Starting in March 2021, Microsoft allows all role-based certificates or speciality certification holders to renew their certification every year before it expires. Consultant, administrators, architects and developers will be notified to renew Microsoft Certificates 6 months before their certificates expire and for free. read more 
Who will get to renew Microsoft certifications?
Azure, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365 certificates holders will be able to benefit from the new approach. It is important to know that Fundemntals certification never expires; therefore, those certifications will not be included.
The role-based certificates validity
To understand the certification validity according to the new Microsoft policy that was announced back on December 15, 2020, we have to separate between the certificates earned before June 2021 and after
Before June 2021
The validity of the certificates currently is 2 years
After June 2021
The validity of the certificate will be 1 year
This is why I would encourage the Microsoft community to obtain the required certifications before June 2021 to get the maximum validity possible for their certificates.
Why is Microsoft shortening the validity of the certificate?
With the rapid updates in all Microsoft products and especially Azure and Dynamics 365, users and consultants need to be always updated to get the maximum benefit of the solutions.
Expiring certificates
Firstly, all expired certificates will not be able to benefit from the new renewing possibility, and the renewing assessment has to take place within the 6 months window before the certificates expire.
The sample certificate above is valid until Nov 19, 2021, and soon by May 19 2021, I will be able to take the assessment exam to renew my Dynamics 365 Sales associate certificate.
What should we do to be eligible for the free renewal?
According to my search, we have to link our certificates profile with the doc profile. Until now, I didn’t do it, and I will be posting about the process in the near future, once I get to do. Again it is not possible until I enter the eligibility 6-month window.
It is important to know that users will not be able to link except for one certificate. Certificate holders will have to contact Microsoft support in case they hold more than one certifications.
How many times can we take the assessment to renew our about to expire certificates?
Certificates holders will be able to take the assessment within the 6 months window, and you will be able to retake the assessment if you didn’t pass as many times as you need to pass the assessment. 2nd attempt to retake the exam can take place right after the 1st one, but after the 2nd attempt, a24 hours wait period will be mandated and for all the following attempts.
Allowing to take and retake the assessment makes me feel that this assessment is not like the exams we are used to taking at an exam centre or using the online proctoring which require scheduling.
