If you went looking for your old VMware certification path in 2026 and could not find it, you are not misremembering. Broadcom has reorganised the whole programme around two product lines, VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware vSphere Foundation, and the familiar version-numbered credentials have been moved aside. The VMware certification path now runs through five professional-level exams and eight advanced ones, all of them tied to product rather than to a year.
The short answer for most administrators: sit VCP-VVF Administrator (2V0-16.25) if you run vSphere, or VCP-VCF Administrator (2V0-17.25) if your organisation has moved to full Cloud Foundation. Everything else in the programme builds on top of those two.
Here is the current structure, the exam codes, and the two policy changes that catch people out.
What Broadcom changed in the VMware certification programme
The certification catalogue is now grouped by technology area instead of by version year. The VMware Cloud Foundation group holds 13 career certifications. A separate Legacy Certifications group holds what survived from the old structure. VCDX and the Application Networking and Security credentials sit in their own groups.
Three changes matter more than the renaming:
- Certifications no longer carry a year in the title. A credential is now identified by the exam you passed and the date you passed it, so there is no VCP 2024 or VCP 2025 to keep current.
- Passing an exam is the only requirement. Broadcom confirmed that to earn or renew a certification you only need to pass the relevant exam, so mandatory classroom training is no longer a gate.
- Old exams do not carry over. In Broadcom's own words, exams passed under the previous structure cannot be applied to the new certifications. There is no credit transfer and no training-based upgrade route.
That last point is the one that costs people money. A half-finished run at a legacy credential does not become progress towards a VCF one.
Exam Tip: Every VCP-level exam in the new structure uses the same format: 60 questions in English, 135 minutes, a passing score of 300, and a price of $250 USD. Plan your revision around 60 questions, not the 70 you may remember from the older vSphere exam.
The VMware certification path in 2026: the VCP tier
Five certifications sit at VMware Certified Professional level. Two follow the vSphere Foundation track, three follow the Cloud Foundation track.
| Certification | Exam code | Track | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| VCP - vSphere Foundation Administrator | 2V0-16.25 | VVF | Deploy and operate VVF |
| VCP - vSphere Foundation Support | 2V0-18.25 | VVF | Troubleshoot VVF |
| VCP - Cloud Foundation Administrator | 2V0-17.25 | VCF | Deploy and operate VCF |
| VCP - Cloud Foundation Support | 2V0-15.25 | VCF | Troubleshoot VCF |
| VCP - Cloud Foundation Architect | 2V0-13.25 | VCF | Design VCF solutions |
The split by job function is new. Previously an administrator and a support engineer sat the same exam. Now the support-track exams test troubleshooting methodology across VCF Operations, vCenter, ESX, vSAN and log management, while the administrator exams test deployment and day-to-day operation.
The architect exam is the outlier. It covers design work rather than operations: availability, performance, recovery, security, capacity planning and migration. It is a professional-level exam, so it does not require the administrator credential first.
VCF or VVF: which track should you pick?
Pick the one that matches the infrastructure you actually touch.
vSphere Foundation (VVF) is the smaller stack. If your estate is vCenter and ESX hosts with vSAN and some operations tooling, the VVF Administrator exam maps to your day job.
Cloud Foundation (VCF) is the full private cloud stack, adding automation, Kubernetes services and the wider operations suite. If your organisation has committed to VCF licensing, the VCF Administrator exam is the one recruiters will look for.
The two administrator exams share a format and a price, so the decision is about relevance rather than difficulty. Sitting VVF when you work in a VCF shop leaves a visible gap on your CV, and sitting VCF when you have never deployed the automation components means revising a stack you cannot practise on.
The VCAP tier: eight advanced options
VMware Certified Advanced Professional is where the programme gets specialised. Eight certifications sit at this level, all inside the Cloud Foundation group:
| VCAP certification | Exam code |
|---|---|
| VCF Automation | 3V0-21.25 |
| VCF Operations | 3V0-22.25 |
| VCF Storage | 3V0-23.25 |
| VCF VKS (Kubernetes services) | 3V0-24.25 |
| VCF Networking | 3V0-25.25 |
| VCF Administrator | 3V0-11.26 |
| VCF Architect | 3V0-12.26 |
| VCF Support | 3V0-13.26 |
The five domain-specific exams (automation, operations, storage, VKS and networking) let you specialise sideways rather than climbing a single ladder. The VKS exam is worth flagging for anyone already working with containers, because it covers the Kubernetes services built into VCF. If you are weighing that against a vendor-neutral option, our CKA study plan covers what the Kubernetes Administrator exam demands instead.
Above VCAP, VMware Certified Distinguished Expert remains a single credential earned by defending a design rather than by sitting a multiple-choice exam.
What actually happened to VCP-DCV
VCP-DCV has not been deleted. It has been moved into the Legacy Certifications group alongside VCP-Network Virtualization, and as of September 2026 its Broadcom page still carries an active exam registration link and full exam details.
The legacy career certifications still listed are:
- VCP - Data Center Virtualization (2V0-21.23), the vSphere 8.x Professional exam
- VCP - Network Virtualization (2V0-41.24)
The practical difference is direction of travel. Broadcom is building new content, new exam versions and new advanced tracks on the VCF side. The legacy exams are still sittable but are not being extended, and they do not feed into the new structure.
Here is how the legacy vSphere exam compares with its nearest replacement:
| VCP-VVF Administrator | VCP-DCV (legacy) | |
|---|---|---|
| Exam code | 2V0-16.25 | 2V0-21.23 |
| Questions | 60 | 70 |
| Duration | 135 minutes | 135 minutes |
| Passing score | 300 | 300 (scaled) |
| Price | $250 USD | $250 USD |
| Product focus | vSphere Foundation 9.0 | vSphere 8.x |
For the same money and the same seat time, the VVF exam tests the current product. Unless you have a specific reason to hold the older credential, such as a partner requirement that names it, the new track is the better spend.
Does VMware certification expire now?
Yes, for the new certifications. VMware Cloud Foundation certifications carry an expiration date with a 36-month renewal window, and renewing means passing the relevant exam again. There is no CPE-style continuing education route and no refresher webinar that keeps a credential alive.
This reverses the position most people remember. VMware removed mandatory recertification back in February 2019, and for several years a VCP simply did not lapse. Credentials earned under that older policy are unaffected and remain listed in your certification record, but anything you earn on the VCF or VVF track now comes with a three-year clock attached.
Budget for that. Three years at $250 is a recurring cost your employer should be told about before you start, not after your badge expires.
Which VMware certification is worth taking in 2026?
For most people the answer is one of the two administrator exams, and the choice is dictated by your estate rather than by career strategy.
Take VCP-VVF Administrator (2V0-16.25) if you run vSphere day to day and want the credential that matches the current product version.
Take VCP-VCF Administrator (2V0-17.25) if your organisation has moved to Cloud Foundation. It is the credential with the clearest demand signal, because it maps directly to the stack Broadcom is selling.
Take VCP-VCF Architect (2V0-13.25) if you already design infrastructure and want to skip the operations credential. Nothing forces you to sit an administrator exam first.
Take a VCAP domain exam only once you have real exposure to that component. The specialised exams reward hands-on time and punish revision-only preparation.
If virtualisation is one option among several you are weighing this year, our best IT certifications for 2026 guide compares the wider field, and the AZ-104 study plan covers the closest Azure equivalent for infrastructure administrators.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which VMware certification is in demand?
The VCP-level Cloud Foundation Administrator credential (2V0-17.25) tracks most closely to what Broadcom is selling, so it is the one appearing in job adverts for private cloud roles. VCP-VVF Administrator remains relevant for the large number of organisations still running vSphere Foundation rather than the full VCF stack.
Does VMware certification expire?
VMware Cloud Foundation certifications have an expiration date and a 36-month renewal window, and you renew by passing the relevant exam. Certifications earned before the recertification requirement was removed in February 2019 are not affected by the new window.
What are the different certification paths for VMware training?
There are four groups. VMware Cloud Foundation holds 13 career certifications across the VCP and VCAP levels. Legacy Certifications holds VCP-DCV and VCP-NV plus three Telco Cloud skills exams. VCDX is a single expert-level design credential. Application Networking and Security holds the Private Cloud Security Administrator and Avi Load Balancer Administrator credentials.
Is VCP-DCV still available?
Yes. VCP-DCV is listed under Legacy Certifications and its exam, 2V0-21.23, still has an active registration link, 70 questions, 135 minutes and a $250 price. It does not count towards any of the new VCF or VVF certifications.
Do I need to attend a training course to get certified?
No. Broadcom confirmed that earning or renewing a certification requires only that you pass the relevant exam. Courses are recommended on each certification page but are not a requirement.
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