CCNA v1.1 or v2.0? A calendar method that settles it in five minutes
Last day to test on v1.1 is 2 February 2027; v2.0 opens on 3 February 2027. Work out your finish date from your total hours and weekly hours, add a buffer week for every eight, and then leave room for a five-day retake wait. If your plan ends after mid-January 2027, study for v2.0.
Both versions lead to the same credential. The only question is which exam you can finish before the date changes, with room for a bad day.
Two dates, no overlap
Cisco is replacing the CCNA 200-301 v1.1 with v2.0. Both carry the same exam number and lead to the same credential.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Last day to test on v1.1 | 2 February 2027 |
| First day to test on v2.0 | 3 February 2027 |
There is no overlap. On 2 February you can sit v1.1; the next morning you cannot. Cisco's own advice in July 2026 was to finish v1.1 by its last day rather than pause your study to wait for v2.0. Both versions last 120 minutes, and Cisco publishes neither the number of questions nor the pass mark for either.
The retake arithmetic
If you fail, Cisco's policy requires you to wait five calendar days before a retake, and you pay the full fee again. Work backwards from 2 February.
A fail on 28 January allows a retake on 2 February, the last v1.1 day. A fail on 29 January pushes the retake to 3 February, which is v2.0. So 28 January is the arithmetic limit for a first sitting that keeps a v1.1 retake alive. In practice, aim for the middle of January. That leaves more than two weeks for the wait, the booking and a second try. The mid-January date is a planning margin, not a Cisco deadline.
Three plans, dated
Starting on Monday 12 October 2026, with a buffer week for every eight weeks of plan:
| Plan | Weeks | Ends | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 120 hours at 10 hours a week | 12 plus 2 buffer = 14 | 18 January 2027 | v1.1, but only just. Book early in January |
| 150 hours at 10 hours a week | 15 plus 2 buffer = 17 | 8 February 2027 | v2.0 |
| 150 hours at 6 hours a week | 25 plus 3 buffer = 28 | 26 April 2027 | v2.0, and any v1.1 course bought now is wasted |
CredenTrek uses 120 to 200 hours, labs included, as a working assumption. Cisco publishes no figure. Use your real weekly hours, not your best week.
The decision rule
| Your situation | Take |
|---|---|
| Studying v1.1 now and can sit by mid-January 2027 | v1.1, before 2 February 2027 |
| Starting from scratch in late 2026 or later | v2.0, with v2.0 material |
| Your finish date sits close to 2 February | v2.0, or book v1.1 early enough for a retake |
| Your employer or course has already chosen | That version, confirmed in writing |
If two rows fit, the last one wins, because an employer or course that has chosen a version usually has a reason.
What you lose if you switch
Less than people fear. Cisco describes v2.0 as a refresh: the fundamentals stay, troubleshooting grows, and security and AI run through the exam. Most v2.0 topics have a close v1.1 match. If you move across, rebuild your hours by the v2.0 weights, add the new material and replace your practice tests with ones that name v2.0.
Book the right exam
When you book through Pearson VUE, choose 200-301 CCNA, the version and your language. Check the version on your confirmation before you close the page. If you are unsure, the exam topics on Cisco's page show the version number, the domain weights and the first or last test date.
The version trap
A candidate books v1.1 for 1 February, fails narrowly and finds that the five-day wait carries the retake past the cut-over. His second attempt has to be v2.0, with topics he never studied, and he pays the full fee again. Do the arithmetic before you book.
Five minutes with a calendar now is cheaper than a second exam fee in February.
Questions readers ask
Can I take v1.1 on 3 February 2027?
Is the v2.0 credential different from the v1.1 credential?
What if I fail v1.1 on the last day?
This article is independent and is not endorsed by Cisco. Facts change: confirm them on the official page before you act.