{"id":21188,"date":"2026-09-07T08:53:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T08:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/?p=21188"},"modified":"2026-09-07T08:53:54","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T08:53:54","slug":"salesforce-certifications-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-certifications-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"Salesforce Certifications 2026: 63 That Remain &#038; What Matters"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><b>Key Takeaways<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">63 Salesforce certifications remain after 24 credentials were announced for retirement and 16 were renamed.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 16 renamed certifications took effect on July 24, 2026, with no exam retake required.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 24 retiring certifications are scheduled to retire on February 1, 2027.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platform Administrator remains the primary entry point for people starting a Salesforce career.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Agentforce Specialist is becoming an important differentiator as Salesforce shifts its certification ecosystem toward AI and agents.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platform Developer II and Technical Architect carry stronger signals because they require more advanced practical or evaluative components.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard Salesforce certification exams cost around $200, while architect-level exams and the CTA board review cost substantially more.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most active certifications require recurring maintenance through Trailhead modules after Salesforce releases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certifications are useful signals, but hands-on production experience matters more than collecting credentials.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Companies evaluating Salesforce partners should check certifications for the specific consultants assigned to the project, not just the firm&#8217;s total certification count.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><b>Quick Answer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: There are 63 Salesforce certifications remaining in 2026. Sixteen were renamed on July 24, 2026, while 24 certifications are scheduled to retire on February 1, 2027. For beginners, Platform Administrator remains the strongest starting point. For experienced professionals, Agentforce Specialist, Platform Developer II, and architect-level credentials can provide stronger differentiation. However, certifications should be evaluated alongside real-world Salesforce delivery experience.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h1><b>Salesforce Certifications: What Changed in 2026, and Which Ones Actually Matter<\/b><\/h1>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salesforce has just completed the largest clear-out of its certification catalogue in years. 24 certifications are retiring, 16 have been renamed, and 63 remain.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most articles you\u2019ll find on this were published in June 2026, urging you to book an exam before the window closed. Those deadlines have now passed; registration shut on 24 July, and the last day to sit a retiring exam was 31 August.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So this guide is written for where things actually stand: what the changes mean now, which certifications are worth your time, and for anyone evaluating a Salesforce partner rather than sitting an exam, what the changes mean for reading someone else\u2019s credentials.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Three Dates, and Two Have Passed<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21206\" src=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM.webp\" alt=\"Timeline showing 24 July 2026 and 31 August 2026 as passed deadlines, and 1 February 2027 as the upcoming retirement date\" width=\"1874\" height=\"839\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM.webp 1874w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM-1024x458.webp 1024w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM-768x344.webp 768w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM-1536x688.webp 1536w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM-640x287.webp 640w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_39_23-PM-400x179.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1874px) 100vw, 1874px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A correction worth making, because a lot of coverage conflates these: the retirement date is 1 February 2027, not July 2026. July was the rename date and the registration cutoff. Two different things are happening on the same day, which is where the confusion comes from.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What this means depending on where you stand:<\/span><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-311\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-311\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Your situation<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">What to do<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">You hold a renamed certification<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Nothing, except update your CV and LinkedIn<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">You hold a retiring certification<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Nothing urgent. It stays valid and stays on your profile<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">You were studying for a retiring exam<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Stop. Redirect to the successor, see below<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">You\u2019re starting out<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Unaffected. Platform Administrator is unchanged<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">You\u2019re evaluating a partner<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">See the buyer section below<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-311 from cache -->\n<h2><b>What Was Renamed<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21205\" src=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM.webp\" alt=\"Table showing six of the sixteen renamed certifications, including Sales Cloud Consultant becoming Agentforce Sales Consultant\" width=\"1672\" height=\"940\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM.webp 1672w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM-1024x576.webp 1024w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM-640x360.webp 640w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_40_42-PM-400x225.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1672px) 100vw, 1672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sixteen certifications changed names on 24 July 2026. The exam content did not change, and nobody needs to retake anything. Your credential is the same credential with a different label.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cAgentforce\u201d appears in nine of the sixteen. That\u2019s the story: Salesforce is reorganising how it describes itself around agents rather than clouds, and the certification catalogue now reflects that.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three renames that aren\u2019t about Agentforce, and are quietly interesting:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Marketing Cloud Email Specialist \u2192 Engagement Specialist<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, reflecting that the product long ago stopped being about email<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Revenue Cloud Consultant \u2192 Revenue Management Consultant<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, shifting from product name to business outcome<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>B2C Commerce Cloud Developer \u2192 B2C Commerce Developer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, dropping a redundant word<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>The Practical Action:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Update your CV, LinkedIn, and email signature. A recruiter searching \u201cAgentforce Sales Consultant\u201d won\u2019t find a profile that says \u201cSales Cloud Consultant\u201d, and your credential will read as out of date to anyone who knows the catalogue changed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>What Is Retiring, and What to Do Instead<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24 certifications retire on 1 February 2027<\/span><b>;<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the pattern is clear once you look at the list: most are Accredited Professional credentials, which were product-specific rather than role-based. Salesforce is consolidating around roles.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-312\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-312\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Retiring area<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Certifications affected<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Where to go instead<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">CPQ<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">CPQ Administrator, CPQ &amp; Billing Consultant, Industries CPQ Developer<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Revenue Management Consultant<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Marketing Cloud satellites<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Account Engagement Consultant, Advanced Cross Channel, Intelligence, Personalization<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Agentforce Marketing certifications, expected late 2026<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">MuleSoft<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Both MuleSoft credentials<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">No direct replacement<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Industry APs<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Energy &amp; Utilities, Consumer Goods, Media Cloud, Contact Center<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Being re-evaluated for the Agentforce era<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Architecture<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">B2B Solution Architect<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Application and System Architect track<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Nonprofit<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Nonprofit Success Pack Consultant<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Aligns with the NPSP-to-Agentforce Nonprofit shift<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-312 from cache -->\n<p><b>Two Things Worth Knowing If You Hold One:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Your Credential Stays Valid:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It remains on your Trailblazer profile permanently, marked as retired from February 2027. Retirement means Salesforce stopped maintaining the exam, not that your expertise expired.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Maintenance Requirements Stop:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You no longer need to complete annual maintenance modules for a retired credential, which is a small mercy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And one consequence that matters more than it sounds is that retired certifications stop appearing on public verification pages. If you\u2019re a consultancy that displays verified credentials to prospects, or a professional whose credential gets checked, that\u2019s a real change, not a cosmetic one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The MuleSoft situation deserves a flag<\/span><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Both MuleSoft certifications are retiring with no announced replacement. If you built a specialty there, the formal validation disappears in February 2027, though the skills obviously don\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">See <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MuleSoft for Salesforce<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>The Certification Map<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-21207\" src=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM.webp\" alt=\"The salesforce certifications map\" width=\"1693\" height=\"929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM.webp 1693w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM-1024x562.webp 1024w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM-768x421.webp 768w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM-1536x843.webp 1536w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM-640x351.webp 640w, https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-Sep-7-2026-01_42_12-PM-400x219.webp 400w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1693px) 100vw, 1693px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Six Certification Tracks<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Admin, Developer, Consultant, Architect, AI and Agentforce, and Specialist, with the main credentials in each<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>63 <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">certifications remain, covering every core role. The headline isn\u2019t that Salesforce is shrinking the catalogue; it\u2019s tightening it around roles people actually hire for.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Start with the track your job title sits in, not the one with the highest reported salary<\/span><b>.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The most common mistake is collecting credentials across tracks rather than going deep in one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deeper: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-admin-vs-developer-vs-architect\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Admin vs developer vs architect vs consultant<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Which Certifications Hiring Managers Actually Value<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the question behind the question, and the honest answer is that they\u2019re not weighted equally.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-313\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-313\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Certification<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Signal strength<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Why<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Administrator<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Strong baseline<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">The genuine entry point. Expected, not impressive<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Developer II<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Strong<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Requires a practical assessment, not just multiple-choice<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Technical Architect (CTA)<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Very strong<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">A board review; genuinely difficult and rare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Agentforce Specialist<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Rising fast<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Currently the clearest differentiator in the market<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Consultant certifications<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Moderate<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Useful, but experience in that cloud matters more<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Developer I<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Baseline<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Expected of any developer, proves little on its own<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">AI Associate<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Weak alone<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Entry-level; good as a starting point, not a credential to lead with<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-313 from cache -->\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Pattern:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Credentials requiring a practical component ( PD2, CTA) carry far more weight than multiple-choice exams. Everyone knows which is which.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>And the Uncomfortable Truth:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A candidate with eight certifications and no production experience is a worse hire than one with Platform Administrator and three years of shipped work. Certifications prove exposure. Delivery history proves capability. Every experienced hiring manager weights them accordingly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We cover how to test for the difference in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-developer-interview-questions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">40 Salesforce developer interview questions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Cost, Format and Maintenance<\/b><\/h2>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-314\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-314\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Item<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Detail<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Standard exam fee<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">~$200 USD, plus local tax<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Architect-level exams<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">~$400 USD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">CTA board review<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">~$6,000 USD<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Retake fee<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">~$100 USD (half the original)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Format<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Multiple choice, typically 60 questions, 105 minutes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Pass mark<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Varies by exam, generally 62\u201368%<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Delivery<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Online proctored or test centre<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Maintenance<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">Free Trailhead modules, released with each seasonal update<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-314 from cache -->\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Maintenance Is the Part People Forget:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Most active certifications require completing a maintenance module with each Salesforce release \u2014 three times a year. Miss them and the credential can lapse. It\u2019s free and takes under an hour, but it\u2019s a recurring commitment across every certification you hold, which is a genuine argument against collecting them.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Retired credentials no longer require maintenance, which is one small upside of the clear-out.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #EEF2FE; border: 1px solid #DBE2FB; border-radius: 14px; padding: 28px 32px; margin: 38px 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"color: #1b3fae; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Choosing the Right Salesforce Partner?<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"color: #4b5563; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0 0 22px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Get expert guidance on evaluating Salesforce expertise, certifications, implementation capabilities, and the right partner for your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display: inline-block; background: #2563EB; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; padding: 13px 26px; border-radius: 8px;\" href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/salesforce-consulting-services\">Salesforce Consulting Services<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>Realistic Study Time<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Published estimates are optimistic. These assume you\u2019re working full-time and studying evenings.<\/span><\/p>\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-315\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-315\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Certification<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Realistic study time<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Prerequisite experience<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">AI Associate<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2\u20134 weeks<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">None<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Administrator<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2\u20134 months<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Some hands-on org time<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform App Builder<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">6\u201310 weeks<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Admin-level familiarity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Developer I<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">3\u20135 months<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Programming background helps considerably<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Agentforce Specialist<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">4\u20138 weeks<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Admin knowledge plus hands-on agent work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-7\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Advanced Administrator<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">2\u20133 months<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">1\u20132 years administering an org<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-8\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Platform Developer II<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">4\u20136 months<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Real development experience, not optional<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-9\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">Architect track<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">1\u20133 years<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">Several years across technical and functional work<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-315 from cache -->\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>The Honest Caveat:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These assume genuine hands-on practice, not just reading. A free Developer Edition org and one real project teach more than any amount of question-bank drilling, and it\u2019s the difference between passing an exam and being able to do the job.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Trailhead is the primary resource, and it\u2019s free. Beyond that, practice exams are worth paying for, and Trailblazer Community groups are underrated.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>For Buyers: Reading a Partner\u2019s Certifications<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most content on this topic is written for people sitting exams. If you\u2019re evaluating a consultancy instead, four things matter.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Certifications Per Consultant, Not Total:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A firm advertising \u201c200+ certifications\u201d across 300 staff is thinner than one with 80 across 40 specialists. Ask for the ratio.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Certifications Belong To Individuals, Not Companies:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When people leave, the credentials go with them. Check the Trailblazer profiles of the specific people proposed for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">your<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> project, not the firm\u2019s aggregate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Watch For Retired Credentials Being Presented As Current:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> From February 2027, retired certifications stop appearing on public verification pages. A partner still listing CPQ Administrator or a retired Accredited Professional in 2027 is either not maintaining their materials or hoping you won\u2019t check.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Watch For Old Names: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A partner listing \u201cSales Cloud Consultant\u201d after July 2026 hasn\u2019t updated. Same signal as the <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">partner tier change<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Base, Ridge, and Crest were retired in March 2026 and replaced by Select and Summit.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Weigh Certifications Against Delivery Evidence.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Ask for a named case study at your project size and industry. Certifications are a filter, not a decision.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For organizations that need help assessing their options, Salesforce Consulting Services can provide guidance on partner selection, implementation requirements, and the expertise needed for the project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Deeper: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to choose a Salesforce implementation partner<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00b7 <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top Salesforce consulting companies<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #EEF2FE; border: 1px solid #DBE2FB; border-radius: 14px; padding: 28px 32px; margin: 38px 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"color: #1b3fae; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Need Certified Salesforce Talent?<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"color: #4b5563; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0 0 22px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Build your Salesforce team with experienced developers who bring hands-on expertise beyond certifications and can handle real-world project requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display: inline-block; background: #2563EB; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; padding: 13px 26px; border-radius: 8px;\" href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/hire-salesforce-developers\">Hire Salesforce Developers<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><b>Is Certification Worth It?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>If you\u2019re entering the ecosystem: yes, clearly.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Platform Administrator is the most reliable route in; it has no prerequisites, and Trailhead makes the training free. It\u2019s the single highest-return credential in the catalogue for someone with no Salesforce background.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>If you\u2019re already working in Salesforce, it depends on the certification.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A second or third credential in the same track has diminishing returns. A credential in a genuinely different area \u2014 Agentforce Specialist for an experienced admin, say opens doors that another consultant cert won\u2019t.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>If you\u2019re collecting them: probably not.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Beyond four or five, additional certifications signal enthusiasm rather than capability, and each one adds a maintenance obligation three times a year.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Where certification genuinely converts to money:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the specialist and architect ends. Agentforce Specialist is the current market differentiator because demand outstripped supply quickly. CTA remains rare enough to command a substantial premium.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Where it doesn\u2019t:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> entry-level multiple-choice credentials held without any hands-on work. The market has become good at spotting this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Related: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-developer-hourly-rate\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salesforce developer hourly rates by region<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00b7 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-admin-vs-developer-vs-architect\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">admin vs developer vs architect<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Re-Plan Your Study Path<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the changes disrupted your plan, four steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Check Whether Your Target Certification Is On Either List:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Renamed means carry on, same exam, new name. Retiring means stop.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Map To The Successor:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> CPQ work points to Revenue Management Consultant. Marketing Cloud satellite credentials point to the Agentforce Marketing certifications expected in late 2026. MuleSoft has no successor, so redirect to integration architecture more broadly.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Consider Whether Agentforce Specialist Should Come First:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> For most people already working in Salesforce, it\u2019s currently the credential with the best ratio of effort to market recognition. See <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what <\/span>Agentforce is<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Don\u2019t Rush A Replacement:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Salesforce has signalled more Agentforce-centric credentials arriving. Sitting a certification purely because your original plan broke is a poor reason to spend three months.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b>Where to Go Next<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For understanding the roles these certifications map to, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-admin-vs-developer-vs-architect\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">admin vs developer vs architect vs consultant<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For what certifications are worth in salary terms, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-developer-hourly-rate\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Salesforce developer hourly rates by region<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For evaluating a partner\u2019s credentials, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to choose a Salesforce implementation partner<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">top Salesforce consulting companies<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For the technology behind the newest credentials, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what is Agentforce<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data 360<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For free training, <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">what is Trailhead<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For hiring rather than being hired, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/how-to-hire-a-salesforce-developer\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how to hire a Salesforce developer<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/salesforce-developer-interview-questions\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">40 developer interview questions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/what-is-salesforce\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">complete guide to Salesforce<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the hub.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>If You\u2019re Reading This to Evaluate a Partner Rather Than Sit an Exam<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Certification counts are the easiest thing for a consultancy to inflate and the hardest for a buyer to interpret. Two hundred certifications across three hundred staff sounds impressive and means very little.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What matters is the ratio per consultant, whether the specific people on your project hold them, and whether the credentials are current rather than retired.<\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"background: #EEF2FE; border: 1px solid #DBE2FB; border-radius: 14px; padding: 28px 32px; margin: 38px 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"color: #1b3fae; font-size: 22px; line-height: 1.3; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 10px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Have a Salesforce Project in Mind?<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n<p style=\"color: #4b5563; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin: 0 0 22px;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tell us what you\u2019re building or where you need help, and our Salesforce team can discuss the right approach for your project.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a style=\"display: inline-block; background: #2563EB; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; font-size: 15px; font-weight: 600; padding: 13px 26px; border-radius: 8px;\" href=\"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/contact\">Talk to Our Salesforce Experts<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<style>.elementor-21199 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2932a52{text-align:left;}.elementor-21199 .elementor-element.elementor-element-2932a52 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;}.elementor-21199 .elementor-element.elementor-element-0b767d1 .elementor-tab-title{border-width:1px;border-color:#00000014;}.elementor-21199 .elementor-element.elementor-element-0b767d1 .elementor-tab-content{border-width:1px;border-bottom-color:#00000014;}.elementor-21199 .elementor-element.elementor-element-0b767d1 > .elementor-widget-container{margin:0px 0px 0px 0px;}<\/style><div class=\"porto-block elementor elementor-21199\">\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-27707ca elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"27707ca\" data-element_type=\"section\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0163611\" data-id=\"0163611\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03a2969 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"03a2969\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 26-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2932a52 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2932a52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 26-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-large\">FAQs <\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b767d1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-toggle\" data-id=\"0b767d1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"toggle.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.14.0 - 26-06-2023 *\/\n.elementor-toggle{text-align:left}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{font-weight:700;line-height:1;margin:0;padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;cursor:pointer;outline:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon{display:inline-block;width:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon svg{-webkit-margin-start:-5px;margin-inline-start:-5px;width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-right{float:right;text-align:right}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon.elementor-toggle-icon-left{float:left;text-align:left}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title .elementor-toggle-icon .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active{border-bottom:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-closed{display:none}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title.elementor-active .elementor-toggle-icon-opened{display:block}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:15px;border-bottom:1px solid #d5d8dc;display:none}@media (max-width:767px){.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-title{padding:12px}.elementor-toggle .elementor-tab-content{padding:12px 10px}}.e-con-inner>.elementor-widget-toggle,.e-con>.elementor-widget-toggle{width:var(--container-widget-width);--flex-grow:var(--container-widget-flex-grow)}<\/style>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1201\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1201\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">How many Salesforce certifications are there in 2026?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1201\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"1\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1201\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">63 remain after the current changes. 24 are retiring on 1 February 2027, and 16 were renamed on 24 July 2026. The remaining catalogue covers administrator, developer, consultant, architect, AI, and specialist tracks, including Tableau and Slack.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1202\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1202\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Which Salesforce certifications are being retired?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1202\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"2\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1202\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24 in total, mostly Accredited Professional credentials that were product-specific rather than role-based. They include CPQ Administrator, CPQ &amp; Billing Consultant, B2B Solution Architect, Nonprofit Success Pack Consultant, both MuleSoft certifications, and four Marketing Cloud satellite credentials.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1203\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1203\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Do I need to retake a renamed Salesforce certification?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1203\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"3\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1203\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, the 16 renames that took effect on 24 July 2026 are cosmetic; exam content is unchanged, and your credential updates automatically on your Trailblazer profile. You should update your CV and LinkedIn, since recruiters search the new terms.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1204\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1204\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">What happens to my retired Salesforce certification?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1204\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"4\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1204\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It stays valid and remains on your Trailblazer profile permanently, marked as retired from 1 February 2027. Maintenance requirements stop. However, retired credentials no longer appear on public verification pages, which matters if your credentials get checked externally.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1205\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1205\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Which Salesforce certification should I get first?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1205\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"5\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1205\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Platform Administrator, in almost every case. It has no prerequisites, Trailhead training is free, and it\u2019s the credential the ecosystem treats as the baseline. Most experienced Salesforce professionals started there, including developers.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1206\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1206\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">How much do Salesforce certifications cost?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1206\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"6\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1206\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Around $200 USD for standard exams plus local tax, roughly $400 for architect-level exams, and approximately $6,000 for the Technical Architect board review. Retakes are about half the original fee. Trailhead training is free.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1207\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1207\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Is the Agentforce Specialist certification worth it?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1207\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"7\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1207\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Currently it\u2019s the clearest differentiator in the market, because demand grew faster than the supply of certified people. For an experienced admin or consultant, it\u2019s a stronger next step than another cloud-specific consultant credential.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1208\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1208\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Are Salesforce certifications hard?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1208\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"8\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1208\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Associate-level exams are approachable with a few weeks of study. Platform Administrator takes most people two to four months. Platform Developer II is genuinely difficult because it includes a practical assessment. The Technical Architect board review is among the hardest credentials in enterprise software.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-1209\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-1209\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Do Salesforce certifications expire?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-1209\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"9\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-1209\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not exactly, but most require maintenance via a free Trailhead module released with each seasonal update, three times a year. Miss them, and a credential can lapse. Retired certifications no longer require maintenance.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-toggle-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 id=\"elementor-tab-title-12010\" class=\"elementor-tab-title\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"button\" aria-controls=\"elementor-tab-content-12010\" aria-expanded=\"false\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon elementor-toggle-icon-left\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-closed\"><i class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened\"><i class=\"elementor-toggle-icon-opened fas fa-caret-up\"><\/i><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-toggle-title\" tabindex=\"0\">Are certifications more important than experience?<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"elementor-tab-content-12010\" class=\"elementor-tab-content elementor-clearfix\" data-tab=\"10\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"elementor-tab-title-12010\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, and experienced hiring managers weigh them accordingly. Certifications prove exposure to the material; delivery history proves capability. A candidate with Platform Administrator and three years of shipped work beats one with eight certifications and no production experience.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How many Salesforce certifications are there in 2026?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">63 remain after the current changes. 24 are retiring on 1 February 2027, and 16 were renamed on 24 July 2026. The remaining catalogue covers administrator, developer, consultant, architect, AI, and specialist tracks, including Tableau and Slack.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which Salesforce certifications are being retired?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">24 in total, mostly Accredited Professional credentials that were product-specific rather than role-based. They include CPQ Administrator, CPQ &amp; Billing Consultant, B2B Solution Architect, Nonprofit Success Pack Consultant, both MuleSoft certifications, and four Marketing Cloud satellite credentials.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do I need to retake a renamed Salesforce certification?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">No, the 16 renames that took effect on 24 July 2026 are cosmetic; exam content is unchanged, and your credential updates automatically on your Trailblazer profile. You should update your CV and LinkedIn, since recruiters search the new terms.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"What happens to my retired Salesforce certification?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">It stays valid and remains on your Trailblazer profile permanently, marked as retired from 1 February 2027. Maintenance requirements stop. However, retired credentials no longer appear on public verification pages, which matters if your credentials get checked externally.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Which Salesforce certification should I get first?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Platform Administrator, in almost every case. It has no prerequisites, Trailhead training is free, and it\\u2019s the credential the ecosystem treats as the baseline. Most experienced Salesforce professionals started there, including developers.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"How much do Salesforce certifications cost?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Around $200 USD for standard exams plus local tax, roughly $400 for architect-level exams, and approximately $6,000 for the Technical Architect board review. Retakes are about half the original fee. Trailhead training is free.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Is the Agentforce Specialist certification worth it?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Currently it\\u2019s the clearest differentiator in the market, because demand grew faster than the supply of certified people. For an experienced admin or consultant, it\\u2019s a stronger next step than another cloud-specific consultant credential.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are Salesforce certifications hard?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Associate-level exams are approachable with a few weeks of study. Platform Administrator takes most people two to four months. Platform Developer II is genuinely difficult because it includes a practical assessment. The Technical Architect board review is among the hardest credentials in enterprise software.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Do Salesforce certifications expire?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">Not exactly, but most require maintenance via a free Trailhead module released with each seasonal update, three times a year. Miss them, and a credential can lapse. Retired certifications no longer require maintenance.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"Are certifications more important than experience?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"<p><span style=\\\"font-weight: 400;\\\">No, and experienced hiring managers weigh them accordingly. Certifications prove exposure to the material; delivery history proves capability. A candidate with Platform Administrator and three years of shipped work beats one with eight certifications and no production experience.<\\\/span><\\\/p>\"}}]}<\/script>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways: 63 Salesforce certifications remain after 24 credentials were announced for retirement and 16 were renamed. The 16 renamed certifications took effect on July 24, 2026, with no exam retake required. The 24 retiring certifications are scheduled to retire on February 1, 2027. Platform Administrator remains the primary entry point for people starting a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":21208,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"Salesforce Certifications 2026: 63 That Remain & What Matters","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"See which Salesforce certifications were renamed or retired in 2026, which credentials still matter, exam costs, study times, and what buyers should look for.","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-image":"https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Untitled-design-2026-09-07T133554.398-1024x576.webp","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-image":"","_wp_applaud_exclude":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[2695],"class_list":["post-21188","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-salesforce","tag-salesforce-certifications"],"featured_image_src":{"landsacpe":["https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Untitled-design-2026-09-07T133554.398-1140x445.webp",1140,445,true],"list":["https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Untitled-design-2026-09-07T133554.398-463x348.webp",463,348,true],"medium":["https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Untitled-design-2026-09-07T133554.398-300x169.webp",300,169,true],"full":["https:\/\/dianapps.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Untitled-design-2026-09-07T133554.398.webp",1536,864,false]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Salesforce Certifications 2026: 63 That Remain &amp; 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