Navigating Fortinet’s New Certification Program

Yesterday, Fortinet officially introduced its new Certification Roadmap.

The most notable change is the retirement of the Fortinet Certified certification levels (FCA, FCF, FCP, FCSS, and FCX). Instead, Fortinet is bringing back the familiar NSE (Network Security Expert) certification levels—a change that many long-time Fortinet professionals will likely welcome. 🙂

However, the new Certification Roadmap includes more than just the return of the NSE levels. There are several additional changes worth highlighting, and in this article, we’ll walk you through the most important updates and what they mean for your current and future Fortinet certifications.

Your Current Certification Status

If you’re wondering how your existing certifications will transition under the new Certification Roadmap, you can find the official certification mapping here:
How will recent exams transition to the new NSE certifications on July 15, 2026?

You can also check your current certification status directly by visiting your Fortinet Certification Overview or your Fortinet Certification Page (login necessary).

What Has Changed to the Certifications and Exams?

One of the key changes is the introduction of new prerequisites for each certification level:

Major changes have also been made to the NSE 7 exams. These exams will become comprehensive exams. In other words, the exams are no longer limited to a single course and may include additional topics beyond the official training materials.

Here is an overview of the comprehensive exams for NSE 7 level:

Important: Effective November 2, 2026, the exam fee for NSE 7 exams will increase to USD 400
(What will be the exam prices and recertification assessments after July 15, 2026?).

What About Recertification?

The recertification process has also changed. The following table shows which certification levels are renewed when you recertify.

Important: Passing an NSE 5 or NSE 6 exam does not renew your NSE 4 certification. From a long-term perspective, it is therefore important to aim for the NSE 7 level, as only this level renews all other existing certifications.

What Are Recertification Assessments?

As an alternative to some Pearson VUE certification exams, Fortinet now offers Recertification Assessments.

These assessments consist of a self-paced online training that summarizes the key changes from the last two product versions, followed by an online test covering exactly these topics. Currently, Recertification Assessments are available for the following exams:

• NSE 4 FortiOS Administrator
• NSE 5 Secure Wireless LAN Administrator
• NSE 7 Secure Networking Architect
• NSE 7 SASE Architect
• NSE 7 Cloud Security Architect

Additional Recertification Assessments will be added in the future.

Therefore can go to your Fortinet Recertification List and use the “Recertify” Menu:

Important: To take a Recertification Assessment, you must already be certified at the respective level, as this option is intended for renewing an existing certification. In addition, the corresponding Pearson VUE exam must not be older than two years (you can check your current exams on your Fortinet Exams page).

Are There Any Changes to the NSE 8 Certification?

Yes, there are also significant changes to the NSE 8 certification:

• As a prerequisite, you must hold an active NSE 4, (NSE 5 or NSE 6) certification as well as the corresponding NSE 7 certification from the same track.
• There is no written PearsonVUE Exam anymore.
• You have to pass the practical core exam (on-site only).
• Afterwards you have to pass one of the elective practical exam: Secure Networking, Application Security, or Security Operations (onsite or remote).
• Recertification will be required every two years through a points-based system. To renew an NSE 8 certification, you must accumulate 200 recertification points and hold a valid NSE 7 certification before your NSE 8 certification expires:
  • Passing an NSE 4 / NSE 5 / NSE 6 exam = 50 points
  • Passing an NSE 7 exam = 75 points
  • Passing an Industry exam = 75 points (Industry exams: OT Security, MSSP Security)
  • Passing any NSE 8 practical exam = 200 points and this recertifies all active NSE 1 to 7 certifications

And last but not least: What Does the New Certification Program Mean for Our Fortinet Partner Level?

Partner levels depend on various criteria. In addition to revenue, certifications also play an important role. From the perspective of NSE certifications, the requirements are as follows:

It is important to note that, for partner level requirements, it does not matter which certification tracks the individual certifications were achieved in.

Conclusion

Although the new partner program looks relatively straightforward at first glance, we’ve found that it often raises new questions when applied to real-world scenarios.

Drawing on our experience working with partners, we’ve summarized the key points and common pitfalls. We hope this article helps you assess your current certification status, understand the requirements, and plan your next steps with confidence.

As always, we welcome your feedback. If you have additional insights, questions, or spot anything we’ve missed, let us know. Your input helps us keep this article accurate, relevant, and up to date.

Further information can be found on Fortinet’s website: NSE Training Update