SY0-701 or Wait for SY0-801? Take the One You Can Book
Book SY0-701. You have until June 11, 2027, which is longer than any realistic prep window. The next version has no published exam code and no announced launch date. And the certificate you walk away with does not name a version, so the two routes end in the same place, and only one of them has a date you can put in a calendar.
Last verified September 15, 2026
The two options, side by side
| Question | Take SY0-701 now | Wait for Security+ V8 |
|---|---|---|
| When can you sit it? | Today, and any day through June 11, 2027. | Unknown, since no launch date has been announced. |
| What does the certificate say? | CompTIA Security+. No version number. | CompTIA Security+. The same certificate, either way. |
| How long is it valid? | 3 years from your pass date, renewed with continuing education. | 3 years, starting whenever you eventually pass. |
| What can you study from? | Published objectives, full question banks, labs, mock exams. | A draft marked revision 1.2 that CompTIA says may contain issues. |
| What does it cost you? | One exam fee, and you are certified in weeks. | Months of not being certified, for the same credential. |
Does your prep actually fit?
This is the only question that decides it. SY0-701 can be booked through June 11, 2027. If your prep window fits inside that, the decision is made for you.
| Your starting point | Typical prep time |
|---|---|
| Network+, A+, or solid IT experience | 2 to 4 weeks |
| Some IT exposure, new to security | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Complete beginner or career changer | 12 to 16 weeks |
These are estimates from training providers, not from CompTIA. More detail on how hard Security+ is.
The one case for waiting
Perhaps you cannot start studying for several months anyway, and you would end up booking close to June 11, 2027. Then you are choosing between a rushed attempt at the old exam and a comfortable run at the new one, and that is a real decision that waiting may win. For everyone able to start now, there is no decision to make: a four to twelve week prep run fits inside the remaining window several times over.
Note what is not on that list. "My materials will be wasted" is not a reason. A revision rewrites and reweights rather than replaces, and a large share of objectives carry over with new wording. "The new one will look better to employers" is not a reason either, because the credential does not name a version.
What happens to your studying here
Our Lifetime plan includes the Security+ V8 update free, and the content model tracks which exam version every lesson and question belongs to, so when the update lands your mastery moves with you objective by objective instead of resetting to zero. The 90-Day Pass covers SY0-701 for its window, which is all a 90-day window can cover: every Pass sold today expires before the new exam is expected to be bookable.
If you want the detail on the next version, including the draft domain weights and what has and has not been confirmed, that is on the SY0-801 page.
Which version to take FAQ
Should I take SY0-701 now or wait for SY0-801?
Take SY0-701 now. It can be booked through June 11, 2027, which is longer than any realistic prep window, and the next version has no published exam code and no announced launch date. Waiting trades a certification you could hold in two months for one you might be able to sit for at some point, and every month you wait is a month you are not certified.Does the certificate say which exam version I passed?
No. The credential reads "CompTIA Security+" and the version is not printed on it. The credential stays valid for 3 years from the day you pass and renews through continuing education, so somebody who passes SY0-701 and somebody who passes the next version hold the same certification. No employer, job posting, or HR filter asks which exam code you sat.What happens to my SY0-701 certification when the exam retires?
Nothing. Retirement means the exam stops being bookable. It does not mean certifications earned from it expire early. Your three years run from your pass date regardless of what CompTIA does to the exam afterwards, and you renew by earning continuing education units rather than by sitting the new version.Is there a case for waiting?
One, and it is narrow. Say you cannot start studying for several months anyway, and you would be booking close to June 11, 2027. Then you are choosing between a rushed SY0-701 attempt and a comfortable run at the new version, and that is a real decision. For anyone able to start now, it is not, because a typical prep run is four to twelve weeks and that fits several times over.Will my study materials be wasted?
Mostly no. A Security+ revision rewrites and reweights rather than replacing: the domains keep their subjects and a large share of the objectives survive with new wording. That is why our Lifetime plan includes the Security+ V8 update free and carries your progress across rather than resetting it. The 90-Day Pass covers SY0-701 for its window, which is all a 90-day window can cover.What if I fail and the exam retires before I can retake it?
You have until June 11, 2027 to sit it, retakes included, and CompTIA requires no wait before a second attempt. What actually catches people out is booking before they are ready, not the retirement date. Score 80 percent or better on full timed practice exams before you book and the retake question mostly stops applying.
Keep reading
Book it, then earn it
Set your exam date and the dashboard plans backwards from it, tells you what to study today, and shows when you are actually ready. Domain 1 is free, and Lifetime includes the Security+ V8 update at no charge.
New accounts get 50% off both plans for 7 days: the 90-Day Pass is $19.50 instead of $39.
CompTIA and Security+ are trademarks of CompTIA, used here for identification only. SecPlus Mastery is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by CompTIA. Exam dates and draft objective information are CompTIA's and are subject to change.