Security+ SY0-801 Release Date: Nov 17, 2026 (V8 vs SY0-701)

Security+ SY0-801 (V8) launches November 17, 2026, per CompTIA’s exam page ^[1]. SY0-701 stays bookable until it retires on June 11, 2027 in English ^[2]. If you are already studying and can test before then, take SY0-701. If you are starting from zero after the launch, study for SY0-801.

SY0-701 vs SY0-801: Which Should You Take?

Both exams lead to the same certification, CompTIA Security+. What differs is the date window and the domain weights, so read the last row first. Every figure comes from CompTIA’s V7 and V8 exam pages, accessed September 25, 2026 ^{[1] [2]}.

What Has CompTIA Published About SY0-801?

Three official pages cover the change. The Security+ V8 page lists the exam code SY0-801, a launch date of November 17, 2026, the format, and the five domain weights ^[1]. It also links the V8 exam objectives, document version 2.0, which spell out every objective and the acronym list. The SY0-701 page now carries that exam’s retirement dates ^[2].

Two things are still missing: a US voucher price for SY0-801 and any word of a beta exam. CompTIA’s main Security+ page also phrases the launch as “on or around November 17, 2026” ^[3], so check the V8 page again before you book a slot in launch week.

When Is the SY0-801 Release Date?

November 17, 2026. CompTIA’s V8 exam page lists it as the launch date ^[1]. That is three years and ten days after SY0-701 launched on November 7, 2023 ^[2], which fits CompTIA’s stated habit of releasing a new exam version about every three years ^[4].

When we first published this page in August 2026, the date existed only as a comment from CompTIA staff to instructors. It is now on the official exam page, so you can plan around it. SY0-801 launches in English; the V8 page lists no other languages yet ^[1].

When Does SY0-701 Retire?

The English SY0-701 exam retires on June 11, 2027. The Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions retire on August 13, 2027 ^[2]. Both dates are on CompTIA’s SY0-701 exam page.

That leaves English candidates almost seven months of overlap after SY0-801 launches, a little more than the six-month minimum CompTIA promises in its exam lifecycle policy ^[4]. From September 25, 2026, that is about eight and a half months of runway on SY0-701. You do not need to rush a booking to “beat” the new version; you need to book when your practice scores say you are ready, which for most people is the bigger risk anyway (see the Security+ pass rate data).

What Changes in SY0-801?

The five-domain structure stays. The weights shift and domain 2 gets a new name. Look at the last column: domain 5 loses six points, and most of that moves into general concepts and attacks. These are the published weights from CompTIA’s V8 page and objectives document ^[1].

The headline content change is artificial intelligence. New objective 2.6 asks you to “summarize threats and vulnerabilities associated with artificial intelligence (AI) usage” and lists prompt injection, poisoning, model manipulation, jailbreaking, hallucinations and data loss, among others ^[1]. Large language models also appear as an attack surface in objective 2.4, and objective 4.6 adds agentic and chatbot AI to automation and orchestration. That tracks CompTIA’s wider 2026 lineup, which added a standalone SecAI+ certification. Expect SY0-801 questions on prompt injection and model poisoning next to the classic material.

The format does not change: a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions, 90 minutes, and a passing score of 750 on a scale of 100 to 900 ^[1]. The recommended experience is now two years of hands-on work as a security administrator; the V7 page asks for Network+ plus two years as a security or systems administrator ^[2]. CompTIA has not listed a US voucher price for SY0-801 yet. The SY0-701 voucher lists at $439 on comptia.org ^[2].

Should You Wait for SY0-801 or Take SY0-701 Now?

Take SY0-701 now, in almost every case. The reasoning:

1. The credential is identical. Employers, HR filters and DoD 8140 qualification lists ask for “Security+,” not an exam code. A cert earned on SY0-701 is valid for three years from the date you earn it ^[5] and renews through the same continuing-education program as one earned on SY0-801.
2. The study material is mature. SY0-701 courses, books, and question banks have had three years of candidate feedback. SY0-801 material will be thin for the first months after launch while trainers catch up with the new objectives.
3. Waiting costs time. If you hold off for SY0-801, you get almost eight weeks with no V8 exam to sit, then a thin shelf of V8 material. Those weeks could go toward earning a certification employers screen for (see the Security+ salary guide).
4. The runway is long. The English SY0-701 exam stays bookable until June 11, 2027. That is enough time to finish studying and absorb one retake if you need it.

The exceptions are narrow. Wait for SY0-801 if you will not start studying until after it launches, if your employer or training program pays for the newest version, or if you work in AI security and want your prep to cover objective 2.6. Otherwise, the version matters far less than your readiness, and your practice scores measure that. Take a full-length Security+ practice test across all five domains before you book; the Security+ passing score guide explains how the 100-900 scaled score works.

What We Will Update Here

We will revise this page if CompTIA lists an SY0-801 voucher price, moves either date, or updates the V8 objectives document. Check the “updated” date at the top. For the whole CompTIA lineup (A+ V15, Network+ N10-009, CySA+ CS0-004, PenTest+ PT0-003, SecAI+ CY0-001), see the CompTIA roadmap 2026.

References

1. CompTIA. "Security+ Certification V8 (SY0-801)." comptia.org/certifications/security/v8. Exam code, launch date, format, passing score, domain weights, languages, and the linked V8 exam objectives (document version 2.0). Accessed September 25, 2026.
2. CompTIA. "Security+ V7 (SY0-701) exam details." comptia.org/certifications/security/v7. Launch date, English and non-English retirement dates, format, domain weights, recommended experience, and the US voucher list price. Accessed September 25, 2026.
3. CompTIA. "Security+ Certification." comptia.org/certifications/security. “Expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026.” Accessed September 25, 2026.
4. CompTIA. "The CompTIA Certification Exam Development Lifecycle." comptia.org/blog. December 18, 2024. New exam versions about every three years; the old version stays available for at least six months. Accessed September 25, 2026.
5. CompTIA. "Certification Renewal Policy." comptia.org. Three-year validity from certification date; lapsed certifications require the latest exam version. Accessed September 25, 2026.