How soon can you retake the CCNA after failing?
Cisco’s rule for Associate written exams such as 200-301: wait five calendar days, beginning the day after the failed attempt, before retesting on the same exam.
Source: Cisco: exam policies · checked October 29, 2026
The wait, day by day
- Day 0
Failed attempt
The score report gives your section scores; results are typically online within 48 hours (Cisco).
- Days 1 to 5
Waiting period
Five calendar days, starting the day after the attempt (Cisco exam policies).
- After day 5
Retest window opens
Book 200-301 again; the registration steps cover the booking window.
- Within 90 days
Safeguard Plus deadline
If you bought Exam Safeguard Plus (US$450), the second attempt has to fall inside 90 days (Cisco CCNA FAQ).
Before you book the second attempt
A fail after weeks of evenings and a US$300 fee lands hard, and five days is not long enough for it to stop stinging. Spend them on diagnosis anyway: that week does more for the second attempt than a second full read-through would.
Start from the score report. It breaks your result out by exam section next to the passing score for your exam (Cisco exams overview), which tells you where the points went. Weigh that against the blueprint: a weak IP Connectivity section, 25% of v1.1, costs more than a weak IP Services section at 10%.
Then choose the date. If the gaps sit in one or two domains, a targeted block before rebooking fits the window. If they spread across the blueprint, rebuild with the CCNA study plan and book once your timed sets hold steady.
A five-day reset
Day 1: read the report
List the sections by score, lowest first, and note the weight of each.
Day 2: map sections to topics
In the CCNA study guide, find the study areas under each weak section’s domain and list their topics.
Days 3 and 4: drill the weakest study area
Filter the practice test to that study area and read the note under every option, including the ones you got right.
Day 5: run a timed set
Sit one set of the CCNA mock exam on the clock before you commit to a date.
Book the seat
Without Safeguard Plus, the retest is a new booking at the listed fee; the CCNA exam cost page has the figures.
Every Cisco wait that touches 200-301
| Situation | Rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Failed attempt | Wait 5 calendar days, starting the day after the attempt | Exam policies |
| Passed attempt | At least 180 days before taking the same exam again | Exam policies |
| Exam Safeguard Plus | US$450; a second attempt after a fail, within 90 days | CCNA FAQ |
| Recertification | Within 3 years: pass the current CCNA exam or a higher-level Cisco exam, or earn 30 CE credits; see CCNA renewal | CCNA FAQ |
Before you rebook
Does a CCNA retake cost the full fee?
A retest is a new booking at the listed US$300 (Cisco CCNA exam page), unless you bought Exam Safeguard Plus at US$450, which covers a second attempt within 90 days.
Can I retake the CCNA after passing it?
Not straight away. Cisco requires at least 180 days before you sit the same passed exam again (Cisco exam policies). The result is pass/fail, so a second pass adds nothing except a renewal.
Is there a CCNA pretest?
Cisco requires none. Its CCNA FAQ describes pre- and post-assessments in the Cisco U. learning path, and the practice test on this site is free to use before you rebook.
References
- [1]Cisco: exam policies5-day wait after a fail; 180 days after a pass. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [2]Cisco: certification exams overviewScore report contents; retake FAQ. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [3]Cisco: CCNA certification page and FAQExam Safeguard Plus; scheduling; recertification. Checked October 29, 2026.
- [4]Cisco: CCNA exam pageUS$300 fee. Checked October 29, 2026.