You can buy CE tokens in advance. Tokens cost $25 or $50 each and do not expire. They become non-refundable once uploaded. You can pay yearly or for all three years. Pay the balance before your expiration date.
Which renewal route is cheapest for your situation?
You have two main routes to renew. The first is submitting CEUs. The second is passing the latest exam. Both lead to a new three-year cycle.
Renew by submitting CEUs compared with renewing by passing the latest exam
| Point to compare | Renew by submitting CEUs | Renew by passing the latest exam |
|---|
| CE fee | $150 for Security+ over three years | $0 CE fee |
| Work needed | 50 CEUs of qualifying activity | One proctored exam |
| Time | Spread across the three-year cycle | 90 minutes, up to 90 questions |
| Evidence | Documentation for each activity | The exam result itself |
| Audit risk | A random sample is audited later | No CEU audit because no CEUs are claimed |
| Result | A new expiry date | A new three-year cycle starts |
| Best fit | You already did the qualifying work | You want a clean reset without CEU paperwork |
| Watch out for | Each activity must be 50% on-objective | A new exam code supersedes the old one |
A third route is a CertMaster CE course. It takes 8 to 10 hours depending on your prior knowledge. You need a 100% score on every assessment and get 12 months of access. It renews the certification automatically with no separate CE fee.
Third-party pricing puts the course at roughly $133 to $205. Treat that as one estimate, not a fixed price.
Here is a catch that the fee tables do not show. CertMaster CE is only sold to holders of legacy exam versions. That means Security+ through SY0-601, version 6, or earlier. It also means A+ through 220-1101 and 220-1102, version 14, or earlier. It also means Network+ through N10-008, version 8, or earlier. Holders of Security+ SY0-701 or newer cannot buy it.
Payment is by credit card only, and the same course version cannot be used twice.
You pay no CE fee at all in three cases. The first is passing the latest exam. The second is earning a higher-level CompTIA certification. The third is completing a CertMaster CE course. A non-CompTIA certification can earn CEUs, but the CE fee still applies. When a higher CompTIA certification renews your lower ones, you pay only its CE fee.
Every route uses the same three-year window. The CompTIA continuing education requirements tie renewal to that cycle. The exam has its own price, separate from any CE fee. Our guide to the CompTIA Security+ exam cost in 2026 covers that number. It also covers the CompTIA Security+ price hike.
What does the Security+ version change mean for renewers?
Security+ V7, exam code SY0-701, launched on 7 November 2023. The English version retires on 11 June 2027. The Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions retire on 13 August 2027. Certifications already earned stay valid.
Security+ version dates that affect renewers
| Item | Detail | Key date |
|---|
| Security+ V7 exam code | SY0-701, up to 90 questions | Launched 2023-11-07 |
| V7 English retirement | English exam ends, earned certifications stay valid | 2027-06-11 |
| V7 non-English retirement | Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions | 2027-08-13 |
| Security+ V8 | Newest version, expected release | On or around 2026-11-17 |
| CertMaster CE cut-off | Security+ through SY0-601, A+ through 220-1101 and 220-1102, Network+ through N10-008 | No date given |
Security+ V8 is expected on or around 17 November 2026. Until it lands, V7 remains the version you can sit. The CompTIA Security+ certification page carries that notice. A renewer now picks a target version, not just a renewal route.
How do you keep a clean CEU record that survives an audit?
CompTIA does not pre-review CEU submissions. Submissions are accepted automatically, and a random sample is audited afterwards. Audits can happen at any time, even after you finish a cycle. The CompTIA audit policies set the rules.
Keep the evidence for every activity you claim. Upload supporting documentation to your CompTIA account when you submit.
Relevant work experience can count as three CEUs per year. It is capped at nine CEUs per cycle.
The same CompTIA continuing education requirements apply to every activity you submit. One set of rules covers training, exams and published writing. If a higher CompTIA certification renews your lower ones, you pay one CE fee.
What should you do next?
CompTIA certifications renew on a three-year cycle, and each carries its own CEU total. Renewal fees run from $0 to $150. The price per CEU runs from $2.00 on SecurityX to $5.00 on SecAI+. The cheapest route depends on your exam version and your work so far.
- Write down your certification, exam code and expiration date.
- Check your exam version against the CertMaster CE eligibility cut-off.
- Subtract the CEUs your current certifications already cover.
- Pay the fee or sit the exam before your expiration date.
Photo: blickpixel, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/network-cable-rj45-patch-patch-cord-499792/)
Fazlur Rahman
