CompTIA Security+ Exam: Cost, Format, Number of Questions and Passing Score (2026)
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A complete Security+ SY0-701 practice exam: 90 questions in 90 minutes, interactive PBQs graded outcome by outcome and an Exam Coach report at the end.
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Security Operations
Follow the evidence. Contain the incident.
A finance user opened an invoice attachment. Something followed.
General Security Concepts
Replace the portal certificate.
Resolve the browser warning and the exposed-key finding.
Security Operations
Restore access. Keep the boundary.
A rushed change has taken the customer portal offline. Repair the firewall rules.
PBQs from the Security+ pack, each graded outcome by outcome. The free full-length exam includes PBQs like these.
The CompTIA Security+ exam costs $439, has up to 90 questions (multiple choice and performance-based) in 90 minutes, and passes at 750 on a 100-900 scale. There is no wait before a second attempt and 14 days before a third, and the certification is valid for three years. The current exam is SY0-701; its successor SY0-801 keeps the same format.Checked against CompTIA's Security+ exam pages on 12 October 2026.
In this guide
Security+ exam facts at a glance
CompTIA's US list price, checked October 2026.
Multiple choice and performance-based questions.
One sitting, through Pearson VUE.
On a scale of 100 to 900; a scaled score, not a percentage.
No wait before a second attempt; 14 calendar days before a third or later.
Renew with 50 continuing education units, or a higher CompTIA certification.
Which version you are booking
The exam you book today is SY0-701. Its successor, SY0-801, keeps the same format and price; the launch and retirement dates, the new domain weights and which version to sit are covered on one page: Security+ SY0-801 release date and SY0-701 retirement date. A FigigExams pack includes future versions at no extra cost.
Question types and exam rules
- Performance-based questions (PBQs) are simulations: read logs, place firewall rules, match controls to scenarios, order an incident response. They usually come first.
- You can flag and return. CompTIA lets you mark questions for review, so many candidates skip the PBQs, answer the multiple choice, then come back.
- No formal prerequisite. CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role.
- At a test centre or online with a remote proctor, through Pearson VUE.
What the PBQs look like and how to rehearse them: Security+ PBQ practice.
What Security+ really costs
| Budget | What it includes | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Exam only | One attempt at list price | $439 |
| Exam + one retake | Two attempts | $878 |
| Free study stack + exam | Professor Messer's free course, the objectives PDF, a free full-length practice exam | $439 |
| FigigExams pack + exam | 4 full-length exams, 357 questions and 17 interactive PBQs, $39 once | $478 |
The rest of the stack, priced: best Security+ study resources.
Score report, retakes and renewal
- Score report: pass or fail, your scaled score, and the objectives where you missed questions.
- Retakes: no wait before a second attempt; 14 calendar days before any later attempt. Each attempt needs a new voucher. Every vendor's rules: exam retake rules.
- Renewal: valid for three years. Earn 50 CEUs and pay the CE fee ($150 for the three years), complete CertMaster CE, or earn a higher certification such as CySA+, which renews Security+ with it.
Rehearse the real 90 minutes
90 questions with interactive PBQs and an Exam Coach report that ranks your weakest domains. Free, no credit card.
Try a free Security+ examThe full Security+ pack is $39 once: 4 exams, 357 questions and 17 interactive PBQs, lifetime, future versions included.
Frequently asked questions about the Security+ exam
How much does the Security+ exam cost?
$439 at CompTIA's US list price, checked October 2026, per attempt.
How many questions are on the Security+ exam?
A maximum of 90 questions in 90 minutes, a mix of multiple choice and performance-based questions. The same format applies to SY0-701 and SY0-801.
What is the passing score for Security+?
750 on a scale of 100 to 900. It is a scaled score, so it is not a fixed percentage of questions answered correctly.
Can I take the Security+ exam online?
Yes. Security+ is delivered by Pearson VUE, at a test centre or online with a remote proctor.
How long is Security+ valid?
Three years. Renew with 50 continuing education units and the CE fee, with CertMaster CE, or by earning a higher CompTIA certification such as CySA+.