SC-100 Exam with Az-500 after 31 August 2026

Question

I currently hold an active Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500), which I earned before AZ-500 retired on August 31, 2026.

I am planning to take Exam SC-100: Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect after August 31, 2026.

Could you please confirm specifically for my account:

1. If I pass SC-100, will my existing AZ-500 satisfy the prerequisite for Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert?
2. Will Microsoft automatically award the Cybersecurity Architect Expert certification/badge after I pass SC-100?
3. If AZ-500 is no longer accepted as a prerequisite after August 31, 2026, do I need SC-500, SC-200, or SC-300 in addition to SC-100?
4. Does Microsoft have a grandfather/transition rule for candidates who earned AZ-500 before its retirement?

I would appreciate confirmation based on my existing certification status before I schedule the SC-100 exam.

Thank you

Answer 1

Your active AZ-500 certification remains valid for one year from the date you earned it, but it will not satisfy the prerequisite for the Cybersecurity Architect Expert certification if you take SC-100 after August 31, 2026.

Once AZ-500 retired on August 31, 2026, it stopped being accepted as an active prerequisite for new expert-level certifications once expired or if standard system logic drops retired prerequisites for future exams. Microsoft will not automatically award the Cybersecurity Architect Expert certification if your prerequisite is retired or unrecognized at the time of passing SC-100. You would need to hold a currently accepted active prerequisite.

If your AZ-500 is no longer accepted or has expired, you will need to earn one of the currently active prerequisite certifications before or alongside SC-100. The accepted active prerequisites include SC-200, Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate, and SC-300, Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate.

SC-500 has been introduced as the direct replacement/successor associate exam for AZ-500.

Microsoft does not offer a grandfather or automatic transition rule that maps a retired associate certification to an active expert prerequisite indefinitely past retirement rules or system changes. Retired credentials remain permanently on your transcript, but they lose active standing for new path fulfillments once they expire or are no longer accepted.

More at https://learn.microsoft.com/en-my/answers/questions/5979471/will-sc-500-satisfy-the-prerequisite-for-sc-100-st

Now AZ-500 is officially replaced with SC-500

SC-100 Certification prerequisites

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/cybersecurity-architect-expert/#certification-prerequisites

Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate --> Option 1: Prerequisite certification SC-300

Microsoft Certified: Security Operations Analyst Associate --> Option 2: Prerequisite certification SC-200

Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate --> Option 3: Prerequisite certification SC-500

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hth

Marcin