CompTIA has not officially announced CompTIA Security+ SY0-801. What exists as of now is a working date shared by CompTIA staff on the CompTIA Instructors Network, a set of draft exam objectives published on CompTIA’s own “exam objectives under development” page, and a well-established historical pattern for how these transitions actually unfold. None of that is a press release, and CompTIA has slipped announced certification dates by 3 to 6 months before, so treat everything below as the most current, best-sourced picture available, not a confirmed fact.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Current Status |
| Working preview access date | Around October 20, 2026 |
| Working general availability date | November 17, 2026 |
| Source for these dates | CompTIA Instructors Network, described as “as of right now,” not a formal CompTIA announcement |
| Headline content change | Dedicated AI and large language model objectives |
| Draft objectives status | Version 1.2 published on CompTIA’s exam objectives under development page, no exam code or price attached yet |
| Current exam you can actually book | SY0-701, the only live Security+ exam |
| SY0-701 retirement | Not announced, expected roughly 6 months after SY0-801 reaches general availability, pointing to around mid-2027 |
| Does your SY0-701 certification expire when SY0-801 launches | No, Security+ stays valid 3 years from your test date regardless of which version you sat |
What’s Actually Confirmed
CompTIA has published draft objectives for the next Security+ version, internally referred to as V8, on its official exam objectives under development page. This is a real, verifiable document, not a rumor, and it’s the strongest piece of evidence that a new version is genuinely in development. Beyond that, CompTIA has not published an exam code, a price, a beta registration window, or a confirmed launch date through any official channel.
What’s Reported, But Not Yet Official
The specific dates circulating, preview access around October 20, 2026 and general availability on November 17, 2026, both trace back to the CompTIA Instructors Network, a CompTIA-run community for training partners. A CompTIA staff member shared these dates directly with instructors, which makes this a genuinely well-sourced report rather than internet speculation, but it’s still an internal working date shared informally, not a public commitment. Multiple independent training providers have converged on these same 2 dates, which adds confidence, but every one of them attaches the same caveat: CompTIA has a documented history of pushing back announced certification release dates by 3 to 6 months.
Why a New Version Was Expected Now
This isn’t coming out of nowhere. CompTIA follows a roughly 3-year refresh cycle for Security+, and SY0-701 launched in November 2023. A successor arriving in late 2026 lines up exactly with that established pattern, the same pattern that took SY0-601 (retired July 31, 2024) to SY0-701. For the full breakdown of exactly what changed in that last transition, including the domain restructuring and the objectives that were added and removed, see our What’s New in SY0-701 guide. That transition is the closest available preview of how CompTIA typically handles a version change, and a useful reference point for what to expect this time.
What Changes: The One Headline Everyone Agrees On
Every source tracking this, training providers, instructor networks, and CompTIA’s own draft documentation, points to the same standout addition: dedicated artificial intelligence and large language model content. This tracks with where the broader security industry has moved since SY0-701 launched in 2023, and it mirrors a pattern CompTIA has already established elsewhere in its catalog with the newer SecAI+ certification. Specific objective-level detail beyond “AI and LLM content” is still thin in public draft materials, since the objectives remain in a version 1.2 draft state without a locked final blueprint.
This Isn’t a One-Off Prediction, CompTIA Is Already Doing This Elsewhere
If dedicated AI content in SY0-801 sounds like speculation, it’s worth knowing this isn’t an isolated guess, it’s consistent with what CompTIA has already shipped in 2026 across the rest of its catalog. CySA+ rolled from CS0-003 to CS0-004 in June 2026, and that update specifically added AI concepts alongside expanded cloud and hybrid security operations coverage, with the English CS0-003 exam scheduled to retire December 22, 2026. Separately, CompTIA launched an entirely new credential, SecAI+, positioned specifically around AI security concepts. Taken together, a CySA+ refresh that added AI content, a brand new AI-focused certification, and now draft SY0-801 objectives built around AI and LLM content, this is a clear, deliberate pattern across CompTIA’s 2026 roadmap, not a single isolated rumor about one exam.
What Probably Stays the Same
Until CompTIA says otherwise, the safest assumption is that SY0-801 will carry over the current exam’s basic mechanics: up to 90 questions, a 90-minute time limit, a passing score of 750 out of 900, and a similar mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions. CompTIA’s own pricing sits at $439 in the US as of its June 1, 2026 price change, and that figure is the most reasonable placeholder for SY0-801 until a specific price is announced. None of this is confirmed for the new version specifically, it’s simply what continuity with SY0-701’s existing structure would suggest.
Should You Wait for SY0-801, or Take SY0-701 Now?
This is genuinely the more important question for most people reading this, and it deserves its own full answer rather than a quick paragraph here. The short version: most candidates studying right now should sit SY0-701, since it’s a known quantity with mature study materials, and your certification stays valid for 3 years regardless of which version you take. But the full decision depends on your specific timeline, and there are real cases where waiting makes sense. See our complete SY0-701 vs SY0-801 decision guide for the full breakdown by candidate situation.
If you decide SY0-701 is your path right now, our complete SY0-701 exam guide covers current cost, format, and domain weights in full, our SY0-701 exam objectives and domains breakdown covers exactly what’s tested, and our SY0-701 preparation guide and 10-week SY0-701 study plan will get you exam-ready without wasting time on material that won’t be relevant once SY0-801 becomes current.
What to Watch For Next
| Milestone | What It Would Confirm |
| CompTIA publishes a finalized (non-draft) set of V8 objectives | The exam content is locked and no longer subject to change |
| CompTIA assigns an official exam code and announces pricing | The exam is close to actually launching |
| Beta exam registration opens | Launch is imminent, typically weeks away |
| CompTIA publishes an official retirement date for SY0-701 | The transition timeline is locked, giving you a hard deadline if you’re currently on SY0-701 |
For the complete historical arc across all 3 versions of this exam, SY0-601, SY0-701, and SY0-801, at a glance, see our SY0-601 vs SY0-701 vs SY0-801 version timeline. And once more of SY0-801’s draft objectives solidify, our dedicated breakdown of its expected cost, format, and domains tracks exactly what’s known so far.
Decision Checklist
- Don’t buy SY0-801-specific study material yet. No finalized objectives, exam code, or official price exist, and anything claiming to be a complete SY0-801 course right now is working from an unlocked draft at best.
- If you can realistically sit an exam before spring 2027, prepare for SY0-701. It’s a known quantity, and your certification will stay valid for 3 years regardless of which version becomes current later.
- If you’re starting from zero and realistically won’t be exam-ready until mid-2027 or later, it’s reasonable to pace your preparation around SY0-801 instead, watching for beta registration and finalized objectives as your signal to begin.
- Bookmark CompTIA’s own exam objectives under development page directly rather than relying solely on third-party summaries, since that’s the actual primary source these dates and objectives trace back to.
- Revisit this page periodically. Given CompTIA’s documented pattern of schedule slippage, treat any specific date here as directional, not fixed, until CompTIA issues a formal announcement.
FAQS
Has CompTIA officially announced SY0-801?
No. What exists is a working date shared informally on the CompTIA Instructors Network and a set of draft V1.2 exam objectives on CompTIA’s own website. Neither constitutes a formal, public announcement.
When is SY0-801 expected to launch?
Preview access is tentatively expected around October 20, 2026, with general availability around November 17, 2026, based on CompTIA staff communication to instructors. Both dates could shift by 3 to 6 months based on CompTIA’s historical pattern.
What is the biggest change expected in SY0-801?
Dedicated artificial intelligence and large language model content, the one change every source tracking this consistently agrees on.
Will my SY0-701 certification become invalid when SY0-801 launches?
No. CompTIA Security+ certifications remain valid for 3 years from your test date regardless of which exam version was current when you took it.
Can I still take SY0-701 after SY0-801 launches?
Likely yes, for a period. CompTIA’s standard pattern keeps the outgoing exam version bookable for roughly 6 months after the new version reaches general availability, though this hasn’t been officially confirmed for this specific transition yet.
Should I wait for SY0-801 instead of taking SY0-701 now?
For most candidates studying today, no, take SY0-701 now given its mature study materials and 3-year validity regardless of version. See our full SY0-701 vs SY0-801 guide for the complete decision framework based on your specific timeline.
Where can I find CompTIA’s actual draft objectives for SY0-801?
On CompTIA’s own exam objectives under development page, which currently hosts version 1.2 of the draft V8 objectives without an assigned exam code or price.
How much will SY0-801 cost?
Not yet announced. The most reasonable placeholder is SY0-701’s current $439 US pricing, in effect since CompTIA’s June 1, 2026 price change, though this is not confirmed for the new version.
