OSCP certification: the OSCP+ exam, cost and passing score
The OSCP certification is OffSec’s hands-on penetration-testing credential, earned after the PEN-200 course. The proctored exam gives you 23 hours 45 minutes to attack the exam machines and 24 more hours to submit a report; you need 70 of 100 points. Since 1 November 2024 a pass awards two certifications: OSCP+, which expires after three years, and OSCP, which does not.
- Certifications earned
- OSCP+ (expires after 3 years) and OSCP (does not expire)OffSec OSCP+ announcement, checked 8 October 2026
- Exam
- 23 hours 45 minutes, hands-on, proctored — plus 24 hours to submit the reportOffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Passing score
- 70 of 100 pointsOffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Exam structure
- 3 stand-alone machines (60 points) and 1 Active Directory set of 3 machines (40 points)OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Number of questions
- Not applicable — a practical exam scored by points, not questionsOffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- No formal prerequisites; networking, Linux and Windows basics recommendedOffSec PEN-200 page, checked 8 October 2026
- Price
- Pricing page: Course + Cert Bundle $1,749, Learn One $2,749/year · PEN-200 page: $1,649 and $2,599/yearOffSec pricing and PEN-200 pages disagreed on the same day; the checkout price is binding. Checked 8 October 2026
- Keeping OSCP+
- 120 CPE credits in 3 years plus AMF ($145/year) or AMP ($299/year), or a retake or higher-level examOffSec CPE Program handbook, checked 8 October 2026
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What is the OSCP certification?
OSCP stands for OffSec Certified Professional. It is the penetration-testing certification attached to OffSec’s PEN-200 course, and OffSec describes the exam as entirely hands-on: you compromise the exam machines and document how you did it, rather than answering questions about it.
OffSec states there are no formal prerequisites; the exam guide says the certification is awarded without prerequisites to individuals who pass a performance test. The course is designed for people with a solid foundation in networking and basic familiarity with Linux and Windows systems.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 8 October 2026.
OSCP vs OSCP+: what changed?
Effective 1 November 2024, OffSec added a “+” designation. Anyone who passes the exam now receives two certifications: OSCP+ and OSCP. The OSCP+ expires three years from issuance; the OSCP does not expire.
People who passed before 1 November 2024, and anyone who lets their OSCP+ lapse, keep an OSCP that OffSec states remains valid for life. OffSec’s exam guide now refers to the exam itself as the OSCP+ exam.
In practice: the exam is the same single attempt for both. The difference is only what you keep afterwards — a lifetime OSCP, and an OSCP+ that stays valid for three years and then only if you renew it.
Source: OffSec — Everything you need to know about the OSCP+. Checked 8 October 2026.
How much does the OSCP certification cost?
OffSec sells the exam together with course and lab access. On 8 October 2026 its pricing page listed the Course + Cert Bundle at $1,749 once — 90 days of access to one 200- or 300-level course, hands-on labs and a single exam attempt — and Learn One at $2,749 per year, with one year of access to one course, the labs and two exam attempts.
OffSec’s PEN-200 course page showed different figures on the same day: $1,649 for the 90-day bundle with one exam attempt, $2,599 per year for the option with a year of lab access and two exam attempts, and $5,799 per year for unlimited OffSec Learning Library access with unlimited exam attempts. We report both because both are OffSec’s own pages; the price at checkout is the binding one.
For OSCP+ there is also a running cost: annual coverage through the Annual Maintenance Fee of $145 per year or the Annual Membership Program at $299 per year.
Source: OffSec — Pricing. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is the OSCP exam format?
You have 23 hours and 45 minutes to complete the exam, followed by another 24 hours to upload your documentation — the penetration testing report is part of the assessment, not an afterthought. All OSCP+ exams are proctored, and OffSec requires that all work, research and viewing of information happen on the machine running the proctoring software.
The exam guide restricts tools. Spoofing, commercial tools, automatic exploitation tools and mass vulnerability scanners are not allowed; Metasploit and the Meterpreter payload are restricted; and using LLMs and AI chatbots is strictly prohibited.
There are no multiple-choice questions and therefore no question count — the exam is scored by points earned on target machines.
Source: OffSec — OSCP+ Exam Guide. Checked 8 October 2026.
OSCP passing score
The maximum is 100 points and you need at least 70 to pass. The points are split across two parts: three stand-alone machines worth 60 points in total, and one Active Directory set of three machines worth 40 points in total.
On each stand-alone machine, 10 points are for initial access and 10 for privilege escalation. In the Active Directory set the three machines are worth 10, 10 and 20 points. That structure is why partial progress counts — and why a full AD set alone, at 40 points, is not enough to pass.
Source: OffSec — OSCP+ Exam Guide. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is on the OSCP exam?
OffSec does not publish weighted domains for the OSCP exam; the scope is the PEN-200 course and the exam structure above — stand-alone machines worth 60 points and an Active Directory set worth 40.
The PEN-200 modules listed on OffSec’s course page include the following; the module on report writing sits alongside the attack techniques because the report is part of the assessment:
- Introduction to Cybersecurity
- Report Writing for Penetration Testers
- Information Gathering
- Vulnerability Scanning
- Introduction to Web Applications
- Common Web Application Attacks
- SQL Injection Attacks
- Client-Side Attacks
- Locating Public Exploits
- Fixing Exploits
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 8 October 2026.
How long is OSCP valid, and how do you renew OSCP+?
The OSCP does not expire. The OSCP+ expires three years after issuance and is renewed in one of three ways, according to OffSec’s CPE Program handbook.
The first is to complete 120 CPE credits during the three-year cycle and maintain annual coverage each year through the Annual Membership Program ($299 per year, auto-renewing) or the Annual Maintenance Fee ($145 per year, non-renewing). The second is to retake the certification exam. The third is to pass a higher-level qualifying OffSec exam — for OSCP+ the handbook lists OSWA, OSEP, OSWE, OSED, OSMR, OSEE and OSAI+. For the exam routes, annual coverage still applies where the programme rules require it.
Source: OffSec — CPE Program and Annual Maintenance Handbook. Checked 8 October 2026.
OSCP study materials and training
The official preparation is the PEN-200 course itself, with its labs, and every purchase option includes at least one exam attempt. OffSec also points to its Network Penetration Testing Essentials learning path as preparation for those who need to build the foundations first.
Report writing is a module of its own in PEN-200. With 24 hours to submit a penetration testing report after the exam, documentation is part of passing, so practise writing up every lab machine you compromise.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 8 October 2026.
OSCP vs PenTest+
Both certify penetration testing, in very different formats. CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) is a 165-minute exam with a maximum of 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions and a passing score of 750 on a scale of 100–900; CompTIA recommends 3–4 years in a penetration tester role with Network+ and Security+ or equivalent knowledge.
OSCP is a practical exam of 23 hours 45 minutes against live machines, scored by points, followed by a written report; OffSec sets no formal prerequisites.
Neither is a prerequisite for the other. PenTest+ tests knowledge across the penetration-testing process in a timed question format; OSCP tests whether you can actually compromise systems within a fixed window and document it.
Source: CompTIA — PenTest+ certification. Checked 8 October 2026.
OSCP practice questions
Since the OSCP exam is hands-on, questions can only support it: Certsqill’s expert-developed OSCP practice questions explain every option and cover the concepts behind the PEN-200 modules — the hands-on practice itself belongs in the labs.
OSCP questions people ask
What is the difference between OSCP and OSCP+?
Passing the exam since 1 November 2024 awards both. OSCP+ expires after three years; OSCP does not expire. Source: OffSec, checked 8 October 2026.
How long is the OSCP exam?
23 hours 45 minutes, then 24 hours to upload your report. Source: OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026.
What is the OSCP passing score?
70 of a maximum 100 points. Source: OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026.
How much does the OSCP certification cost?
OffSec’s pricing page lists the Course + Cert Bundle at $1,749 and Learn One at $2,749 per year; its PEN-200 page showed $1,649 and $2,599 per year. Checked 8 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites for OSCP?
No formal prerequisites. OffSec recommends a solid foundation in networking and basic familiarity with Linux and Windows. Checked 8 October 2026.
Can I use AI tools in the OSCP exam?
No. OffSec states that using LLMs and AI chatbots is strictly prohibited, and Metasploit use is restricted. Source: OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026.
How do I renew OSCP+?
120 CPE credits in three years plus annual coverage (AMF $145/year or AMP $299/year), or retake the exam, or pass a higher-level qualifying OffSec exam. Source: OffSec, checked 8 October 2026.
Is the OSCP exam proctored?
Yes. All OSCP+ exams are proctored. Source: OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 8 October 2026.
Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP): the name
Many people still search for the Offensive Security Certified Professional OSCP, and that is the same credential. The company was called Offensive Security until 1 March 2023, when it officially adopted the name OffSec; today its course page calls the certification the OffSec Certified Professional. Whether you call it the OSCP cert, the OSCP certificate or the offensive security OSCP certification, there is one issuer and one exam — an OSCP certification Offensive Security issued before 2023 is the same credential under the old company name.
So what is OSCP certification, in one sentence? A penetration-testing certification you earn by attacking machines in a proctored, practical exam and documenting what you did — not by answering questions. That is what makes it an OSCP penetration testing certification in the literal sense.
Source: OffSec — Brand Refresh FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.
PEN-200: Penetration Testing with Kali Linux
The course behind the exam is PEN-200, Penetration Testing with Kali Linux (also abbreviated PWK). OffSec describes it as hands-on and self-paced, with course content, videos, interactive exercises and a virtual lab. Searches for a “PEN-200 certification” mean the OSCP: PEN-200 is the course, OSCP+ and OSCP are what you receive when you pass its exam.
Every purchase option on the PEN-200 page includes at least one exam attempt, so the course and the exam are normally bought together. OffSec lets learners open PEN-200’s first learning module for an overview before buying.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 9 October 2026.
OSCP syllabus
OffSec does not publish a weighted OSCP syllabus the way multiple-choice exams publish domains. The closest thing is the list of PEN-200 topics on its course page, from Information Gathering and Vulnerability Scanning to web application attacks, SQL injection, client-side attacks and working with public exploits — with report writing as a topic of its own. The exam then tests that material on three stand-alone machines and an Active Directory set.
Read the syllabus with the exam rules in mind. Because Metasploit modules and the Meterpreter payload may be used against only one target machine, and automatic exploitation tools are banned, the manual techniques in the course are the ones you will rely on.
Source: OffSec — OSCP+ Exam Guide (updated 20 April 2026). Checked 9 October 2026.
OSCP requirements: who can take the OSCP test
There are no formal OSCP requirements: OffSec states that there are no formal prerequisites, and its exam guide says the certification is awarded to individuals who pass a performance test. The OSCP certification requirements that matter in practice are knowledge ones — OffSec recommends a solid foundation in networking and basic familiarity with Linux and Windows, and points beginners to its Network Penetration Testing Essentials learning path.
The OSCP test itself adds requirements of a different kind. You must accept proctoring for the whole session, keep all work on the machine running the proctoring software, follow the tool restrictions, and submit a PDF report within 24 hours of the exam ending. OffSec states that a report not uploaded will not be graded, and that insufficient documentation means reduced or zero points.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 9 October 2026.
The Offensive Security Certified Professional OSCP exam: report and results
The report is where many candidates underestimate the exam. OffSec’s exam guide requires a professional report describing the exploitation of each target in enough detail to be replicated step by step, with a screenshot of every local.txt and proof.txt showing the file contents and the target’s IP address. The report must be a PDF in a .7z archive, named in the format OffSec specifies, and not password-protected.
Results arrive by email within ten business days after you submit your documentation, according to the exam guide.
Source: OffSec — OSCP+ Exam Guide (updated 20 April 2026). Checked 9 October 2026.
Is there an OSCP exam voucher?
Not in the sense other certifications use. OffSec does not sell the OSCP as a stand-alone voucher on its PEN-200 page; exam attempts come with the course options — one attempt in the 90-day bundle, two with the yearly option, unlimited with all-access. If you need more, OffSec’s bundle FAQ says additional exam attempts can be bought via your Buy More page, subject to a cooling-off period under its retake policy.
One deadline is easy to miss: the exam attempt in the Course & Cert Exam Bundle is valid within 120 days of the end of your lab access.
Source: OffSec — Course & Cert Exam Bundle FAQ. Checked 9 October 2026.
OSCP pass rate
OffSec does not publish an OSCP pass rate — not on the PEN-200 page and not in the exam guide. Any OSCP passing rate quoted elsewhere is someone else’s estimate, and there is no official data to check it against.
What OffSec does publish is the passing standard: 70 of 100 points. That is a more useful number to plan with than a pass rate, because you can map it to the exam: the Active Directory set is worth 40 points and each stand-alone machine 20, so a pass needs points from both parts.
Source: OffSec — OSCP+ Exam Guide (updated 20 April 2026). Checked 9 October 2026.
OSCP salary
OffSec publishes no salary survey of its certified holders. Its PEN-200 page says OSCP holders can negotiate top-tier compensation, but gives no figure, so there is no official OSCP salary, OSCP certification salary or OSCP certified salary number to quote.
Figures on other sites usually describe penetration-tester job titles, not people who hold the certification, and they vary by country, seniority and sector. Treat them as estimates for the role, not as a value attached to the certificate.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 9 October 2026.
Is OSCP worth it?
It depends on what you want to prove. The OSCP shows that you compromised real machines within 23 hours 45 minutes under proctoring and documented it to a professional standard — something a multiple-choice exam cannot show. Against that stand the price of the course options, the time the labs take, and, for OSCP+, the renewal requirements every three years.
It is most likely worth it if you are aiming at hands-on offensive roles where employers ask for practical proof. If your goal is a broader security role, a knowledge-based certification may fit better first — the comparison with PenTest+ on this page shows the difference in format.
Source: OffSec — PEN-200 course. Checked 9 October 2026.
OSCP exam dumps
OSCP exam dumps make even less sense than dumps for a multiple-choice exam: there are no questions to memorise, only machines to compromise and a report that must show your own step-by-step work. Material claiming to be a dump is also unverifiable — you cannot know whether it matches anything.
Anyone offering an OSCP exam dump is also offering a way to lose the certification. OffSec states that a certification can be revoked if a learner is caught cheating or sharing exam reports or exam solutions, that revocation brings a permanent bar from its courses, and that it has a zero-tolerance policy for cheating.
Source: OffSec — Can my certification and/or badge ever be revoked?. Checked 9 October 2026.
More OSCP questions
What is OSCP certification?
OffSec’s practical penetration-testing certification, earned by passing the proctored exam linked to the PEN-200 course. Since 1 November 2024 a pass awards OSCP+ and OSCP.
Is OSCP still called Offensive Security Certified Professional?
The company renamed itself from Offensive Security to OffSec on 1 March 2023, and its course page now says OffSec Certified Professional. It is the same certification. Source: OffSec, checked 9 October 2026.
Is there an OSCP pass rate?
Not an official one. OffSec publishes the passing standard — 70 of 100 points — but no pass rate. Checked 9 October 2026.
When do I get my OSCP exam result?
By email within ten business days after you submit your documentation. Source: OffSec OSCP+ Exam Guide, checked 9 October 2026.
Can I buy just an OSCP exam attempt?
Exam attempts come with the PEN-200 purchase options. Additional attempts can be bought via the Buy More page in your account, subject to a cooling-off period. Source: OffSec, checked 9 October 2026.
Are OSCP exam dumps allowed?
No. OffSec revokes certifications for cheating or sharing exam reports or solutions, and bars the person from future courses. Source: OffSec, checked 9 October 2026.
