Security+ V8 (SY0-801): Release Date and Should You Wait?

Security+ V8 is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026, according to CompTIA's own V8 page. The exam code is SY0-801, and the current exam, SY0-701, stays available until June 11, 2027 for English test takers. So there is a window where both exist, and for most people the answer to "should I wait?" is no.

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Everything below comes from CompTIA's pages and the V8 exam objectives preview they publish. Where CompTIA has not said something yet, we say so instead of guessing.

What we know for certain

CompTIA's Security+ page shows a card reading "Security+ V8 (Coming November 2026)", and the V8 page says it is "expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026". Note the wording: expected, and on or around. Dates like this can move, so check CompTIA before you plan around a specific day.

The V8 page also states these details:

• Exam code: SY0-801.
• Format: up to 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions, in 90 minutes.
• Passing score: 750 on a scale of 100 to 900.
• Language: English only.
• Recommended experience: two years as a security administrator.
• Retirement: CompTIA gives a rough estimate of 3 years after launch for V8 itself.

The format is the same as SY0-701: the same question cap, the same time limit, the same pass mark.

The objectives are published as a preview

The V8 page links to a preview of the full exam objectives, a PDF titled "CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 V8 Certification Exam Objectives". Because CompTIA calls it a preview, treat it as their current plan rather than the final word, and re-read the final version when it appears.

Domains and weights in the V8 preview:

• General Security Concepts: 16%
• Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Attacks: 24%
• Security Architecture: 19%
• Security Operations: 27%
• Security Program Management and Oversight: 14%

SY0-701 for comparison:

• General Security Concepts: 12%
• Threats, Vulnerabilities, and Mitigations: 22%
• Security Architecture: 18%
• Security Operations: 28%
• Security Program Management and Oversight: 20%

Two things stand out. Security Operations is the biggest domain on both. And Program Management and Oversight, the governance and compliance domain, drops from 20% to 14%, while General Security Concepts grows from 12% to 16%. The second domain is also renamed, from "Mitigations" to "Attacks".

What is new in the topics

CompTIA says V8 "offers expanded coverage of areas such as AI-related risks, security operations, and modern environments." The preview objectives back that up in a few places:

• A new objective, 2.6, on threats and vulnerabilities associated with artificial intelligence. Listed topics include prompt injection, poisoning, jailbreaking, hallucinations, bias and data loss.
• Large language models appear in the attack surfaces list in objective 2.4.
• Objective 4.6 on automation and orchestration lists AI capabilities such as agentic AI, chatbots and predictive analysis, next to the usual scripting and provisioning topics.

The fundamentals are still there: defense in depth, zero trust, cryptography, vulnerability management, incident response, identity and access management. This looks like an update, not a different exam. We compared the headline structure and a handful of objectives, not every line, so read the full PDF before you plan your study.

What we don't know yet

• The V8 exam price. CompTIA's V8 page does not list one. Check CompTIA's store.
• Whether the final objectives differ from the preview. They might.
• How the real exam will feel. Nobody outside CompTIA has seen the questions. Be wary of anyone claiming to know what is on it.
• Exactly when V8 retires. CompTIA only gives the rough "3 years after launch" estimate.

SY0-701 vs V8: the timeline

• Now: SY0-701 is the live exam. Up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, pass at 750.
• On or around November 17, 2026: SY0-801 (V8) is expected to launch.
• June 11, 2027: English SY0-701 retires.
• August 13, 2027: SY0-701 retires in Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai.

For roughly seven months, both versions can be booked in English. That overlap is what your decision hinges on.

Should you wait or take SY0-701?

If you are already studying for SY0-701, finish on 701. Most of what you have learned carries straight over, since the core topics are the same. Switching costs you time and gains you little. Book the exam, pass it, move on. Our guide to how many practice exams you need to pass can help you judge when you are ready.

If you are starting from zero today, either works. Reasons to take SY0-701:

• Study material for it is mature and plentiful.
• A few months of steady study gets you through well before June 2027.
• You get the certification sooner, which matters if you are job hunting.

Reasons to wait for V8:

• It covers AI-related risks, which are showing up in real security jobs.
• It will be the current version for a long stretch after launch.
• Third-party study material will take a while to catch up after launch, so waiting means waiting for that too.

Our view: do not put your studying on hold. The first weeks of any Security+ plan are general security concepts, and they apply to both versions. Start now, then decide which exam to book once you are closer to ready and CompTIA has published final details.

Employers and DoD: Both are Security+. A hiring manager reading your resume sees "CompTIA Security+", and the version rarely matters. For specific requirements such as DoD 8140 job roles, check the current policy, but a valid Security+ is a Security+. For the full picture of what the certification is worth, see our complete Security+ guide.

What happens to people already certified?

Passing SY0-701 does not stop counting when V8 launches. Security+ is valid for three years from the date you pass, whichever version you took. To renew, CompTIA's continuing education program is the route, so read their current rules on their site rather than relying on a blog post, ours included. The money side is covered in our Security+ cost breakdown.

FAQs

When does the new Security+ exam come out?

CompTIA says Security+ V8 (SY0-801) is expected to launch on or around November 17, 2026.

Is Security+ SY0-701 being retired?

Yes, eventually. English SY0-701 retires on June 11, 2027. The Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai versions retire on August 13, 2027.

Is Security+ V8 harder than SY0-701?

We do not know. The format and pass mark are the same, and the preview adds topics such as AI-related risks. CompTIA does not publish difficulty, so be skeptical of anyone who claims to know.

How much does Security+ V8 cost?

CompTIA's V8 page does not list a price. SY0-701 lists at $425 after CompTIA's 2025 increase. Check CompTIA's store for current pricing.

TL;DR

Security+ V8 (SY0-801) is expected around November 17, 2026, with the same format as SY0-701: up to 90 questions, 90 minutes, pass at 750. The preview objectives add AI-related topics and shift the domain weights. English SY0-701 stays bookable until June 11, 2027. If you are already studying, finish SY0-701. If you are starting now, start now.

Sources

• CompTIA Security+ certification page
• CompTIA Security+ V7 (SY0-701) page
• CompTIA Security+ V8 page
• CompTIA Security+ SY0-801 V8 exam objectives preview (PDF)

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