2, $358 each = $716 total). There's no grace period or shortcut renewal after expiration.

Can I renew A+ for free?

CEUs can be earned for free through webinars, volunteering, and publishing. The $50/year renewal fee to CompTIA is mandatory.