SC-300 renewal and retake rules
The Identity and Access Administrator Associate credential earned with SC-300 lasts 12 months, and renewal is free: pass an unproctored online assessment on Microsoft Learn before the expiry date. A failed SC-300 exam can be retaken after 24 hours, then after 14-day waits, up to five attempts in 12 months. Both rules come from Microsoft’s pages as read on October 9, 2026, and the exam itself changes on October 28, 2026, which matters for anyone planning a date near that line. The career side is in SC-300 career roles.
The renewal assessment for an identity associate
Microsoft’s renewal page states that renewal is available for associate, expert and specialty certifications, and that fundamentals certifications do not expire. Key mechanics from the renewal page and its FAQ:
- The window opens six months before expiry. Earlier attempts are not possible, and expiry times are in UTC.
- Passing extends the certification one year from the expiration date, not one year from the day you pass. Taking it early costs nothing in validity.
- The assessment is open book, unproctored and about 45 minutes according to the FAQ.
- Attempts are unlimited: a second attempt can follow immediately, and after that at least 24 hours between attempts.
- The expiry date on your Learn profile is updated immediately after a pass.
- It is the only route. Retaking SC-300 or passing a beta exam does not renew it.
Microsoft says renewal assessments follow the regular exam update cadence and focus on recent changes. For an Entra exam that is relevant: the product naming, authentication methods and Global Secure Access features move quickly, so the open-book assessment tends to reward people who read the Entra release notes during the year rather than people who memorised last year’s study guide.
What the October 28, 2026 update means for holders and candidates
The certification page says the English version will be updated on October 28, 2026. The study guide change log rates the audience profile, authentication and access management as a whole, and identity governance as a whole as “No change”, with minor changes to user authentication, Global Secure Access and privileged access. The detail of those topics is in the exam format page.
| Situation | What the published rules say |
|---|---|
| Holding a valid SC-300 credential on October 28 | Nothing to retake; the credential stays valid until its expiry date |
| Renewal window open around the update | Microsoft says assessments align with exam updates, but does not publish a day-by-day switch-over |
| Booking the exam in the weeks around the date | Check which “skills measured” version applies to your exam date in the study guide |
| Taking the exam in a language other than English | Localised versions are updated about eight weeks after English, and are not guaranteed to be on schedule |
Microsoft does not publish whether a certification earned under the old outline is treated differently from one earned under the new outline. Nothing on the pages read suggests that it is.
If your SC-300 credential expires
The FAQ is blunt: if a certification expires, you must earn it again by passing the required exam. There is no grace period listed. The retake policy also says you cannot retake an exam you passed unless the certification has expired, so an early “refresh” by repeating SC-300 is not allowed while the credential is valid. Microsoft also says reminder emails are sent when you become eligible, provided your Learn profile has an email address and you agreed to the communication terms. Do not rely on that email alone; note the expiry date and open the window yourself.
For an identity administrator who holds SC-300 together with another associate, each credential has its own expiry and its own renewal. The FAQ says an expert certification does not automatically expire when its associate prerequisite does, and that each must be renewed separately. SC-300 itself has no listed prerequisite, so this applies only to what you stack on top.
Retake limits after a failed attempt
From Microsoft’s exam retake policy:
- After the first failed attempt, wait 24 hours.
- After that, 14 days between all later attempts, up to five in total.
- No more than five attempts in a 12-month period counted from the first attempt. After five failures you can try again 12 months after the first attempt.
- Each retake must be paid for where a fee applies; SC-300 pricing is country-specific and shown at booking.
- A waiver of the waiting period is only considered for internet connectivity or equipment failure with a Pearson VUE case number. Other reasons do not qualify.
These retake rules are the same for Microsoft’s other role-based exams; what is specific to SC-300 is the 100-minute exam and the 700 passing score. Your score report shows performance by skill area, which is the best guide to which of the four weighted domains to review before the next attempt. For accommodations, the certification page links to Microsoft’s accommodation request process, and extra time for non-offered languages is covered on exam format. Budgeting for a retake is easier with the certification costs overview.