MTA Retirement FAQs
Customer-facing FAQs:
Q: Why is Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certifications and exams retiring?
A: For anyone starting out into the broad world of technology, Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certifications have served as a crucial credentialing asset. As the responsibilities of IT professionals become increasingly complex, the importance of having relevant technical skills and industry-recognized certifications has grown. To help students build the technical skills they need to keep pace and succeed in emerging jobs, we’ve evolved our certifications to focus on job roles that align with industry and hiring trends. While we continue to expand on role-based learning offerings, we will be retiring MTA certifications by June 2022 and recommend that educators, students, and learners begin the pivot to the newer generation of certifications.
Q: Because MTA is retiring, what replacement certification should I earn?
A: Fundamentals certifications are a great place to start and validate foundation understanding with mixed concepts and applied learning of Microsoft technologies. They are a springboard to our role-based training and certifications across emerging and in-demand career areas including Microsoft Azure, AI, Data, Power Platform, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics, and many are also approved to earn ACE college credit.
Q: When will you stop selling licenses for the MTA exams?
A: We will stop offering MTA licenses for purchase on June 30, 2021. You will have until June 30, 2022 to register and take the exam.
Q: Can I still achieve the MTA certification before they retire on June 30, 2022?
A: If you pass the exam prior to June 30, 2022, you will earn the certification. Note, however, that you will no longer be able to purchase the exam voucher after June 30, 2021, so retaking a failed exam may not be an option after that date unless you have an additional purchased voucher, or your purchase is part of a volume licensing agreement.
Q: The MTA exams that I’m pursuing are retiring. What should I do?
A: Before the exams expire, you must pass the required exam that is a part of the MTA certification(s) that you are trying to achieve. If you pass the required exam before it expires, you will earn the certification, and it will appear on your certification transcript.
Q: Can I retake an MTA exam after June 30, 2022?
A: No, MTA will be retired on June 30, 2022. We suggest you take the exams early enough for multiple attempts. Note, however, that you will no longer be able to purchase the exam voucher after June 30, 2021, so retaking a failed exam may not be an option after that date unless you have an additional purchased voucher, or your purchase is part of a volume licensing agreement.
Refer to the Exam Retake policies for additional details.
Q: Can I trade in the MTA voucher I previously purchased for another exam?
A: No. We are providing sufficient notice of retirement to customers to help ensure enough time to use your voucher.
Q: What happens to the MTA certification that I already have?
A: Nothing happens to the MTA certification that you already have; they remain on your certification transcript and will be printable even after the exams retire. However, they will move to the “Certification History” section of your transcript two years after the certifications retire.
Q: Will customers still have access to their MTA digital badge and certificate after retirement?
A: Yes. Customers will continue to have access to the certificate through their certification dashboard and badge through Credly/Acclaim indefinitely.
Q: Where can I find more details about retired certifications?
A: The Certification Retirement Information page on Microsoft Learn provides a list of future and past retirements.
Q: What is the list of exams being retired on June 30, 2022?
A: The following exams will be retired with retirement of MTA:
| Exam Title | Retirement Date |
|---|---|
| Database Administration Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| HTML5 Application Development Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Introduction to Programming Using HTML and CSS | 6/30/2022 |
| Introduction to Programming Using Java | 6/30/2022 |
| Introduction to Programming Using JavaScript | 6/30/2022 |
| Introduction to Programming Using Python | 6/30/2022 |
| Mobility and Devices Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Networking Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Security Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Software Development Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Windows Operating System Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |
| Windows Server Administration Fundamentals | 6/30/2022 |