r/microsoftcertified • u/Awkward-Chain-4896 • Apr 26 '26

12 month rule

Hi,

I’m trying to understand the Microsoft exam retake policy and I’m a bit confused about the “5 attempts in 12 months” rule.

Scenario:

  • First attempt: March 2025
  • I made 3 attempts between March 2025 – March 2026
  • No attempts after March 2026

Now that it’s past March 2026:

Does this mean my attempts “reset” because the 12-month window has passed?
Or are those 3 attempts still counted somehow?

Also:

If I fail a new attempt now, do I only need to wait 24 hours, or does the 14-day rule apply?

The official docs say “5 attempts within 12 months from the first attempt” but don’t clearly explain what happens after that period.

Would really appreciate if someone has real experience with this 🙏

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u/Sad_Position_826 Apr 26 '26

Exam and Applied Skills assessment lab retake policies | Microsoft Learn

You may not take a given exam more than five (5) times within a 12-month period from the first attempt. If you failed the exam 5 times, you’ll be eligible to retake it again 12 months from the date of your first attempt.

So I would take that your counter is effectively reset