If you backed up production data with Veeam for the last decade, the VMCE was probably the credential on your resume. It is gone. Veeam permanently retired the VMCE v12 exam on March 31, 2026, and it did not ship a “VMCE v13” to replace it. What replaced it is a different kind of certification, built around a training requirement that takes longer than most people spend studying for the whole exam.<\/p>\n
That change matters whether you are a sysadmin who just inherited a Veeam environment, a consultant renewing credentials for a partner program, or a hiring manager wondering what “VMCE+” on a candidate’s profile actually proves. This guide covers what was retired, what the new VMCE+ certification requires, where the VMCSE security credential fits, and who should bother with either.<\/p>\n
The retirement date moved once. A Veeam community announcement from early January 2026 says the VMCE exam deadline was extended to March 31, 2026, with March 23 as the final booking date. Existing vouchers stayed usable until March 31 or their natural expiry, whichever came first. The same thread, answered by a Veeam community team member, confirmed that a VMCE v13 was not planned (you can read it in Veeam’s VMCE retirement update<\/a>).<\/p>\n The older Veeam Certified Architect credential went first. A community overview of the new program lists the VMCA as expired on November 30, 2025.<\/p>\n Veeam’s public posts do not spell out a validity period or renewal rule for the old credential, and I could not find one on Veeam’s pages. Treat that as an open question and ask Veeam or your partner manager directly if a customer contract or partner tier depends on your VMCE status. What is clear is the direction: the old single-product exam is closed, and anyone who wants a current credential has to go through the new program.<\/p>\n The new certification is not a harder version of the same test. Veeam’s University Pro page lists three prerequisites you complete before the exam:<\/p>\n Veeam estimates the self-paced coursework at 55 hours or more, and the page ties access to a Veeam University Pro subscription, which is sold through the Veeam channel rather than directly (see Veeam University Pro certification details<\/a>). A community post by a Veeam-focused author describes the same three-course structure and notes the training load totals over 50 hours. The old VMCE was one course and one exam. This one is three products.<\/p>\n Per the official community announcement for the VMCE+ release, the new exam is 100 scored multiple-choice questions in 150 minutes with a passing score of 724. The v12 exam was 60 questions, 75 minutes, and 720. Non-native English speakers get 30 extra minutes, up from 15. The exam is delivered through Pearson VUE, and the post gives a June 1, 2026 release date.<\/p>\nWhat happens to your existing VMCE<\/h3>\n
VMCE+ Certification: What It Requires Now<\/h2>\n
Three courses before you can sit the exam<\/h3>\n
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What changed in the exam itself<\/h3>\n