To Continue DP-100 Certification Exam or Not

Question

I am preparing for DP-100 certification exam that is going to retire on 22 May, 2026. I'd registered for the exam. I am not sure whether there will be any renewal assessment given or not next year even though I can pass the exam now. Should I cancel it to get back my refund, and pay for new certification exam?

Answer 1

The replacement AI-300 is quite a different exam to DP-100

DP-100 focusses on building machine learning models in Azure Machine Learning whereas AI-300 focusses on models in Microsoft Foundry

Answer 2

DP-100 and the associated Azure Data Scientist Associate certification are scheduled to retire on June 1, 2026. After that date:

• The DP-100 exam cannot be taken.
• The associated certification cannot be newly earned.

For retiring certifications, renewal works differently from ongoing ones:

• Normally, role-based certifications can be renewed for free via an online assessment on Microsoft Learn during the 6 months before expiry.
• When a certification is retiring, Microsoft may shorten or remove the renewal window so that renewal cannot extend beyond the retirement date.
• If the retirement date comes before the normal expiration date of the certification, the instruction is to renew (if allowed) before the certification retirement date, not after.
• Once the certification retires, there is no option to renew it; at that point it can only remain on the transcript as a retired certification.

Therefore, passing DP-100 now will still earn the Azure Data Scientist Associate certification and it will stay on the transcript even after retirement, but there is no guarantee of a long-term renewal path beyond the retirement date. Any renewal opportunity, if offered, must be completed before the certification retires and may be time-limited.

Whether to keep or cancel the current registration is a personal decision based on how valuable this specific certification is in the near term, knowing that:

• It is retiring on June 1, 2026.
• It may not be renewable after that retirement date.

For cancellation and refund eligibility, the standard exam reschedule/cancellation policy applies (for example, cancellations or reschedules must be done at least 24 hours before the appointment to avoid forfeiting the fee).

---

References:

• Study guide for Exam DP-100: Designing and Implementing a Data Science Solution on Azure
• Exam and assessment lab retirement
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about renewal
• An Important Update on Microsoft Training and Certification
• Microsoft Ignite and Microsoft Ignite The Tour: Free Certification Exam Offer