If you looked up the Power Platform certification path a year ago and saved a plan, that plan is partly out of date. Microsoft retired several fundamentals and role exams over 2025 and into 2026, set firm retirement dates on three more in 2026, and launched a new AI-focused credential family. This guide is the current map: what retired, what is replacing it, and the route that still holds.
Updated June 2026 against Microsoft’s exam retirement and credential retirement pages.
What retired, and what is retiring in 2026
The fundamentals layer took the biggest hit. The two Dynamics 365 fundamentals exams and the Microsoft 365 fundamentals exam are gone, and three role exams have published retirement dates this year. Here is the picture, straight from Microsoft’s retirement pages.
| Exam | Certification | Status |
|---|---|---|
| MB-910 | Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (CRM) | Retired December 31, 2025 |
| MB-920 | Dynamics 365 Fundamentals (ERP) | Retired December 31, 2025 |
| MS-900 | Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals | Retired March 31, 2026 |
| PL-500 | Power Automate RPA Developer Associate | Retires June 30, 2026 |
| PL-600 | Power Platform Solution Architect Expert | Retires June 30, 2026 |
| PL-200 | Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate | Retires August 31, 2026 |
The rule for anything with a future date: only start it if you can realistically pass before the deadline, because the certification cannot be earned once the exam retires. If you already hold one of these, it stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript: a fundamentals certification does not expire, and an associate or expert one stays valid until its current expiry and renews on the normal annual cycle. The retirement only stops new candidates from earning the credential. If you are starting fresh, look at the successor track instead of racing a closing window.
The path that still holds
Microsoft’s ladder has three rungs: Fundamentals, then Associate, then Expert or Architect. Here is where the live and incoming exams sit across the traditional PL family and the new AB family.
| Tier | PL / Power Platform family | AB / AI family |
|---|---|---|
| Fundamentals | PL-900 (live) | AB-900 (live) |
| Associate | PL-400, PL-300 (live); PL-200 (retiring Aug 31, 2026) | AB-410, AB-620 (both beta) |
| Expert / Architect | PL-600 (retiring June 30, 2026) | AB-100 (architect, new; needs a prerequisite) |
Not everything moved. The core route into the Power Platform is intact, and PL-900 is still the right first step for most people.
Power Platform Fundamentals (PL-900): still the doorway
PL-900 validates that you understand what the Power Platform is, what Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Copilot Studio each do, and how the pieces fit. It has no prerequisites and is the entry-tier credential most employers treat as the standard first step. Our free PL-900 training covers the full exam outline.
The live role certifications
Above fundamentals, the role certifications that remain current are:
- Power Platform Developer Associate (PL-400) for makers who extend the platform with code, custom connectors, and Dataverse plug-ins.
- Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300) for data modeling, reporting, and analysis in Power BI. This is the exam that replaced the old DA-100.
- Power Platform Functional Consultant (PL-200) is still takeable, but only until August 31, 2026, so treat it as a closing window rather than a fresh start.
If your goal is a coding or analytics role, PL-900 then PL-400 or PL-300 is still a clean, current path.
The new AI and Copilot track
The reason several fundamentals exams retired is that Microsoft is rebuilding its fundamentals lineup around Copilot and agents, which is why MS-900 retired and AB-900 launched. That work is the new AB family, and because it is new, its employer recognition is still forming.
- AB-900: Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals is the fundamentals-tier exam that picks up where MS-900 left off, focused on securing, governing, and administering an AI-enabled Microsoft 365 environment with Copilot and agents. If MS-900 was on your plan for Copilot or AI administration, this is where that plan now starts. It is narrower than MS-900’s broad Microsoft 365 fundamentals, so if you wanted general M365 breadth there is no one-to-one replacement. Our AB-900 prep guide breaks down the exam.
- AB-620: AI Agent Builder Associate is the associate-level exam for builders who design and integrate custom agents in Copilot Studio, including connectors, Model Context Protocol tools, and multi-agent solutions. It is currently a beta exam, so its objectives can still change, a practice assessment may not be published yet, and its difficulty and employer recognition are unproven. Microsoft has targeted general availability around mid-2026, though dates can shift.
- AB-100: Agentic AI Business Solutions Architect sits at the architect tier, for designing enterprise agent solutions. It is current but newly introduced, so its employer recognition is still forming, and it sits behind a prerequisite: you must already hold one qualifying Associate certification. It is the recommended forward path for PL-600, not a one-to-one replacement.
You do not have to choose between the two families. A practical 2026 plan is PL-900 for platform literacy, then either a role exam (PL-400, PL-300) or the AI track (AB-900, then AB-620) depending on whether your work is leaning toward traditional app and data skills or toward Copilot and agents.
For role-by-role paths and per-exam guides, see the Microsoft AI certifications map, the low-code AI builder path, the AI solution architect path, and how a Power Platform architect keeps up with AI cert changes.
How to choose your next exam
New to the platform
Start with PL-900. It is free to study for here, has no prerequisites, and every other path assumes its content.
Admin or governance with Copilot
PL-900, then AB-900, the new fundamentals exam for Copilot and agent administration.
Building or extending apps
PL-900, then PL-400 for development or PL-300 for Power BI analytics. Both are live, current role exams.
Building agents in Copilot Studio
AB-900 for the fundamentals, then AB-620 when it becomes available.
Already studying PL-200, PL-500, or PL-600
Finish before the 2026 retirement date, or switch tracks: PL-200 points to AB-410, PL-600 to AB-100, and PL-500 has no direct successor.
What a Microsoft certification actually involves
A few terms come up constantly, so they are worth pinning down.
- Exam. The proctored test you schedule and sit, online or at a test center. A score of 700 out of 1000 passes, and the score is scaled, not a simple percentage.
- Certification. What you earn by passing the required exam (or exams). It is the credential, distinct from the exam itself.
- Badge. The shareable digital proof of a certification you can add to a profile or signature.
- Transcript. Your record on your Microsoft Learn profile of every certification earned, with dates. Retired certifications you already hold stay here.
- Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT). A separate credential for people who train others; you must hold a relevant certification first. Our courses are taught by Microsoft Certified Trainers.
Renewal
Associate and expert certifications expire one year after you earn them, and you renew them for free with an online assessment on Microsoft Learn before the expiry date. Fundamentals certifications, including PL-900 and AB-900, do not expire and do not need renewal.
Two practical habits worth keeping
Two pieces of old advice still hold and save real headaches.
- Use a personal account, not your work email. Schedule and earn certifications under a personal Microsoft account so your transcript and Microsoft Certification ID follow you between jobs. Merging records later is avoidable hassle.
- Plan the exam before you book it. Read the official skills-measured outline for your exam, work through the free practice assessment Microsoft publishes for each one, then schedule once you are consistently passing practice questions. Booking first and cramming rarely goes well.
Frequently asked questions
Is PL-900 still worth taking in 2026?
Yes. PL-900 is live, has no prerequisites, and remains the recognized entry credential for the Power Platform. It is also the foundation the role exams and the AI track assume, so it is the most broadly useful certification to start with.
What replaced MS-900 and the Dynamics fundamentals exams?
There is no one-to-one replacement, but for anyone heading toward Copilot and AI administration, AB-900 (Copilot and Agent Administration Fundamentals) is the natural successor to MS-900. The Dynamics 365 fundamentals exams (MB-910 and MB-920) retired without a direct fundamentals replacement.
Should I still take PL-200, PL-500, or PL-600?
Only if you can pass before the retirement date: PL-500 and PL-600 on June 30, 2026, and PL-200 on August 31, 2026. After those dates the exams cannot be taken and the certifications cannot be earned. If you are starting now, a live exam is the safer investment.
What score do I need to pass?
700 out of 1000 on any current Microsoft certification exam. The score is scaled across the question set, so it does not map to a flat percentage correct.
Do Power Platform certifications expire?
Role-based associate and expert certifications expire after one year and are renewed for free with an online assessment on Microsoft Learn. Fundamentals certifications such as PL-900 and AB-900 do not expire.