After Security+: use the first 14 days, then plan the 50 CEUs
After you pass Security+, use the first 14 days to update your CV, LinkedIn, signature and reminders, tell your manager and apply. Then plan the three-year cycle: 50 CEUs, about 17 a year, with reminders at 12, 6 and 3 months before the end date.
A pass fades fast if nobody who matters hears about it.
The first 14 days
Do these in order, and tick each one.
- CV. Add the credential with its exam code and year, such as "CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)". Put your two lab projects underneath.
- LinkedIn. Add the credential and the same two lines.
- Email signature. Add it, if your employer allows.
- Reminders. Put the end date of your three-year cycle in your calendar now, before you forget.
- Your manager. Ask for a task that uses the credential. A request with a specific task attached is easier to answer.
- Applications. Apply to roles within the 14 days, while the result is fresh.
How the renewal works
Your credential runs on a three-year cycle. You need 50 continuing education units (CEUs) in that time, which is about 17 a year.
CompTIA gives several routes:
- CertMaster CE for Security+.
- A qualifying higher-level CompTIA certification, such as CySA+.
- Qualifying certifications from other IT bodies.
- Preapproved training and activities.
Activities carry different CEU values, so check CompTIA's current pages before you commit to one. If the cycle ends without renewal by any route, the credential expires and you must pass the current exam again. Your cycle end date appears in your CompTIA account.
A calendar for 50 units
| When | Action |
|---|---|
| Day of pass | Enter the end date, with reminders at 12, 6 and 3 months before it |
| Each month | Record any CEU activity |
| Every six months | Review your total against the target |
| End of year one | Target about 17 |
| End of year two | Target about 34 |
If at the end of year two you are well short of 34, you still have a full year, but you will need a plan rather than a hope.
What to ask your manager for
A vague request gets a vague reply. Ask for one task that uses the credential, such as reading through an alert queue with a colleague, helping to review a policy or joining a patching check. Offer to write up what you learn in four lines, in the same layout as your lab projects, so the work counts towards your CV.
Keep a CEU log
One row per activity is enough: date, activity, route, CEUs claimed and where the evidence is saved. Save the certificate or confirmation the day you receive it. Rebuilding a three-year record from memory in the last month is the slowest way to renew.
Pick your next credential by direction
| If you are heading towards | Consider |
|---|---|
| Security operations | CySA+ |
| Penetration testing | PenTest+ |
| Cloud security | AWS or Azure fundamentals, then a security speciality |
| Networking | CCNA |
| Security management | CISSP, once the experience rule is met |
A higher-level CompTIA certification can also count towards renewal. Confirm that the one you choose qualifies before you pay for it.
Keep the habit
The same record-keeping that gets you through renewal also feeds your CV. Each CEU activity is a line you can use next year.
A monthly record turns fifty units over three years into a few minutes of admin at a time.
Questions readers ask
How many CEUs does Security+ need?
What happens if I do not renew?
Can a higher certification renew Security+?
This article is independent and is not endorsed by CompTIA. Facts change: confirm them on the official page before you act.