If you are planning to earn CompTIA Security+ in the next few months, you have run into an awkward problem. The exam you can book today, SY0-701, is scheduled to retire in English on June 11, 2027. The replacement, SY0-801, is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026, which is less than three weeks away. Study guides, practice tests and courses exist for the old version, while the new one is just arriving, and every forum thread seems to give a different answer about which to choose.
This guide sets out what CompTIA has actually published about both versions, explains what the differences mean for your study plan, and gives a clear way to decide. It also marks what is still unknown, because the new exam’s price and some details have not been announced.
What is the difference between SY0-701 and SY0-801?
SY0-801 is Security+ Version 8, the replacement for SY0-701 (Version 7), and the two exams share the same format but rebalance the content. Both allow up to 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based items, in 90 minutes, and both need 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 to pass. The credential is still called CompTIA Security+. What changes is how much weight each of the five domains carries, and what CompTIA adds to the skills list.
SY0-701 launched on November 7, 2023. According to CompTIA’s Security+ V7 page, the English version retires on June 11, 2027, and the Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions retire on August 13, 2027. CompTIA’s V8 page says the new version is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026, is offered in English at launch, and is estimated to run for about three years before it is retired in turn.
How do the domain weights compare?
The five domains keep the same overall structure, and the weights move as follows, according to CompTIA’s published objectives for each version.
| Domain | SY0-701 | SY0-801 |
| General Security Concepts | 12% | 16% |
| Threats, Vulnerabilities and Mitigations (701) or Attacks (801) | 22% | 24% |
| Security Architecture | 18% | 19% |
| Security Operations | 28% | 27% |
| Security Program Management and Oversight | 20% | 14% |
The biggest movement is at the two ends. General security concepts grows by four points, from 12% to 16%, and security program management and oversight shrinks by six points, from 20% to 14%. Threats and architecture each rise by a point or two, and security operations stays the largest domain at 27%, down one point.
What does that mean for you? Security operations is still the biggest slice in both versions, so your practical, hands-on skills remain the core of the exam. The extra weight on general concepts suggests more questions on fundamentals such as the principles behind controls, Zero Trust and cryptography. The smaller program management domain means fewer governance, risk and compliance questions than before. That reading comes from the weights, not from a CompTIA statement, so treat it as an interpretation.
What is new in Security+ V8?
CompTIA’s V8 page does not have a dedicated “what is new” section, but its skills list shows where the emphasis has moved. It adds an objective on AI-related risks, continued emphasis on Zero Trust, protection of cloud, hybrid, on-premises and connected environments, and automation and AI-assisted security workflows. It also covers the familiar ground: layered controls, access management and cryptography, threat actors and attack techniques, monitoring and vulnerability management, authentication and federation, incident detection and response, and policy, risk, compliance and audits.
The V8 page recommends two years of hands-on experience as a security administrator. The V7 page recommends CompTIA Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role, so the V8 page, at least, does not repeat the Network+ recommendation. Both are recommendations, not requirements, and you can book either exam without any other certification.
One caution applies to everything about V8 content. The full objectives are a preview, and CompTIA’s page on objectives under development explains that drafts can be updated before launch to fix errors, outdated technology or unclear wording. Check the final objectives on CompTIA’s site when they are published instead of relying on any blog’s summary, including this one.
When does SY0-701 retire, and how long do you have?
English SY0-701 exams retire on June 11, 2027, which is about seven months from today. Once V8 launches, the two versions overlap in English for roughly the same stretch, so for a time you can choose either. If you read forum posts that mention a mid-May 2027 retirement, those relay a member’s account of a CompTIA representative and are not CompTIA’s published date. The June 11 date is the one on CompTIA’s own V7 page.
Launch dates for new exams have slipped before, so treat November 17 as a target and not a promise. The practical point is that V7 will not disappear on the day V8 arrives. You will have months to decide, and a delay in V8’s launch simply extends the time V7 is the only option.
Should you take SY0-701 or wait for SY0-801?
If you can sit the exam within the next two to three months, take SY0-701. If you are only starting to study and will not be ready until spring or summer 2027, study for SY0-801. The reasoning is about risk and resources. SY0-701 has a published, stable set of objectives, a large body of study material and practice questions, and several months of availability remaining. SY0-801 will have fewer polished resources in its first weeks, and its details are still being finalised.
Take the situations one at a time. If you already work in IT, have been studying from SY0-701 material and are close to ready, finish and book the old exam, because switching mid-preparation resets your progress for little gain. CompTIA’s content has historically changed only partly between versions, and a forum instructor who reviewed the V8 objectives described them as not a very great change from V7, although that is one person’s opinion and not CompTIA guidance. If you are a complete beginner starting now, a sensible plan is to spend the first weeks on fundamentals that apply to both, and then choose based on how fast you are progressing and what V8 materials exist by then.
If you need the certification for a specific job application or contract deadline, book the version you can pass earliest. The credential carries the same name either way, and employers listing “Security+” do not usually specify a version. If you want a certification that will stay current for the longest time, V8 is the better target, since CompTIA estimates about three years of availability from launch and the credential is valid for three years from the date you pass.
What happens to vouchers and study materials?
Exam vouchers are tied to a specific exam code. A forum instructor on CompTIA’s community site states that an SY0-701 voucher can only be used for SY0-701, and that matches how CompTIA sells exam-specific vouchers, but I could not find an official CompTIA policy statement, so confirm with CompTIA before you buy a voucher you may not use in time. The practical advice is simple: do not buy an SY0-701 voucher unless you are confident you will sit the exam before the retirement date.
Study materials are version-specific as well. CompTIA’s own learning products for both versions list estimated study times, ranging from about 10 to 20 hours for practice questions up to 30 to 60 hours for the combined learn-and-labs product. If you buy a book or course for SY0-701 and then switch to V8, the overlap in fundamentals means much of it still helps, but you will need to cover the new objectives separately. Our Security+ practice test and complete SY0-701 exam guide cover the current version in detail.
How much will the exam cost?
CompTIA’s V7 and V8 pages do not list prices, only buy buttons and bundles. A third-party article citing CompTIA’s store gave USD 425 for the SY0-701 voucher as of mid-2025, and some sites speculate about the V8 price, but CompTIA has not published an SY0-801 price. Prices change and vary by region, so check CompTIA’s store before you budget. Bundles that include study tools and a voucher with Retake Assurance exist for V7, and similar bundles are likely to appear for V8, but that is an expectation, not an announcement.
What happens to your certification after the exam retires?
Passing SY0-701 gives you a Security+ certification that is active for three years from the date you pass. CompTIA’s continuing education pages say renewal takes 50 continuing education units through activities, the CertMaster CE course, a recertification exam, or qualifying for a higher IT industry or CompTIA certification. One of the listed options is bypassing the latest Security+ exam release.
CompTIA’s pages I could read do not say what happens to a certification earned on a retired exam version, so I cannot state that. The reasonable expectation is that a certification you earn on SY0-701 stays valid for its three-year term, but confirm with CompTIA if that matters to you, for example for a contract that checks version numbers. For the broader renewal picture, see our guide on whether Security+ is worth it in 2026.
Is Security+ V8 harder than V7?
There is no evidence yet that V8 is harder. Version changes in CompTIA exams usually rebalance topics and add current technologies, and the format here is the same: up to 90 questions in 90 minutes, with a passing score of 750. The new weights mean you should spend a little more time on general security concepts and a little less on governance and compliance than a V7 study plan suggests, and you should expect questions touching AI-related risks and automation.
Where V8 may feel different is the early days. New exams often have fewer practice questions that match the real thing, and candidates in the first weeks often report less certainty about question style. If you prefer predictability, V7 has the advantage while it is available. If you prefer the newest material and are happy to rely on CompTIA’s objectives and official learning products, V8 is fine.
Does it matter for government and contractor jobs?
CompTIA’s V7 page lists the DoD 8140 work roles that Security+ maps to, including cyber defense analyst, incident responder, vulnerability analyst, security control assessor, system administrator, network specialist, information security manager and secure software assessor. The V8 page I read does not list job roles or DoD mappings, and it does not say how the mapping will carry over. That is not a sign that anything has been dropped. It more likely means the page is still being built ahead of launch.
If your goal is a government or contractor job, the practical step is to check the requirement in the job posting or contract itself, because the wording usually names the certification and not the exam version, and requirements can change when a new version is introduced. If the posting asks for current certification and you already hold SY0-701, that certification stays active for its three-year term, subject to the confirmation point above about retired versions.
What does a realistic study plan look like for each version?
CompTIA’s own learning products give a useful sense of the effort involved. For V7 and V8 alike, its estimates run from about 10 to 20 hours for practice questions and 15 to 25 hours for labs, up to 25 to 40 hours for the learning course and 30 to 60 hours for the combined learning and labs product. Most candidates combine reading, labs and practice, so a total of around 60 to 120 hours is a reasonable planning range for someone with some IT background, and more for a complete beginner. That range is a planning estimate, not a CompTIA figure.
For SY0-701, spend the first third of your time on the large operations and architecture domains, the middle third on threats, cryptography and identity, and the last third on governance and timed practice, since governance carries 20% in V7. For SY0-801, shift a few extra hours to general security concepts, which grows to 16%, and to AI-related risks and automation, and cut back slightly on program management, which falls to 14%. In both cases, finish with timed sets under exam conditions, because performance-based questions take longer than they look and 90 minutes goes quickly.
What should you do before November 17?
Start with the exam objectives for both versions, which are free on CompTIA’s site, and compare them for your own weak areas. If you are close to ready for SY0-701, book it while you have plenty of time before the June 2027 retirement. If you are early in your preparation, use the next few weeks on fundamentals that both exams share, such as networking basics, identity and access management, cryptography and incident response, and then check what resources exist for V8 once it launches. Our network security basics guide is a good place to cover the networking foundation, and the best cybersecurity certifications guide shows where Security+ fits in the wider route.
The mistakes that cost candidates most are buying an SY0-701 voucher and then running out of time before the retirement date, waiting for V8 without a plan and losing months of study momentum, switching versions in the final weeks of preparation, trusting blog posts that state prices or exact V8 questions as fact, and assuming the retirement date is the day V8 launches when there is a long overlap. If you plan to move on to CompTIA’s analyst certification afterwards, our guide to CySA+ vs Security+ explains the next step.
FAQS
What is the difference between SY0-701 and SY0-801?
SY0-801 is Security+ Version 8, the replacement for SY0-701 (Version 7). Both are up to 90 questions in 90 minutes with a passing score of 750 out of 900. The domain weights change, and V8 adds emphasis on AI-related risks and automation.
When does SY0-801 launch?
CompTIA’s V8 page says it is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026. Exam launch dates have slipped in the past, so treat it as a target.
When does SY0-701 retire?
CompTIA’s V7 page says English SY0-701 exams retire on June 11, 2027. The Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions retire on August 13, 2027.
Should I take SY0-701 or wait for SY0-801?
If you can sit the exam in the next two to three months, take SY0-701. If you will not be ready until spring or summer 2027, studying for SY0-801 makes more sense. If you are close to ready for SY0-701, finish it instead of switching.
What are the new domain weights for SY0-801?
General Security Concepts 16%, Threats, Vulnerabilities and Attacks 24%, Security Architecture 19%, Security Operations 27%, and Security Program Management and Oversight 14%. SY0-701 is 12%, 22%, 18%, 28% and 20%.
Is SY0-801 harder than SY0-701?
There is no evidence that it is harder. The format and passing score are the same. V8 shifts weight towards general concepts and away from program management, and adds AI-related risk content, so expect a slightly different emphasis.
How much does the Security+ exam cost?
CompTIA’s pages do not list prices. A third-party article citing CompTIA’s store gave USD 425 for SY0-701 as of mid-2025. No SY0-801 price has been published, so check CompTIA’s store.
Can I use an SY0-701 voucher for SY0-801?
Vouchers are exam-specific, so an SY0-701 voucher is unlikely to work for SY0-801. I could not find an official CompTIA policy statement, so confirm with CompTIA before buying a voucher you may not use in time.
Is my SY0-701 study material still useful for SY0-801?
Much of it is, because the five domains and the fundamentals carry over. You will need to cover the new objectives separately, especially AI-related risks and the higher weight on general concepts.
How long is Security+ valid?
Three years from the date you pass. CompTIA says renewal takes 50 continuing education units, and options include the CertMaster CE course, a recertification exam, or earning a higher certification.
Does my certification expire when SY0-701 retires?
CompTIA’s pages I could read do not say what happens to certifications earned on a retired version. A certification earned on SY0-701 is expected to stay valid for its three-year term, but confirm with CompTIA if you need certainty.
Do I need Network+ before Security+?
No. The V7 page recommends Network+ and two years of experience, and the V8 page recommends two years of experience as a security administrator, but both are recommendations and not requirements.
Is Security+ SY0-801 available in other languages?
CompTIA’s V8 page lists English only at launch. SY0-701 is available in English, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai, with the non-English versions retiring on August 13, 2027.
The bottom line
The choice comes down to timing. If you are ready within a few months, SY0-701 is the safe, well-supported option and you have until June 11, 2027 in English. If you are starting from scratch and will not sit before spring, studying for SY0-801 avoids a wasted version change. Read CompTIA’s own Security+ V8 page for the latest launch date and objectives, check the price in CompTIA’s store, and avoid buying a voucher until you know which version you will actually sit. For practice on the current exam, see our SY0-701 exam page and the ISC2 CC exam update if you are also weighing other entry-level options.
