Microsoft certifications prove that you can do a specific technical job with Microsoft technologies, from administering Azure to securing identities or building AI agents. In 2026, Microsoft organizes its certifications into three solution areas: Cloud and AI Platforms, AI Business Solutions, and Security. Within each area you can start with a Fundamentals certification, move on to Associate certifications for specific job roles, and progress to Expert or Specialty certifications as your experience grows.
This guide includes our updated Microsoft certifications roadmap for 2026, the full list of active certifications, the exams Microsoft retired this year and what replaced them, and practical paths by job role. We also explain how to prepare, what exams cost, and how renewal works, so you can choose your next certification with confidence.
In this guide:
- Microsoft Certifications Roadmap 2026
- Microsoft Certifications 2026 Video
- What Are Microsoft Certifications and How Do They Work?
- Microsoft Certifications List 2026
- What Changed in 2026
- Microsoft Certification Paths by Job Role
- How To Get a Microsoft Certification
- Microsoft Certifications FAQ
Microsoft Certifications Roadmap 2026
Our roadmap shows every active Microsoft certification, grouped by solution area and level. Retired exams are left out, and certifications with a pending change are marked so you can plan around them. Click the image to open it full size in a new tab, or download the roadmap as a PDF.
Download the Microsoft Certifications Roadmap 2026 (PDF)
Read the roadmap from top to bottom. Fundamentals certifications sit at the top and need no prior certification. Associate certifications in the middle match specific job roles. Expert certifications, marked with a star, require a qualifying associate certification first. Specialty certifications cover narrower technologies, and the new Business level covers AI skills for nontechnical roles.
Microsoft Certifications 2026 Video: Roadmap and Where to Start
Prefer to watch? In this seven minute video, we explain how Microsoft certifications work, walk through the 2026 roadmap and the main certification paths, help you choose your first certification for your role, and cover the four steps to get certified.
What Are Microsoft Certifications and How Do They Work?
Microsoft certifications are credentials Microsoft awards when you pass the exams for a specific job role, such as Azure administrator, AI developer, or security engineer. Each one proves you can do that work with Microsoft technologies.
Most certifications require one exam. Each certification also has a level that tells you who it is designed for and whether you need to renew it.
| Level | Expires? | Who it is for | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | No | Beginners, career changers, and nontechnical professionals who need to understand a technology | AZ-900, AI-901, SC-900 |
| Associate | Yes, renew yearly | Professionals working in a specific technical role, usually with some hands on experience | AZ-104, AI-103, SC-200 |
| Expert | Yes, renew yearly | Experienced professionals who design solutions or lead implementations; prerequisites apply | AZ-305, AZ-400, SC-100 |
| Specialty | Yes, renew yearly | Professionals who work with one technology in depth | AZ-140, DP-420, GitHub Copilot |
| Business | Varies | Business professionals and leaders using AI in their work | AB-730, AB-731 |
Microsoft also offers Applied Skills, shorter scenario based credentials that validate one specific task, such as deploying a particular Azure workload. Applied Skills do not expire, and Microsoft groups them with certifications under the name Microsoft Credentials.
No. Passing one exam no longer earns an MCP title, and the older MCSA and MCSE certifications are retired. Today you earn named certifications such as Azure Administrator Associate. If you held one of the older titles, see our guides to MCSA alternatives and MCSE alternatives, or read how to become a Microsoft certified professional today.
Microsoft Certifications List 2026
Below is every active Microsoft certification, organized the same way Microsoft organizes them. Certification names link to our bootcamp where we offer one, and every bootcamp price includes the official course and the exam vouchers for its certifications.
Cloud and AI Platforms: Azure Infrastructure
These certifications cover administering, networking, and architecting Azure, plus Windows Server and DevOps.
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Fundamentals | AZ-900 | Fundamentals |
| Azure Administrator Associate | AZ-104 | Associate |
| Azure Network Engineer Associate | AZ-700 | Associate |
| Windows Server Administrator Associate | AZ-802 | Associate |
| Azure Solutions Architect Expert | AZ-305 | Expert |
| DevOps Engineer Expert | AZ-400 | Expert |
| Azure for SAP Workloads Specialty | AZ-120 | Specialty |
| Azure Virtual Desktop Specialty | AZ-140 | Specialty |
If you plan to earn more than one Azure certification, our combined programs cover AZ-104 and AZ-305 in 6 days or AZ-900, AZ-104, and AZ-305 in 10 days. For a full progression, see our Azure certification path and our AZ-802 Windows Server certification guide.
Cloud and AI Platforms: AI and App Development
Microsoft replaced its earlier AI and developer certifications in 2026 with a new set focused on AI apps, agents, and machine learning operations.
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Azure AI Fundamentals | AI-901 | Fundamentals |
| Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate | AI-103 | Associate |
| Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate | AI-200 | Associate |
| Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate | AI-300 | Associate |
| Multi-Agent AI Solutions Expert (beta) | AI-500 | Expert |
Developers who also want the DevOps Engineer Expert certification can combine both in our AI-200 and AZ-400 bootcamp. For a deeper comparison, read our guide to the best Microsoft AI certifications.
Cloud and AI Platforms: Data
Data certifications now center on Microsoft Fabric, Azure Databricks, SQL, and Power BI.
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Azure Data Fundamentals | DP-900 | Fundamentals |
| Azure Database Administrator Associate | DP-300 | Associate |
| Fabric Analytics Engineer Associate | DP-600 | Associate |
| Fabric Data Engineer Associate | DP-700 | Associate |
| Azure Databricks Data Engineer Associate | DP-750 | Associate |
| SQL AI Developer Associate | DP-800 | Associate |
| Power BI Data Analyst Associate | PL-300 | Associate |
| Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty | DP-420 | Specialty |
Our Power BI bootcamp covers PL-300 and PL-900 in 5 days. Analysts moving into Microsoft Fabric can continue with our Fabric Analytics Engineer bootcamp (DP-600).
AI Business Solutions: Microsoft 365
These certifications cover managing devices, Teams, Microsoft 365 services, and Copilot and agents across an organization.
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft 365 Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals | AB-900 | Fundamentals |
| Endpoint Administrator Associate | MD-102 | Associate |
| Teams Administrator Associate | MS-700 | Associate |
| Collaboration Communications Systems Engineer Associate | MS-721 | Associate |
| AI Services Administrator Associate (beta) | AB-650 | Associate |
| Administrator Expert (retires November 30, 2026) | MS-102 | Expert |
AB-650 is the replacement for MS-102. Our MD-102 and AB-650 bootcamp covers both associate certifications in 6 days. Our guide to the best Microsoft 365 certifications compares them in more detail.
AI Business Solutions: Power Platform, AI Apps, and Dynamics 365
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Power Platform Fundamentals | PL-900 | Fundamentals |
| Intelligent Applications Builder Associate | AB-410 | Associate |
| AI Agent Builder Associate | AB-620 | Associate |
| Power Platform Developer Associate (exam moving to AB-400) | PL-400 | Associate |
| Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect | AB-100 | Expert |
| Dynamics 365 Sales AI Consultant Associate | AB-210 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Contact Center AI Engineer Associate | AB-250 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Customer Service Functional Consultant Associate | MB-230 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Finance Functional Consultant Associate | MB-310 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management Functional Consultant Associate | MB-330 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations Apps Developer Associate | MB-500 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central Functional Consultant Associate | MB-800 | Associate |
| Dynamics 365 Business Central Developer Associate | MB-820 | Associate |
| AI Business Professional | AB-730 | Business |
| AI Transformation Leader | AB-731 | Business |
Security
Security certifications cover security operations, identity, information protection, cloud and AI security, and architecture.
| Certification | Exam | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals | SC-900 | Fundamentals |
| Security Operations Analyst Associate | SC-200 | Associate |
| Identity and Access Administrator Associate | SC-300 | Associate |
| Information Security Administrator Associate | SC-401 | Associate |
| Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate | SC-500 | Associate |
| Cybersecurity Architect Expert | SC-100 | Expert |
To choose between them, see our comparison of the best Microsoft security certifications. If you are heading for cloud security, our SC-500 exam guide explains the newest exam in detail.
GitHub
GitHub certifications now appear alongside Microsoft’s own: GitHub Foundations (GH-900), GitHub Administration (GH-100), GitHub Actions (GH-200), GitHub Copilot (GH-300), GitHub Advanced Security (GH-500), and GitHub Agentic AI Developer (GH-600). They suit developers and platform engineers who work in GitHub every day.
What Changed in 2026
Microsoft made major changes to its certifications in 2026. Many exams retired and were replaced by new ones that add AI and agent skills. If you were preparing for one of the exams below, switch to its replacement.
| Retired or retiring | Date | Replacement |
|---|---|---|
| MS-900 Microsoft 365 Fundamentals | March 31, 2026 | No direct replacement; AB-900 covers Copilot and agent administration |
| DP-100 Azure Data Scientist Associate | June 1, 2026 | AI-300 Machine Learning Operations Engineer Associate |
| AI-900 exam | June 30, 2026 | AI-901 (Azure AI Fundamentals continues) |
| AI-102 Azure AI Engineer Associate | June 30, 2026 | AI-103 Azure AI Apps and Agents Developer Associate |
| PL-600 Power Platform Solution Architect Expert | June 30, 2026 | AB-100 Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect is the suggested next step |
| AZ-204 Azure Developer Associate | July 31, 2026 | AI-200 Azure AI Cloud Developer Associate |
| AZ-500 Azure Security Engineer Associate | August 31, 2026 | SC-500 Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate |
| PL-200 Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate | August 31, 2026 | AB-410 Intelligent Applications Builder Associate |
| AZ-800 and AZ-801 exams | September 30, 2026 | AZ-802 (Windows Server Administrator Associate continues) |
| PL-400 exam | October 2026 | AB-400 (Power Platform Developer Associate continues) |
| MS-102 Microsoft 365 Administrator Expert | November 30, 2026 | AB-650 AI Services Administrator Associate |
Earlier retirements still matter if you are reading older study plans: DP-203 Azure Data Engineer retired in March 2025 (Microsoft Fabric certifications DP-600 and DP-700 now cover that ground), and SC-400 was replaced by SC-401 in May 2025. Microsoft publishes all dates on its retired certification exams page, and we track upcoming changes in our Microsoft certifications retiring article.
Your certification stays valid until its expiration date, but you cannot renew it after it retires, and Microsoft may shorten the renewal window beforehand. Plan to earn the replacement before your current certification expires.
Microsoft Certification Paths by Job Role
The fastest way to choose is to start from the job you do now or want next. Each path below starts with an optional Fundamentals certification, moves to the core Associate certification for the role, and ends with an Expert or specialist option.
| Job role | Start | Core certification | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure administrator or cloud engineer | AZ-900 | AZ-104 | AZ-305, AZ-700, or AZ-400 |
| Windows Server administrator | AZ-900 | AZ-802 | AZ-104 for hybrid and cloud work |
| AI developer | AI-901 | AI-103 or AI-200 | AI-500 |
| Machine learning engineer | AI-901 | AI-300 | AI-500 |
| Data engineer | DP-900 | DP-700 or DP-750 | DP-600 |
| Data analyst | PL-900 or DP-900 | PL-300 | DP-600 |
| Database administrator or SQL developer | DP-900 | DP-300 or DP-800 | AI-901 for AI features |
| Microsoft 365 administrator | AB-900 | MD-102 or MS-700 | AB-650 |
| Power Platform or AI apps builder | PL-900 | AB-410, AB-620, or PL-400 | AB-100 |
| Security analyst or engineer | SC-900 | SC-200, SC-300, SC-401, or SC-500 | SC-100 |
Fundamentals certifications are optional: if you already work with a technology, you can go straight to the Associate exam. Expert certifications have prerequisites. For example, Azure Solutions Architect Expert requires Azure Administrator Associate, and Cybersecurity Architect Expert requires a qualifying security associate certification such as SC-200, SC-300, or SC-500. Check the prerequisites before you book an Expert exam. If you want a ranked shortlist instead, see our picks for the best Microsoft certifications.
How To Get a Microsoft Certification
Choose Your Certification
Start with your current role and the next responsibility you want to take on, then pick the matching certification from the paths above. Read the skills measured for the exam and compare them with your experience. If most topics are new to you, add a Fundamentals certification first.
Prepare for the Exam
You can study on your own, attend a traditional course, or join an accelerated certification bootcamp. Our bootcamps combine instructor led training with exam preparation, so you learn the exam objectives rather than memorizing questions. Fundamentals bootcamps take 1 day, most associate and expert bootcamps take 4 to 5 days, and combined programs take 6 to 10 days.
Every bootcamp price includes the official Microsoft course, the exam vouchers for the program, and a retake voucher per exam if you need it. You can choose all inclusive pricing with airfare, lodging, ground transportation, and meals at one of our training centers, attend classroom live without travel, or join remotely through virtual classroom live. Browse all Microsoft bootcamps to compare dates and options.
Take the Exam
Microsoft exams are delivered by Pearson VUE, either online with a remote proctor or at a test center. In the United States, associate and expert exams typically cost $165 and fundamentals exams cost $99; prices vary by country. If you do not pass, you can retake the exam after 24 hours, then wait 14 days between later attempts, up to five attempts in 12 months. When you train with us, your exam vouchers are already included.
Renew Your Certification Every Year
Associate, Expert, and Specialty certifications are valid for one year. Fundamentals certifications and Applied Skills do not expire. Renewal works like this:
- The renewal window opens six months before your certification expires.
- Renewal is free and done online through a short assessment that is unproctored and open book.
- You can retake the renewal assessment as often as you need, with a 24 hour wait after the second attempt.
- Passing extends your certification by one year from its current expiration date.
- If your certification expires, you must pass the required exams again to earn it back.
Microsoft’s renewal policy page has the full details.
Microsoft Certifications FAQ
Which Microsoft Certification Is Best for Beginners?
A Fundamentals certification is the best starting point if you are new to a technology. Choose the one that matches your direction: AZ-900 for Azure, AI-901 for AI, DP-900 for data, SC-900 for security, or AB-900 for Microsoft 365 Copilot and agents. If you already have IT experience, you can start with an Associate certification such as AZ-104.
How Much Do Microsoft Certifications Cost?
In the United States, associate and expert exams typically cost $165 and fundamentals exams cost $99, with prices varying by country. Training costs depend on how you prepare. Our bootcamp prices include the exam vouchers, so there is no separate exam fee to budget for.
Do Microsoft Certifications Expire?
Associate, Expert, and Specialty certifications expire after one year, and you can renew them for free through an online assessment in the six months before they expire. Fundamentals certifications do not expire.
Are Microsoft Certifications Free?
Exams are paid, although Microsoft sometimes runs discount programs and events. Renewals are free. Some free study material is available, but the certification itself requires passing a paid exam.
Which Microsoft Certification Is Most in Demand?
There is no single answer, because demand depends on the role you are hiring for or applying to. Azure administration, security, and AI development are common directions in 2026, and Microsoft’s new AI certifications reflect how much work is moving to AI apps and agents. Choose the certification that matches the job you want, not the one that seems most popular.
How Long Does It Take To Get Microsoft Certified?
It depends on your experience and the certification. With relevant experience, a focused bootcamp of 1 to 5 days followed by the exam is enough for many people. If the technology is new to you, plan extra weeks of practice before the exam. Completing training does not award a certification by itself: you still need to pass the exam and meet any prerequisites.
Can a Microsoft Certification Help My Career?
A certification shows employers that you have tested, current skills on a specific Microsoft technology, which can help when you apply for a role or ask for new responsibilities. It does not guarantee a job or a raise. Pair it with practical experience you can talk about in an interview.
About Certification Camps
Certification Camps is a Microsoft Solutions Provider, listed in Microsoft’s partner directory, with 36 training centers across the United States and corporate offices in Sarasota, Florida. Our team of 15 instructors consults and teaches in the field, and many are published authors, Microsoft MVPs, and MCMs.