Exam Retirement
The current series of CIW exams and certifications are version 4 and version 5. To learn the current version of a specific CIW certification exam, visit the Exam Guide for that exam.
Each version 4 CIW exam will be retired subsequent to the release of its corresponding version-5 exam. Overlap periods -- in which both the new v5 exam and the previous v4 exam are concurrently live for a limited time -- are offered as a courtesy to CIW certification candidates preparing for the earlier exam version.
Version 4 CIW exams currently retired include the following:
- 1D0-410 (CIW Foundations version 4) - retired January 31, 2005
- 1D0-420 CIW Site Designer - retired June 30, 2006.
- 1D0-425 CIW E-Commerce Designer - retired June 30, 2006.
- 1D0-475 (CIW Administrator for Microsoft and Novell Professionals) - retired October 15, 2004
- 1D0-476 (Master CIW Administrator for Intel Professionals) -- retired April 1, 2002
Exam Versions and CIW Certification Eligibility
Candidates should understand the difference between an exam and a certification, which may be earned by passing one or multiple exams. Candidates who are pursuing CIW Professional and Master CIW certification tracks should verify the version of each required CIW exam they take. A passing score on a CIW exam that is one version older than the most current live version of that exam (at the time of completion of all required exams) will be accepted toward a CIW Professional or Master CIW certification.
However, an exam that is two versions older than the most current live version of that exam (at the time of completion of all required exams) is not eligible toward a CIW Professional or Master CIW certification. For example, if you passed the CIW v4 Foundations exam (1D0-410), you can still use that score to complete a CIW Professional or a Master CIW certification. However, if you passed the CIW v3 Foundations exam (1D0-310), you can no longer use that score to complete these certification tracks because the CIW v5 Foundations exam (1D0-510) has been released.
*Note that most CIW certification tracks (with the exceptions of the CIW Associate, CIW Security Analyst and CIW Web Developer) require the candidate to take and pass two or more CIW exams. Therefore, a CIW Professional or Master CIW certification can currently be earned with a combination of CIW v4 and v5 exams. Eligibility of a specific exam toward any certification track is dependent on the given exam's most current version at the time that the candidate completes all requirements for the certification track.
Expiration of CIW Certifications
Any CIW certification that you have earned by taking and passing all required exams (and fulfilling any other requirements at the time of completion) will not expire. Once CIW certified, always CIW certified.
Whether you choose to re-certify with a newer exam version is your decision, based upon the needs of your career path. However, you are strongly encouraged to update your certification. Holding the most current version of a technology certification shows your employers and colleagues that your skills and knowledge are up-to-date with the most current trends and technology.
With the release of the CIW v5 Foundations exam (1D0-510) in November 2004, the CIW Associate certificates now include a "v5" designation to emphasize that the CIW certification program continues to evolve along with technology.
Retired CIW Exams
A CIW exam may be retired for various reasons, including release of a new objectives, changes to related certification programs, or determination by the IT industry that a job role has become obsolete.
Once retired, the exam is no longer available at testing centers, although in some cases candidates can still apply credit for a retired exam version toward a multi-exam certification. CIW offers six months' prior notice for retirement of any exam so that interested candidates have time to prepare and take the exam while it is still available. You can find information about retirement status for a particular exam by visiting that exam's Exam Guide page.
Due to the release of the CIW v5 Foundations exam on November 29, 2004, the CIW v3 Foundations exam (1D0-310) can no longer be applied toward any CIW Professional or Master CIW certification.
*CIW Certified Instructors (CIs) are required to pass the most current exam (currently v4 or v5) before teaching the corresponding CIW course.
If You Are Preparing to Take an Exam
If you are preparing independently to take a CIW exam, you should verify that your CIW courseware titles and versions are recent and correspond with the current v4 or v5 CIW exams. Visit the CIW Courseware and Exam Versions page for information about current courseware versions.
CIW exam preparation courses offered by ATPs and AAPs offer materials and training that cover the current exam objectives.