SISE Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling

Why the 300-715 Has No Fixed Test Calendar

Candidates searching for "SISE exam dates" often expect a published calendar with opening and closing windows, the way some certification bodies run quarterly testing periods. The Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) exam, code 300-715, does not work that way. It is a proctored, computer-delivered written exam offered through Pearson VUE test centers and eligible OnVUE online appointments, and you choose an available appointment slot that suits you.

That makes "scheduling" a matter of three decisions rather than one: which blueprint version you are preparing for, which delivery channel you want, and how the exam fits into your wider certification path. The sections below cover each, with the details that are specific to this exam.

The v1.2 Blueprint and the August 27, 2026 Effective Date

The single most important date to understand is the one attached to the exam objectives. The official Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine v1.2 (300-715) blueprint is effective August 27, 2026, as confirmed by Cisco's CCNP Security blueprint update notes. If you are preparing around that transition, you need to know which version your appointment will test.

The refresh is evolutionary rather than a rebuild. Compared with v1.1, the update:

• Adds host mode to the wired 802.1X objectives.
• Updates the BYOD lifecycle and posture objectives.
• Explicitly adds TACACS+ accounting to device administration.

Zero-touch provisioning and Change of Authorization (CoA) were already present in v1.1, so candidates who studied those topics are not starting over. The blueprint label is v1.2 regardless of the ISE software release your lab runs; Cisco's August 27, 2026 training update confirms course coverage of ISE 3.4 and 3.5, but software versions do not replace the v1.2 exam-blueprint label.

Weights you are scheduling around

Policy Enforcement is the largest single block at 25%, and Web Auth and Guest Services, Profiler, and BYOD each carry 15%. For a deeper walkthrough of what each area covers, see the complete guide to all 7 SISE content areas. Cisco also cautions that related topics may appear on the exam and that objectives may change, so treat the blueprint as the minimum, not the ceiling.

Booking Mechanics: Fee, Pearson VUE, and OnVUE

Registration for the 300-715 runs through Pearson VUE, Cisco's exam delivery partner. The concrete facts you need before you open the scheduling page:

• Fee: USD 300 plus applicable tax.
• Payment options: Cisco Learning Credits are accepted, which matters if your employer or training partner holds a credit balance.
• Duration: 90 minutes.
• Delivery: Pearson VUE test centers, or eligible OnVUE online appointments.
• Format rules: Closed book. Personal books and notes are excluded under the Cisco Candidate Rules Agreement, and current policies require you to accept the confidentiality agreement.
• Language: The individual SISE exam page lists English, while the CCNP Security catalog also lists Japanese. Verify the language offered for your specific booking before paying.

Cisco does not guarantee a fixed question count for the 300-715, and no official pass rate has been verified. Cisco's general guidance for Associate and Professional exams discusses multiple-choice, drag-and-drop, and possibly performance-based lab items, but it does not promise a particular item mix for every SISE delivery. Plan to be fluent in configuration logic, not just definitions. For the full cost picture beyond the exam fee, read the SISE certification cost breakdown.

No formal prerequisites

There are no formal prerequisite qualifications or mandatory training courses for the 300-715, so you can book as soon as you feel ready. Cisco does recommend familiarity with Cisco IOS CLI for wired and wireless devices, Cisco Secure Client, Microsoft Windows, and 802.1X, but that is preparation advice rather than an eligibility gate. The details are laid out in SISE requirements and how to qualify.

Test Center or Online: Choosing Where You Sit

Because the exam is available both at Pearson VUE test centers and through eligible OnVUE online appointments, your scheduling choice is partly a logistics decision. The right answer depends on the kind of exam you are sitting. The 300-715 can include configuration-oriented items where screen clarity and a stable environment matter, and the 90-minute clock leaves little room for technical interruptions.

Either way, the closed-book rule applies: no personal books or notes. If you have not practiced under that constraint, the exam environment will feel unfamiliar. Taking a few timed attempts on the SISE practice tests before your appointment helps you get used to answering identity-engineering scenarios from memory within the time limit.

Retake Timing After a Failed Attempt

The retake rule is short and exact: after a failed attempt, you must wait five calendar days, beginning the following day, before retaking the same exam. In practice, if you fail on a Monday, the count starts Tuesday, so plan your next available slot accordingly.

Five days is a floor, not a recommendation. Cisco does not publish a fixed numeric passing score; standards are determined statistically and can change, so your score report is better treated as a map of weak domains than a precise target. A sensible retake plan uses the waiting period to:

1. Identify which of the seven domains cost you the most points, starting with the heavy ones: Policy Enforcement, Web Auth and Guest Services, Profiler, and BYOD.
2. Rebuild those topics in a lab rather than rereading notes, since configuration reasoning is what these domains reward.
3. Book the retake only once practice results are consistently strong, since each attempt carries the USD 300 plus tax fee.

For more on how scoring works and why the target is not a single published number, see the SISE passing score guide and the pass rate analysis.

Sequencing the 300-715 Within a CCNP Security Plan

Passing the 300-715 earns the Cisco Certified Specialist - Security Identity Management Implementation certification, and it also satisfies the CCNP Security concentration requirement. Full CCNP Security additionally requires the core exam, 350-701 SCOR. Because the two exams can be taken in either order, your scheduling strategy depends on your goal.

• Specialist first: If you work with ISE daily, sit the 300-715 first. You bank a certification quickly and satisfy the concentration requirement while the material is fresh from your job.
• Core first: If you are newer to security, 350-701 SCOR gives you the broader foundation, and the 300-715 then slots in as your concentration.

The two three-year clocks

Two separate three-year periods are easy to confuse:

1. The window for combining your CCNP exam passes (core plus concentration).
2. The validity and renewal cycle of an earned certification.

They are independent. CE renewal does not extend the exam-completion window, so if you are building toward full CCNP Security, do not let the gap between your core and concentration exams stretch toward the limit. Whether the investment is worth it for your role is covered in the ROI analysis.

Working Backward From Your Exam Date

Since you control the appointment, the most useful scheduling move is to pick a date and plan back from it, assigning domains by weight and difficulty. Here is one way to allocate an eight-week runway for the 300-715, tied to the blueprint rather than to generic habits.

This sequencing front-loads Policy Enforcement because later domains such as Web Auth, BYOD, and posture all lean on authorization policy and CoA. If you already run ISE in production, compress the early weeks and spend the saved time on the domains your daily work does not touch, which for many engineers means posture and BYOD lifecycle. A full approach is in the SISE study guide, and quick-reference recall material is in the SISE cheat sheet.

Training as a scheduling input

Cisco's official Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) training explicitly prepares for v1.2 and awards 32 CE credits. It is optional, but if you plan to take it, schedule the exam after the course so the material is current. More on the course options is in the SISE training overview. If you want to gauge readiness at any point, try the free practice questions and see which domains drag your score down.

A realistic caution on difficulty: the exam rewards hands-on understanding, so a date chosen purely for convenience can backfire. The difficulty breakdown explains where candidates tend to struggle.

After You Pass: Validity and Renewal Dates

Scheduling does not end at the exam. The Specialist certification is valid for three years, and the continuing education route to renew it requires 40 credits before expiry. The 32-credit course alone is not enough to meet that threshold, so plan additional qualifying activity.

For a CCNP holder, a concentration exam pass earns 40 CE and a core exam pass earns 80, which is why passing the right exam at the right time can double as renewal. Looking further ahead, SISE-related roles and the earnings analysis help you decide how much to invest in keeping the credential current.

Frequently Asked Questions