24 certifications retire on February 1, 2027. The registration window closes July 24, 2026 — weeks away. Here is the full list, every deadline, the path forward for each credential, and what it means specifically for Marketing Cloud professionals.
Rackwave Team · June 11, 2026 · 9 min read · Industry Update
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24
Certs retiring
Official retirement Feb 1, 2027
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Jul 24
Last day to register
Window closes permanently
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Aug 31
Last day to sit exam
Must complete before this date
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Still valid
Retired certs remain active
Stays on Trailblazer Profile
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Key Dates You Cannot Afford to Miss
Salesforce has published a clear timeline for this transition. The February 2027 retirement date appears distant — but the registration window closes July 24, 2026, which is weeks away from the date of this article.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Last day to register for a retiring exam | July 24, 2026 |
| Last day to sit a retiring exam | August 31, 2026 |
| 16 certifications renamed (cosmetic only) | July 24, 2026 |
| Official retirement of 24 certifications | February 1, 2027 |
Why Is Salesforce Retiring These Certifications?
As Salesforce evolves — particularly with the rise of Agentforce and the consolidation of Marketing Cloud products — some credentials have become misaligned with the current platform and job market. Salesforce has cited three core reasons:
Keeping certifications valuable. Credentials mapping to skills no longer in active demand dilute the overall catalogue’s value. Retirement signals the platform has evolved beyond what those credentials measure.
Reflecting the current product landscape. Several retiring certifications cover products that have been superseded or absorbed into newer offerings — particularly Marketing Cloud credentials being reviewed for a future Agentforce Marketing certification expected in late 2026.
Focusing on in-demand skills. As Agentforce and AI-driven automation become central to enterprise Salesforce deployments, the certification programme is being reoriented to validate these emerging capabilities.
Are Retired Certifications Still Valid?
Salesforce has been explicit: a retired certification remains a valid credential. It stays on your Trailblazer Profile, remains verifiable by employers, and from February 1, 2027 it will simply be marked as retired — not removed or invalidated. Retirement indicates Salesforce is no longer maintaining the exam, not that the expertise you demonstrated has lost value.
The Full List: 24 Certifications Retiring on February 1, 2027
| # | Certification | Path Forward |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Advanced Field Service Accredited Professional | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 2 | Salesforce Certified B2B Solution Architect | Comparable content on Trailhead |
| 3 | Salesforce Certified B2C Commerce Architect | Trailhead + B2C Commerce Online Docs |
| 4 | Consumer Goods Cloud: Trade Promotion Management AP | Future offerings; Partner Learning Camp |
| 5 | Contact Center Accredited Professional | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 6 | Salesforce Certified CPQ Administrator | Revenue Cloud Consultant |
| 7 | CPQ and Billing Consultant Accredited Professional | Revenue Cloud Consultant |
| 8 | Salesforce Certified Industries CPQ Developer | Trailhead + Industries CPQ Foundations badge |
| 9 | Salesforce Certified Education Cloud Consultant | Platform Admin + Data 360 Consultant |
| 10 | Energy and Utilities Cloud Accredited Professional | Partner Learning Camp resources |
| 11 | Heroku Developer Accredited Professional | Salesforce Certified Heroku Architect |
| 12 | Loyalty Management Accredited Professional | Loyalty Management Curriculum via PLC |
| 13 | Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Consultant SFMC | Future Agentforce Marketing cert (late 2026) |
| 14 | Marketing Cloud Advanced Cross Channel AP SFMC | Future Agentforce Marketing cert (late 2026) |
| 15 | Marketing Cloud Intelligence AP SFMC | Future Agentforce Marketing cert (late 2026) |
| 16 | Marketing Cloud Personalization AP SFMC | Discover MC Personalization trail + future cert |
| 17 | Media Cloud Accredited Professional | Revenue Cloud Consultant |
| 18 | Salesforce Certified MuleSoft Catalyst Consultant | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 19 | Salesforce Certified MuleSoft Hyperautomation Developer | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 20 | Net Zero Cloud Accredited Professional | PLC: Net Zero Cloud Implementation Readiness |
| 21 | Order Management Administrator AP | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 22 | Order Management Developer AP | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 23 | Process Automation Accredited Professional | Skills assessed for future offerings |
| 24 | Salesforce Certified Nonprofit Success Pack Consultant | Nonprofit Cloud Consultant (NPC) |
The 16 Certifications Being Renamed (July 24, 2026)
Alongside retirements, 16 certifications are being renamed effective July 24, 2026. These are cosmetic changes only — exam content does not change and you do not need to retake anything. The primary change is the addition of “Agentforce” to names where relevant. You will see the updated name on your Trailblazer Profile from July 24 onwards. No action is needed on your part.
What This Means for SFMC and Marketing Cloud Professionals
Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Consultant, Advanced Cross Channel AP, Intelligence AP, and Personalization AP are all retiring — with their skills being assessed for inclusion in an upcoming Agentforce Marketing certification expected in late 2026. Salesforce is consolidating its Marketing Cloud credential pathways under the Agentforce brand.
The Marketing Cloud Account Engagement Consultant was one of the most widely held B2B marketing automation credentials in the Salesforce ecosystem. Its retirement reflects Salesforce’s shift from standalone Account Engagement positioning toward an integrated Agentforce Marketing capability.
For SFMC professionals: if you were planning to sit any of these four exams, you have until August 31, 2026 to do so. If you pass before the deadline, the certification remains valid and will appear on your profile as retired from February 2027 — but the credential itself remains verifiable and recognised by employers.
The Marketing Cloud Email Specialist and Marketing Cloud Administrator certifications are not on the retirement list. The retirements target Accredited Professional and specialist credentials — not the foundational Marketing Cloud exams most practitioners hold.
New Certifications Currently in Development
Salesforce has confirmed two new certification programmes are in development. Tableau Next is aligned with Salesforce’s evolution of the Tableau analytics platform. Marketing Next is the successor credential category for retiring Marketing Cloud certifications, expected to incorporate Agentforce Marketing capabilities. The Marketing Next pathway is expected in late 2026. No confirmed registration dates have been published.
Should You Still Take a Retiring Certification?
| Your situation | Recommended action |
|---|---|
| Already studying — can finish before Aug 31, 2026 | Sit the exam. You earn the credential normally. It remains on your Trailblazer Profile permanently. |
| Not yet started preparation | Evaluate the path forward credential first. For CPQ Admin → Revenue Cloud Consultant is the stronger long-term investment. For Marketing Cloud certs → consider waiting for Agentforce Marketing (no confirmed launch date yet). |
| Already hold one or more retiring certifications | No action required. Your credentials remain valid and verifiable. |
What to Do in the Next 30 Days
With registration closing July 24, the action list is short. Review the full list against any credentials you hold or are preparing for. If actively preparing, register before July 24 and complete the exam before August 31. If you hold retiring credentials already, note they will be marked as retired from February 1, 2027 — no further action needed. Monitor Trailhead Academy for the Agentforce Marketing certification launch, which will be the primary successor for the four retiring Marketing Cloud credentials.
As the catalogue transitions toward Agentforce-aligned credentials, the most relevant indicator of a partner’s competency is depth of hands-on platform experience and active engagement with the evolving Agentforce Marketing capability set. Rackwave holds active certifications across Salesforce Marketing Cloud and implements SFMC for enterprise and mid-market clients across the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.
Rackwave is a certified SFMC implementation and account management partner — actively tracking the Agentforce Marketing credential transition for 2026 and 2027.
Explore Our SFMC Services →Frequently Asked Questions
July 24, 2026. After this date, registration for all 24 retiring exams closes permanently.
August 31, 2026. Candidates must complete their exam by this date to earn the credential before retirement.
No. Retired certifications remain visible and verifiable on your Trailblazer Profile. They are marked as retired from February 1, 2027 but remain valid credentials.
Salesforce is assessing skills from this exam for inclusion in a new Agentforce Marketing certification expected in late 2026. No registration date has been confirmed yet.
CPQ Administrator and CPQ and Billing Consultant AP are retiring as Salesforce consolidates Configure-Price-Quote capabilities under Revenue Cloud. The path forward is the Revenue Cloud Consultant exam.
Yes. The Marketing Cloud Email Specialist and Marketing Cloud Administrator certifications are not on the retirement list. The retirements target Accredited Professional and specialist credentials only.
A new Salesforce certification currently in development, expected to launch in late 2026. It will serve as the successor pathway for four retiring Marketing Cloud credentials: Account Engagement Consultant, Advanced Cross Channel AP, Intelligence AP, and Personalization AP.
The NPSP Consultant certification is retiring in favour of the newer Salesforce Certified Nonprofit Cloud Consultant (NPC) certification. Candidates should pursue the NPC credential instead.
If you are already studying and can complete the exam before August 31, 2026, yes. You earn the credential normally. If you have not started, evaluate whether the path forward credential is a better long-term investment.
No. Salesforce has confirmed that retired certifications remain valid credentials. They continue to demonstrate expertise in that product area and can still be verified by employers.
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