The complete CCNA certification guide

Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) at a glance

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification has a single requirement: pass the CCNA exam. The exam code is 200-301, so whenever you see “Cisco Certified Network Associate 200-301”, it refers to the same certification. These are the facts Cisco publishes on its CCNA page:

• Exam: 200-301 CCNA, current version v1.1
• Cost: $US300, or Cisco Learning Credits
• CCNA test time: 120 minutes
• Languages: English and Japanese
• Prerequisites: none
• Grading: pass/fail, results online within 48 hours
• Valid for: 3 years

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

Which CCNA exam is current?

The current CCNA exam version is v1.1 of exam 200-301. Cisco’s CCNA page names the current CCNA exam as “Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (200-301 CCNA) v1.1”, so the latest CCNA exam and the CCNA latest version are the same thing: 200-301, version 1.1. There is one exam for the certification, not a track of several.

Is a new CCNA exam on the way? The Cisco pages we checked on 9 October 2026 announce no new CCNA test. Whatever you read about the CCNA exam, new or old, check the exam version against Cisco’s CCNA page before you buy material — the CCNA exam version in a book’s title is the quickest way to spot outdated content.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

Which CCNA is this? Retired names and look-alikes

Several CCNA titles you may still see are retired. Cisco’s list of retired certifications gives 23 February 2020 as the retirement date for the CCNA Routing and Switching certification, the CCNA Security certification, the CCNA Data Center certification and CCNA Wireless. None of them can be earned any more — today there is one CCNA networking certification, and it is the 200-301 exam described here. If an old guide calls it the CCNA certification Routing and Switching track, it is describing that retired credential.

Security did not disappear from Cisco’s associate level, though. The CCNA Cybersecurity certification is a current, separate credential with its own exam, 200-201 CCNACBR (Understanding Cisco Cybersecurity Operations Fundamentals), at $300. If you are after a CCNA cyber security certification, that is the exam to look at, not 200-301.

Two more mix-ups. There is no CompTIA CCNA certification: CCNA is Cisco’s, while CompTIA’s networking credential is Network+. And this page is about the Cisco CCNA certification. Nursing searches that use the same four letters are about something else entirely.

Source: Cisco — Retired certifications. Checked 9 October 2026.

How to get a CCNA certification, step by step

How do you get a CCNA certification? There are no prerequisites to clear, so the route is short — and how to take the CCNA exam itself is the simplest part of it:

• Read Cisco’s 200-301 exam topics, which set the scope and weighting of the exam.
• Prepare — with Cisco U., the Networking Academy, books, labs and practice questions, in whatever combination suits you.
• Register for the CCNA exam through Cisco’s certification portal and choose online or a Pearson VUE test center.
• Take the CCNA exam: 120 minutes, graded pass/fail.
• Check your result online within 48 hours, then claim your digital badge.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

CCNA certification requirements and prerequisites

The CCNA certification requirements are simply passing exam 200-301. Cisco lists “Prerequisites: None”, so there are no CCNA certification prerequisites — no earlier certification, degree or documented experience. The only other requirements for CCNA certification come afterwards: renewing it within three years. The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification exam is the same for everyone, whatever your background.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

CCNA exam registration: how and where to take the CCNA exam

Cisco partners with Pearson VUE to deliver the CCNA exam. Cisco lists three ways to register for CCNA exam 200-301: online through the Cisco Certification Tracker portal, by phone with Pearson VUE, or in person at a Pearson VUE test center where available. That is the whole CCNA exam registration process. There is no separate application: if you want to apply for CCNA exam seats, booking one is the application.

Where can I take CCNA exam 200-301? Either online or at a CCNA test center run by Pearson VUE — Cisco states that all associate-level written exams are offered both in person and online. Either way, you are taking the CCNA exam: Pearson VUE is Cisco’s authorised test delivery partner for written exams, so a Pearson VUE CCNA exam booking made through Cisco’s portal is the official route.

Payment: $US300 or Cisco Learning Credits. Cisco also sells associate-level vouchers that cover CCNA. Cisco certification exam vouchers at this level cost $300 and are valid for 365 days from the date of purchase. If you fail, Cisco requires a wait of five calendar days before you can retake the exam.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

The CCNA exam Safeguard Plus option

Cisco lists an Exam Safeguard Plus option for the CCNA exam. In Cisco’s words, it “costs $450 USD and it allows a second chance at exam success if you do not pass the first attempt within 90 days.” Compare it with the $300 single exam: it pays off only if you think a retake is a realistic possibility.

Older Cisco pages advertise a CCNA exam safeguard offer with an end date in October 2023, so check the current terms on Cisco’s CCNA page at the time you buy.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

What the Cisco CCNA exam looks like

The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam is a 120-minute, pass/fail test, and the Cisco CCNA 200-301 exam is the only exam on the route. Cisco publishes no question count and no passing score for the Cisco CCNA certification exam. What it does publish is the weighting of the six exam topic areas — the most useful planning figure for any CCNA certification exam candidate:

• Network Fundamentals — 20%
• Network Access — 20%
• IP Connectivity — 25%
• IP Services — 10%
• Security Fundamentals — 15%
• Automation and Programmability — 10%

Source: Cisco Learning Network — CCNA exam topics. Checked 24 September 2026.

Simulations, labs and question formats

Is there a CCNA exam sim, and will you face lab tasks? Cisco’s CCNA certification page does not list the item types used on the Cisco CCNA certification test, and we do not guess at them here. Cisco keeps a set of certification exam tutorial videos on its Learning Network; watch them before exam day so the interface is not new to you.

For hands-on preparation, Cisco U. lists hands-on labs for CCNA alongside guided learning, pre- and post-assessments and practice tests. Whether or not you meet CCNA test labs on the day, configuration practice on real or simulated equipment is the most direct preparation for the Network Access and IP Connectivity areas, which together make up 45% of the exam.

Source: Cisco — CCNA exams and training. Checked 9 October 2026.

A CCNA exam example

Here is one CCNA exam example, written as an example of CCNA exam style from the Network Fundamentals area, with an explanation for every option — the same format Certsqill uses for its practice questions. It is our own question, not an item from the Cisco exam.

Question: A LAN segment needs IPv4 addresses for 50 hosts, and you want to waste as few addresses as possible. Which prefix length should you assign? A) /25 B) /26 C) /27 D) /28.

Answer: B, /26. It leaves 6 host bits: 2 to the power of 6 is 64 addresses, minus the network and broadcast addresses, gives 62 usable hosts — enough for 50. A) /25 gives 126 usable hosts, which works but wastes far more addresses than needed. C) /27 gives only 30 usable hosts, too few. D) /28 gives 14, far too few.

A good CCNA test example teaches as much through the wrong options as the right one: C is the trap for anyone who forgets to check the requirement against the usable host count. More CCNA test examples, each with an explanation for every option, are in Certsqill’s question bank.

Preparing: Cisco U., Networking Academy and practice

Cisco points to two official learning routes on its CCNA page. Cisco U. offers guided learning paths and hands-on practice; if you see “Cisco U. CCNA certification” prep advertised, that is Cisco’s own platform. The Cisco Networking Academy teaches CCNA courses with educators around the globe, in person and online, which Cisco describes as free — the Cisco Networking Academy CCNA certification route is training, though, and the certification still comes only from passing 200-301.

Acing the CCNA exam is mostly a coverage problem: with no published passing score, the only safe target is being solid in all six areas. To test CCNA knowledge honestly, use practice questions that explain every option and track your results per exam topic area.

In the final week, treat preparation as an exam cram. CCNA topics with the highest weightings — IP Connectivity at 25%, then Network Fundamentals and Network Access at 20% each — deserve the most time. A CCNA exam cram works only on top of earlier study; it should be review, not first contact. In your final Cisco exam review, CCNA topics where your scores are still weakest come first.

Certsqill provides expert-developed CCNA practice questions with an explanation for every answer option and a readiness score per exam domain, so you can see which area still needs work. It comes with a 7-day money-back guarantee.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

Course “final exams” are not the CCNA certification exam

Some CCNA searches are not about the certification at all. Cisco’s certification is one exam, 200-301 — there is no CCNA final exam, no part 1, 2 or 3, no chapters and no checkpoints in it. Those labels come from training courses, for example the Cisco Networking Academy’s CCNA series.

Networking Academy teaches CCNA as a three-course series that starts with CCNA: Introduction to Networks; the other two courses are CCNA: Switching, Routing, and Wireless Essentials and CCNA: Enterprise Networking, Security, and Automation. So the CCNA introduction to networks final exam — or CCNA intro to networks final exam — is an assessment inside that first course, and the same goes for the CCNA switching routing and wireless essentials final exam in its course.

The numbered searches follow the same pattern. Whether it is a CCNA 1 final exam test, a CCNA 2 exam — final or module — or a CCNA 3 exam, final or otherwise, each is set by your course, not booked through Pearson VUE. Version labels work the same way: the CCNA 1 v7 final exam and the CCNA 2 v7 final exam are course assessments too, not versions of 200-301, which Cisco currently lists as v1.1. A CCNA checkpoint exam, a CCNA chapter 7 test or a “CCNA exam chapter 7” quiz is a course quiz on one block of material.

Course assessments are useful practice. But a CCNA final test from a course does not award the certification, and doing well on it does not tell you everything about 200-301, whose scope is set by Cisco’s exam topics rather than by any course.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

Why we do not publish CCNA exam answers

For the certification exam itself, the answer is in Cisco’s rules. Cisco’s exam policy states that exam content is the proprietary and confidential property of Cisco and that disclosure of exam content is strictly prohibited, with sanctions up to a lifetime ban on all future exams. Anyone selling Cisco CCNA exam answers or Cisco CCNA test answers for 200-301 is offering exactly that disclosed content — and you have no way to know whether it is correct.

For course assessments, we also do not publish answer keys. CCNA final exam answers that circulate online are unofficial: you cannot tell whether they match your course version, or whether they are even right. A CCNA final exam answers PDF copied into a course assessment teaches you nothing, and the course is the place where you are supposed to find your gaps cheaply.

That applies to every course and module, whether people are looking for CCNA 1 final exam answers, CCNA 2 final exam answers or CCNA 3 final exam answers, the CCNA introduction to networks final exam answers, or module-level CCNA 11–13 exam answers and CCNA 14–15 exam answers. The better use of a missed question is to find out why the option you chose was wrong.

An answer key gives you letters, not reasons. CCNA answers, final exam or otherwise, are only worth something if you can explain them — and that holds for CCNA 1 answers, final exam or module quiz alike.

Source: Cisco — Exam, Testing, and Certification Policies. Checked 9 October 2026.

After the exam: certificate, badge and verification

Your CCNA cert arrives in two forms. Cisco’s Certification Tracking System is where you download score reports, transcripts, certificates and logos — so a CCNA certificate download happens there, not from Pearson VUE. To download CCNA certificate files, sign in to that system with the Cisco account you used to register. Separately, Cisco issues a digital badge through Credly, with claim instructions sent by email.

For a CCNA certification check — an employer confirming that someone holds it — the Credly badge is the practical route: Cisco describes these badges as web-enabled credentials that can be verified in real time, online. A Cisco CCNA certificate sent as a PDF cannot be checked the same way.

Source: Cisco — Credly digital badges FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.

CCNA certification renewal: how to renew CCNA

CCNA certification expiration comes three years after you earn it. To renew CCNA within that period, Cisco gives you two options: pass the current CCNA exam (200-301) or any higher-level Cisco certification exam, or earn 30 Continuing Education (CE) credits by attending Cisco training or webinars, or by completing approved courses.

How many CE credits to renew CCNA? Thirty — Cisco’s recertification page lists 30 CE credits for associate-level certifications. Credits must be earned before your certification expires; Cisco states it grants no extensions, and if your CCNA lapses you have to complete the full exam process again. In short, CCNA recertification is cheapest while the certification is still active. Three years is the clock on your CCNA: recertify before it runs out.

Source: Cisco — Recertification. Checked 9 October 2026.

The CCNA path: certification levels above and beside it

The CCNA certification path in Cisco’s programme runs associate, then professional, then expert: CCNA, then CCNP (for example CCNP Enterprise), then CCIE. Cisco sets no prerequisite between those levels, so CCNA is the usual starting point rather than a formal gate.

Passing a higher-level Cisco certification exam also counts toward your CCNA renewal, so moving up the path keeps your CCNA active at the same time. Beside CCNA at the associate level sits CCNA Cybersecurity, for security operations work.

Source: Cisco — CCNA certification. Checked 9 October 2026.

CCNA complete guide: questions people ask

What is the exam code for CCNA?

The CCNA exam code — also called the CCNA exam number — is 200-301; the current version is the 200-301 CCNA exam v1.1. Source: Cisco CCNA page, checked 9 October 2026.

How much does the CCNA exam cost?

$US300, or Cisco Learning Credits. Cisco also sells associate-level vouchers at $300, valid 365 days. Source: Cisco CCNA page, checked 9 October 2026.

Where to take CCNA exam 200-301?

Online, or at a Pearson VUE CCNA exam test center where available. You register through Cisco’s Certification Tracker portal or by phone with Pearson VUE. Source: Cisco CCNA page, checked 9 October 2026.

Is the CCNA exam multiple choice?

Cisco’s CCNA certification page does not list the question types, and Cisco publishes no question count. Watch Cisco’s certification exam tutorial videos on its Learning Network to see the exam interface before your test.

Is the CCNA Security certification still available?

No. Cisco retired CCNA Security, CCNA Routing and Switching, CCNA Data Center and CCNA Wireless on 23 February 2020. For security, Cisco now offers CCNA Cybersecurity (exam 200-201). Source: Cisco, checked 9 October 2026.

How to take CCNA exam online?

Register through Cisco’s Certification Tracker portal and choose online delivery. Cisco states that all associate-level written exams are offered both in person and online, delivered by Pearson VUE.

Where can I find CCNA final test answers?

Not here. For 200-301, Cisco prohibits disclosing exam content; for course tests, unofficial answer lists cannot be verified against your course version.

Where can I find CCNA exam answers?

There is no legitimate CCNA exam answer key for 200-301: Cisco treats exam content as confidential and prohibits disclosing it. For course assessments, we do not publish answers either — work out why each wrong option is wrong instead.

Are there official CCNA exam 1 answers or CCNA exam 2 answers?

No. The certification is one exam, 200-301, and Cisco does not release answers. Numbered “CCNA 1” or “CCNA 2” exams are course assessments, and answer lists for them — CCNA 1 exam answers, CCNA 2 exam answers, CCNA 2 v7 exam answers — are unofficial and unverifiable.

Should I use CCNA 1 test answers or CCNA 2 test answers to pass my course?

We advise against it. Unofficial answer lists may not match your course version or may be wrong, and copying them hides exactly the gaps the course is meant to show you before you sit 200-301.

What about Cisco CCNA checkpoint exam answers?

Same answer: checkpoint exams are course assessments, and we do not publish answer keys for them. Use a missed checkpoint question to find the topic you need to revisit.

How do I renew my CCNA?

Within three years, pass the current CCNA exam or a higher-level Cisco exam, or earn 30 CE credits. Cisco grants no extensions. Source: Cisco, checked 9 October 2026.

Where can I download my CCNA certificate?

From Cisco’s Certification Tracking System, which offers score reports, transcripts, certificates and logos. Source: Cisco exam policies, checked 9 October 2026.