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VMware certification levels run from Professional (VCP) to Advanced Professional (VCAP), alongside Specialist badges for single products. The older Associate (VCTA) exams were retired in 2025. You can tell the level of any VMware exam from its code: 2V0 is Professional, 3V0 is Advanced, and 5V0 is Specialist.
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What Are the VMware Certification Levels?
The VMware certification levels are Professional (VCP), Advanced Professional (VCAP) and Specialist. VCDX sits above VCAP as an expert-level design credential. Each level proves a different depth of skill.
Associate Level (VCTA): Now Retired
The VCTA was the entry point to VMware certification. Broadcom retired the remaining associate exams, including 1V0-31.21, 1V0-41.20 and 1V0-71.21, on June 30, 2025. New candidates now start at the Professional level.
Professional Level (VCP)
The VCP is the core VMware credential and the level most candidates aim for. Broadcom rebuilt this tier around two product lines, VMware Cloud Foundation (VCF) and VMware vSphere Foundation (VVF). The current VCP exams are:
The Support exams are new. They focus on diagnostics and root-cause work, which the old program spread across the general VCP and the VCAP Deploy exams.
Advanced Professional Level (VCAP)
The VCAP proves senior-level skill in one technology area. For VCF 9.0, Broadcom released advanced exams that include Automation (3V0-21.25), Operations (3V0-22.25), Storage (3V0-23.25), vSphere Kubernetes Service (3V0-24.25) and Networking (3V0-25.25).
You no longer need a VCP before attempting a VCAP. Broadcom also removed the mandatory training course for the VCP.
Specialist Level (Badges)
Specialist and Skills badges cover a single product rather than a whole platform. Examples include the vSAN Specialist (5V0-22.23), vSphere with Tanzu Specialist (5V0-23.20) and SD-WAN Design and Deploy Skills (5V0-42.21). They suit engineers who want to show depth in one tool without sitting a full VCP.
Expert Level (VCDX)
VCDX is the highest VMware credential. Candidates defend an original design in front of a panel. Broadcom now requires only a VCAP Design certification as the prerequisite.
How to Read a VMware Exam Code
Every VMware exam code has four parts: the level digit, the VMware identifier, the technology area and the release year. Take 5V0-42.21 as an example:
So 5V0-42.21 is a Specialist-level networking exam released in 2021. In plain terms, it is the VMware SD-WAN Design and Deploy Skills exam.
Broadcom has never published an official key for these codes. The meanings below come from the patterns across VMware’s full exam catalogue, and they hold for nearly every exam.
The Level Digit: What 1V0, 2V0, 3V0, 5V0 and 6V0 Mean
The first digit tells you the VMware certification level of the exam.
The Technology Area Digits
The two digits after the dash usually show the technology area. The first of the two is the area, and the second identifies the exam within it.
In the older VCAP exams, the second digit could also separate design from deployment. For example, 3V0-21.21 was Advanced Design for vSphere 7, and 3V0-22.21 was Advanced Deploy for the same product.
The Release Year After the Dot
The two digits after the dot show the year the exam version was released. A .21 exam launched in 2021, and a .25 exam launched in 2025.
This is the fastest way to judge whether an exam is current. An older year does not always mean an exam is retired, but it is a reason to check. Note that Broadcom badge names can carry a different year from the code. For example, passing 5V0-42.21 earns a badge labelled 2024 [v2].
Suffixes and Older VMware Exam Code Formats
Some codes carry an extra letter or follow an older format. Here is what they mean:
If you see a three-digit code, the exam is from the older program and is almost certainly retired.
How VCF 9 Changed VMware Exam Codes
The newer VCF 9.0 exams group codes by role and product rather than by the older technology areas. All five VCP exams now sit in the 2V0-1x.25 range, from 2V0-13.25 (Architect) to 2V0-18.25 (vSphere Foundation Support).
The VCF 9.0 advanced exams follow a similar pattern in the 3V0-2x.25 range, covering automation, operations, storage, Kubernetes and networking. This means the level digit and the year still work as before. The area digits are less reliable for these newer exams, so check the exam name as well.
To confirm whether any exam is still active, check Broadcom’s official retired exams and certifications list.
VMware Exam Codes Decoded: Real Examples
Here is how the system works on real VMware exams.
5V0-42.21: Specialist level (5), networking area (4x), released 2021. This is the 5V0-42.21 SD-WAN Design and Deploy Skills exam, which tests VeloCloud Gateway, Edge and Cloud VPN design.
5V0-41.20: Specialist level, networking area, released 2020. This was the 5V0-41.20 SD-WAN Troubleshoot exam. Broadcom retired it on June 30, 2025.
5V0-23.20: Specialist level, data center area (2x), released 2020. This is the 5V0-23.20 vSphere with Tanzu Specialist exam, which covers running Kubernetes on vSphere.
5V0-11.21: Specialist level, VMware Cloud area (1x), released 2021. This is the 5V0-11.21 VMware Cloud on AWS Master Specialist exam.
2V0-17.25: Professional level (2), VCF area, released 2025. This is the VCP – VMware Cloud Foundation Administrator exam, one of the main entry points to VMware certification today.
Which VMware Certification Level Should You Start With?
Most candidates should start at the Professional level, because the associate exams are retired. The right exam depends on your current role.
VCP vs VCAP: What Is the Difference?
A VCP proves you can deploy, manage or support a VMware platform day to day. A VCAP proves senior-level skill in one area, such as automation, storage or networking, and its exams are harder and more scenario-based. Since Broadcom removed the VCP prerequisite, experienced engineers can go straight to a VCAP, but most candidates still benefit from passing a VCP first.
How Much Do VMware Exams Cost?
Broadcom set a single global price of USD $250 for VCP, VCAP and Specialist exams. The same price applies to new attempts, renewals and retakes.
Conclusion
VMware certification levels follow a clear ladder: Professional, Advanced Professional and Expert, with Specialist badges alongside for single products. Once you know the code pattern, you can read any exam at a glance: the first digit gives the level, the middle digits give the technology area, and the digits after the dot give the release year.
Before you book, always check the exam’s status on Broadcom’s site. Then pick the level that matches your role and start preparing with practice tests that follow the official objectives.
