VMCE and VMCA Exams Retirement: What Veeam Professionals Need to Know

Veeam's certification program is undergoing a major transition, and today marks an important milestone. With the retirement of the VMCA exam taking effect today, November 30, 2025, many professionals are evaluating their next steps. Whether you’re actively pursuing Veeam certifications or planning your training path for 2026, it's essential to understand what these changes mean.

The VMCE certification validates a strong technical understanding of Veeam's backup, replication, and recovery capabilities. It has long been the foundational credential for engineers managing Veeam environments.

The VMCA certification - most recently VMCA_v12 - is the highest-level Veeam credential. It demonstrates deep architectural knowledge and the ability to design enterprise-scale Veeam deployments. Achieving VMCE first has always been strongly recommended before attempting VMCA.

The VMCA certification is now officially retired as of today.

Candidates who did not complete the exam before this date will need to wait for the next-generation replacement certifications planned for 2026.

The VMCE exam remains available through December 31, 2025. This gives candidates one more month to complete the exam before it also retires.

If you're currently preparing for VMCE, you still have time - though schedules may fill quickly due to the approaching deadline.

Veeam is redesigning its certification roadmap with modernized and expanded credentials. Two new exams are expected to go live in the first half of 2026:

●VMCSE (Veeam Certified Systems Engineer)

VMCE-E (Enhanced Veeam Certified Engineer)

These new certifications will reflect updated skill requirements, newer technologies, and redesigned training paths more aligned with modern data protection environments.

The opportunity has officially closed as of today.

You can aim for the new VMCSE or VMCE-E certifications once available in 2026.

You still have time until December 31, 2025.

Consider scheduling your exam as soon as possible to secure your spot.

Your certification remains valid and recognized.

In 2026, you may choose to upgrade to the new certifications for alignment with Veeam's updated program.

The retirement of the VMCA and upcoming retirement of the VMCE mark the end of an era for Veeam's long-standing certification program. November 30, 2025 officially closes the VMCA pathway, while VMCE remains available for just one more month.