Why Is Salesforce Retiring Certifications? What Existing Holders and Candidates Need to Know
By Malloy Adam 24-08-2026 1
Salesforce is making one of the larger updates to its certification portfolio ahead of 2027. Twenty-four Salesforce certifications are scheduled to retire on February 1, 2027, while other credentials are being renamed or updated to better reflect current Salesforce products, job roles, and in-demand skills.
For professionals, the important questions are not simply which credentials are disappearing. Candidates also need to understand why Salesforce is retiring certifications, what happens if they already hold one, and whether earning a certification shortly before retirement still makes sense.
As of August 24, 2026, there is also an important deadline to consider: registration for the affected exams closed on July 24, 2026, and candidates who registered in time have only until August 31, 2026, to complete their exams.
Why Is Salesforce Retiring Certifications?
Salesforce certification retirement does not necessarily mean a product has failed or is being discontinued.
Salesforce says its certification program is continuously updated so credentials reflect changing industry priorities and the professional skills currently needed in the Salesforce ecosystem.
There are three major reasons behind the 2027 retirements.
1. Salesforce Wants Certifications to Match Employer Demand
A certification is more useful when the skills it validates correspond to real job requirements. Salesforce says it evaluates its certification portfolio against the expertise hiring managers currently seek. Certifications that no longer represent the highest-priority skills may therefore be retired while newer credentials are introduced or emphasized.
This helps prevent the certification catalog from becoming overloaded with credentials tied to older or increasingly specialized skill sets.
2. Salesforce Products Are Constantly Changing
The Salesforce ecosystem now extends far beyond traditional CRM administration. Artificial intelligence, Agentforce, automation, data platforms, industry clouds, analytics, integration, and newer marketing technologies are changing the skills professionals use every day.
Salesforce says retiring older certifications allows its exam portfolio to remain aligned with its current product landscape. The company is also developing new Tableau Next and Marketing Next exams, showing that retirement is part of a broader certification lifecycle rather than a reduction of the entire program.
3. Certifications Are Being Reorganized Around Current Roles
Salesforce is not only retiring exams. Alongside the 24 certifications being retired, 16 certifications are being renamed to align with current products and branding, including Agentforce-related changes.
This means candidates should distinguish between a certification that is retired and one that is simply renamed.
A renamed credential continues under updated branding. A retired certification leaves Salesforce's actively maintained certification catalog.
What Happens to Existing Salesforce Certification Holders?
If you already hold one of the certifications being retired, you do not lose the achievement. Salesforce explicitly states that a retired certification is still a valid certification. It continues to demonstrate the knowledge you gained and the work required to earn the credential.
After the official retirement date of February 1, 2027, the certification will remain on your Trailblazer Profile record and will be marked as retired.
There are several other important changes.
No More Maintenance Is Required
Salesforce has removed maintenance badge requirements for certifications scheduled to retire. Existing holders, therefore, do not need to complete additional maintenance before February 1, 2027.
Your Achievement Remains on Your Profile
The credential remains part of your professional certification history. However, Salesforce explains that retired certifications will not appear on its standard certification verification page. Your Trailblazer Profile record becomes especially important for showing the historical credentials.
Downloadable Certificates Will Become Unavailable
Salesforce states that printed or downloadable certificates are only issued for active certifications. Once an affected credential officially retires, its certificate will no longer be available for download.
Existing holders may therefore want to retain their current documentation before February 1, 2027.
Should You Still Take a Salesforce Certification Before It Retires?
The answer depends on where you are in the process.
For the current 2027 retirement cycle, Salesforce set these deadlines:
- July 24, 2026: Last day to register
- August 31, 2026: Last day to take the affected exams
- February 1, 2027: Official certification retirement date
Because today is August 24, 2026, registration has already closed.
If you did not register before July 24, you can no longer begin one of the affected retiring exams through this cycle. Your better option is to follow Salesforce's recommended learning or replacement path.
If you already registered, taking the exam can still make sense.
Salesforce confirms that candidates who pass by August 31, 2026 will earn the certification. The credential will remain visible on their Trailblazer Profile and will later be marked as retired on February 1, 2027.
Whether completing it is worthwhile depends on your career situation.
It may still be valuable if the certification directly supports the Salesforce products you currently implement, your employer expects it, you have already invested significant study time, or the credential strengthens evidence of your specialized experience.
On the other hand, if your goal is primarily long-term career positioning, a newer active certification aligned with Salesforce's current roadmap may provide greater future value.
Learn more about Salesforce certification retirements for 2027 and the important deadlines.
Does Certification Retirement Mean the Skill Is No Longer Useful?
No.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding Salesforce certification retirement.
Salesforce specifically notes that retiring a certification does not mean the underlying product is unsupported, nor does retirement diminish the expertise previously acquired.
A professional who spent years implementing CPQ, commerce, marketing, integration, or another affected technology does not suddenly lose that experience because an exam disappears.
What changes is how Salesforce chooses to formally evaluate and organize those skills in its current certification catalog.
Final Answer
Why is Salesforce retiring certifications? Salesforce wants its certification portfolio to remain aligned with current technology, changing job roles, employer demand, and the skills professionals use in today's Salesforce ecosystem.
What happens to existing holders? Their certifications remain recognized achievements and stay on their Trailblazer Profiles marked as retired. No additional maintenance is required for the affected retiring certifications.
Should you still take a certification before it retires? If you registered before July 24, 2026, and the credential remains relevant to your work, completing the exam by August 31, 2026, may still be worthwhile. If you did not register before the cutoff, focus instead on Salesforce's recommended successor certifications and current learning paths.
Certification retirement is therefore best viewed as an evolution of Salesforce's credential system—not the cancellation of the expertise professionals have already earned.
