Security+ SY0-801: Release Date, What Changes, Wait or Not?

CompTIA has not announced an official release date for Security+ SY0-801. What exists as of August 25, 2026: a draft set of V8 exam objectives (version 1.2) published on CompTIA’s “exam objectives under development” page ^[2], and a date CompTIA staff gave instructors in June — November 17, 2026, “as of right now” ^[4]. The current exam, SY0-701, is still the only Security+ you can book, and it stays available for at least six months after any successor launches ^[3]. If you can sit the exam before spring 2027, take SY0-701 now.

What Has CompTIA Actually Published About SY0-801?

Two things, and only two. First, the official Security+ page still lists a single live exam, SY0-701 (which CompTIA now also labels “V7”), with an “estimated retirement” of 2026 described as “typically three years after launch” ^[1]. Second, CompTIA’s page for exam objectives under development lists DRAFT CompTIA Security+ V8 Exam Objectives (1.2) ^[2]. That page carries no exam code, no launch date, and no beta sign-up.

Everything else you will read about SY0-801 — dates, prices, question counts — is either an instructor-channel comment or a training vendor’s projection. Some of those are well-sourced (see below); none of them is an announcement.

When Is the SY0-801 Release Date?

The most specific date on record comes from CompTIA’s own Instructor Network. In a June 19, 2026 thread asking about the next Security+ version, a CompTIA representative wrote that “Security+ 801 will release on November 17, 2026 as of right now,” with partner preview access from October 20, 2026 ^[4]. In a second thread, instructors relayed the same dates from their CompTIA reps while noting they were “probably not final” and that there was “no firm date” for either the SY0-801 launch or the SY0-701 retirement ^[5].

Treat November 17 as a working assumption, not a deadline. CompTIA’s stated cadence is a refresh roughly every three years ^[3], and SY0-701 launched November 7, 2023, so a November 2026 target is consistent. But training vendors tracking this cycle point out that CompTIA has historically slipped announced dates by three to six months ^[6]. If you are planning around the date, plan around the range: November 2026 to spring 2027.

How Long Will SY0-701 Stay Available?

CompTIA’s published lifecycle policy: “When a new version of the exam launches, the old one is still available for at least six months (sometimes longer)” ^[3]. Applied to the tentative November 17, 2026 launch, that puts the earliest SY0-701 retirement around May 2027 — the same estimate Professor Messer publishes for his SY0-701 course ^[7]. The most recent precedent is A+: the 220-1201/1202 exams launched March 25, 2025 and the 220-1101/1102 pair retired exactly six months later, on September 25, 2025 ^[8].

Two consequences. You have a long runway on SY0-701 — realistically eight months or more from today, and longer if the launch slips. And 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? (Draft Objectives)

The draft V8 objectives keep the five-domain structure but shift the weights and rename one domain. These numbers are from the draft as reported by trainers who have reviewed it ^[6]; CompTIA marks the document as subject to change, so read the table as direction, not final.

The headline content change is artificial intelligence. The draft adds a dedicated objective on securing and attacking large language models (draft objective 2.4) and folds AI-enabled threats into the attacks objective (2.6) ^[6]. That tracks CompTIA’s broader 2026 lineup, which added a standalone SecAI+ certification for the same reason. Expect the SY0-801 question pool to ask about prompt injection, model poisoning, and AI-assisted phishing alongside the classic material.

What has not been published for SY0-801: the question count, exam length, passing score, or price. Assume they stay close to SY0-701’s (up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, 750 out of 900, $439 in the US as of the June 1, 2026 price change ^[1]) until CompTIA says otherwise.

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, DoD 8140 baselines, and HR filters ask for “Security+,” not an exam code. A cert earned on SY0-701 in 2026 is valid for three years from the date you earn it ^[9] and renews through the same continuing-education program as one earned on SY0-801.
2. The study ecosystem is mature. Every major SY0-701 course, book, and question bank has been refined over three years of candidate feedback. SY0-801 material will be thin for the first several months after launch, and first-wave candidates historically pass at lower rates while trainers catch up.
3. Waiting has a real cost. If SY0-801 slips into 2027, a candidate who paused in August 2026 has lost six to nine months of a certification that is worth a raise or a job offer (see the Security+ salary guide).
4. The runway is long. With a six-month minimum overlap, SY0-701 should be bookable into May 2027 at the earliest retirement. That is enough time to finish studying and even absorb one retake.

The exceptions are narrow. Wait for SY0-801 if you will not start studying until 2027 anyway, if your employer or training program specifically funds the newest version, or if your job is AI security and you want the credential to reflect it. Otherwise, the question is not which version but whether you are ready — and the answer to that lives in your practice scores. Score 85% or better on a full-length Security+ practice test across all five domains before you book; the Security+ passing score guide explains why that margin matters.

What We Will Update Here

This page will be revised when CompTIA publishes any of the following: an official SY0-801 launch date, a beta or partner-preview window, the final V8 objectives, the SY0-701 retirement date, or SY0-801 pricing. 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. "CompTIA Security+ (SY0-701)." comptia.org/certifications/security. Current exam version, format, and estimated retirement. Accessed August 25, 2026.
2. CompTIA. "Exam Objectives Under Development." comptia.org. Lists "DRAFT CompTIA Security+ V8 Exam Objectives (1.2)." Accessed August 25, 2026.
3. CompTIA. "The CompTIA Certification Exam Development Lifecycle." comptia.org/blog. December 18, 2024. Three-year refresh cadence and the six-month minimum overlap policy.
4. CompTIA Instructor Network. "What is the status of the next version of Security+?" cin.comptia.org. June 19, 2026. CompTIA staff comment giving November 17, 2026 "as of right now."
5. CompTIA Instructor Network. "Security+ V8." cin.comptia.org. 2026. Instructors relaying rep-provided dates, described as not final.
6. Training Camp. "CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 Release Date and Everything We Know So Far." trainingcamp.com. May 18, 2026. Draft V8 domain weights, AI objectives, and historical date slippage.
7. Professor Messer. "CompTIA Security+ SY0-701 Training Course." professormesser.com. Projected SY0-701 retirement of May 2027.
8. Professor Messer. "Differences Between the 220-1101 and 220-1201 A+ Exams." professormesser.com. March 30, 2025. A+ V15 launch and six-month retirement of the prior version.
9. CompTIA. "Certification Renewal Policy." comptia.org. Three-year validity from certification date; lapsed certifications require the latest exam version.