topic Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice! in Training and Certification

New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Jason_Tugwell — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 23:15:23 GMT

We are excited to announce the release of a the new R82 CCSA and CCSE exams!

156-215.82 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator – R82 (CCSA)
156-315.82 - Check Point Certified Security Expert – R82 (CCSE)
156-609 - Check Point Certified Security Administrator R82 - Practice
156-610 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R82 – Practice

Additionally, to assist in preparing for the new CCSA and CCSE exams, we are releasing a free Exam Prep Guide for each exam!

The Exam Prep Guides are not a substitute to the class course documentation, but will assist the candidate to:

Understand the exam details (prerequisites, number of questions, etc.)
Ensure their Pearson VUE and User Center email accounts are aligned
Know how to schedule the exam and choose a delivery option
Outline each module of the exam
Provide next steps after exam completion

In conjunction with the new exam announcements, we will be retiring previous versions of the CCSA and CCSE on this schedule:

Retire December 31, 2025

156-215.81 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81 – Japanese Only
156-315.81 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 – Japanese Only

Retire June 30, 2026

156-215.81.20 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20
156-315.81.20 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R81.20

All exams are on Pearson VUE.

These new certifications are great way to level-up your skills and build the expertise the world's most secure organizations demand.

Go get Check Point Certified today!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 23:28:46 GMT

Yes sir!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Sven_Ott — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:29:21 GMT

Which exam would you currently recommend, R82 or R81.20?

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Don_Paterson — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:46:48 GMT

Why do you ask?

R82 seems to be the obvious answer but it depends on the individual candidate.

Both will give the candidate a 2 year certification period after they pass the exam.

Some people may have sat on the R81.20 CCSA class as recently as last week or last month.

That would mean that they would have the R81.20 CCSA book, which is the exam preparation material.

In their case the CCSA R81.20 makes more sense.

The FAQ will be updated soon I am sure, and then the student can confirm that the R82 CCSE is an option (for learning/course and achieving the CCSE Certification) after passing R81.20 CCSA.

https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk163417

The R81.20 courses are no longer being sold/available. They are 'end of life' tomorrow, 31 October 2025.

EDIT: CORRECTION: R81.20 Exams are available until June 2026. I misread the message.

R81.20 exams are still available until ~~the end of the year~~ June 2026 (as above, and when it does indeed seem fair to EOL them), ~~although I think that is too soon because it gives students just 2 months (from now) to prepare and pass those exams~~.

The courses focus on the tasks of the Admin and Expert, which carry over into the exam.

There are a few significant changes in the new courses, and therefore exams. But at their core they are the same, for the most part.

Tim has captured the difference nicely here:

https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Training-and-Certification/CCSA-R81-20-vs-CCSA-R82/m-p/254426#M3255

Leaving the course descriptions in here for reference.

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:13:42 GMT

I would say latest ones are always better, regardless of the vendor.

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Don_Paterson — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:20:04 GMT

That's a broad statement.

The study material is acquired by attending the course for the majority.

That can be a deciding factor for some. Consider the differences in the two courses is quite significant this time around (between R81.20 and R82)

R81.20 is still supported until November 2026 and some customers admins may prefer to keep that in focus if something is holding them back from going to R82. They may have also already invested in R81.20 training in the last 6 to 12 months.

It really does come down to the individual. That is until R82 exams are the only option.

https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/support-life-cycle-policy/#software-support

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:24:06 GMT

Yea, true 🙂

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Don_Paterson — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:27:24 GMT

Hands up, who's still running R77.30... 😉

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 11:48:11 GMT

NOT me 🙌

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

juergen_wollert — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:22:46 GMT

I have CCSE R77.30 😀

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:26:02 GMT

I think my first CP exams were R60 ccsa and ccse lol

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

PhoneBoy — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 23:51:31 GMT

I got my first Check Point certifications for version 2.1.
Pretty sure @Timothy_Hall did about the same. 😉

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:00:08 GMT

Let me take a wild guess and say this was years when Bill Clinton was President? 🙂

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

PhoneBoy — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:41:59 GMT

During his first term, in fact.

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

the_rock — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:44:23 GMT

That was time when I could hold basic conversation in English, thank God for amazing English teacher we had...gotta love teachers 😊

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Timothy_Hall — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 12:31:02 GMT

3.0b for me, but close enough.

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Tom_Hinoue — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 01:45:20 GMT

Hi @Jason_Tugwell

Do you have any information for when the CCTA/CCTE and other"R81.20" based Accreditation exams are going to be retired?

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

NewDay_NewWay — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 18:45:05 GMT

Hi @Timothy_Hall and @Jason_Tugwell

does the exam vouchers and exam version has any direct relation? will my exam voucher also expires on June 2026? As a company, we bought few training courses and exam vouchers, which the latest training a year ago was R81.20 and exam module was R81.20 i have took R81.20 Training already but now check point has announced and moved to R82; will this affect my exam vouchers?

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

WiliRGasparetto — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 17:22:21 GMT

I would recommend the R82 because it has some very interesting changes for those who will operate a checkpoint environment, and regarding the difficulty of the Pro exam, I believe the R82 exams will be easier because many topics have been reduced and the modules are also smaller.

Best

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Jason_Tugwell — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 20:44:00 GMT

Hello @NewDay_NewWay

Your exam voucher is not locked to a version of the exam and should be valid for one year after purchase.

Feel free to email me directly if you have any questions.

Regards,

Tug

topic Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice! in Training and Certification

New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

We are excited to announce the release of a the new R82 CCSA and CCSE exams!

156-215.82 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator – R82 (CCSA)

156-315.82 - Check Point Certified Security Expert – R82 (CCSE)

156-609 - Check Point Certified Security Administrator R82 - Practice

156-610 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R82 – Practice

Additionally, to assist in preparing for the new CCSA and CCSE exams, we are releasing a free Exam Prep Guide for each exam!

In conjunction with the new exam announcements, we will be retiring previous versions of the CCSA and CCSE on this schedule:

Retire December 31, 2025

156-215.81 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81 – Japanese Only

156-315.81 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 – Japanese Only

Retire June 30, 2026

156-215.81.20 – Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20

156-315.81.20 - Check Point Certified Security Expert R81.20

All exams are on Pearson VUE.

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!

Re: New CCSA & CCSE exams, Exam Prep Guides & Exam Retirements notice!