Answers to the most commonly asked questions about Continuing Education Credits (CEC).
Q. How many CEC will extend a certification?
A. 75 CEC are needed to extend a certification.
Q. How do I extend my certification with CEC?
A. Active certifications are automatically extended for 1-year on the anniversary date of the certification, if you have at least 75 CEC.
Q. How many times can I extend a certification with CEC?
A. Three (3) times. Each certification can be extended three times via CEC (allowing up to 5-years of validity). After the third extension, the certification can only be renewed by passing the relevant (or higher) certification exam.
Example: an F5-CA, BIG-IP certification expiring March 1, 2027 can be extended up to three times with CEC for a new expiration date of March 1, 2030. After the third extension, the certification can only be renewed by passing the F5CABR recertification exam OR earning a Certified Technology Specialist certification.
Q. How long are CE credits valid?
A. CEC are valid for 1 year from the date they are earned. If CECs are being used to extend a certification, 75 CEC must be valid on the certification expiration date for the extension to take effect.
Credits earned/expired/applied are automatically tracked on the Continuing Education Credits dashboard in the Education Services Portal.
Q. What if I have multiple certifications expiring on the same date? Will all of the certifications be extended for 1 year?
A. Yes. All certifications expiring on the same date will be extended for one year, if you have at least 75 CEC. For example: A candidate completed multiple training classes and has a balance of 75 CEC on February 15th. The candidate has the following certifications and expiration dates:
Certification |
Date Earned |
Date Expiring |
CEC Total on March 1, 2028 |
New, Extended Expiration Date |
| F5-CA, BIG-IP | March 1, 2027 | March 1, 2029 | 75 | March 1, 2030 |
| F5-CTS, BIG-IP LTM | March 1, 2027 | March 1, 2029 | 75 | March 1, 2030 |
| F5-CTS, BIG-IP DNS | March 1, 2027 | March 1, 2029 | 75 | March 1, 2030 |
| F5-CA, NGINX | Nov 1, 2027 | Nov 1, 2029 | 75 | N/A |
The three certifications (F5-CA, BIG-IP; F5-CTS, BIG-IP LTM; F5-CTS, BIG-IP DNS) with March 1 anniversary dates have been extended by one-year.
Note the Certification with a November 1 anniversary date is not affected. That certification will be extended on Nov 1 if 75 CEC are still valid.
Q. Do I have to redeem CEC to get a certification extended? In other words, do CEC get consumed by a certification extension?
A. No. The same 75 credits can be used to extend multiple certifications.
Example: If you have two certifications expiring on March 1 (F5-CA, BIG-IP & F5-CTS, BIG-IP LTM), you only need 75 CEC on March 1 to extend both certifications on the anniversary date. (You don't need 150 CEC to extend two certifications.)
Q. My certification expired on September 1, but I earned 75 credits on September 3. Will my certification be renewed?
A. No. Only active certifications can be extended with continuing education credits. CEC will not extend expired certifications or certifications in the 30-day grace period.
Additional Support Articles:
Continuing Education Credits for the F5 Certified program
How to Earn Continuing Education Credits (CEC): Activities and Credit Values
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