Fortinet NSE Certification Changes: What Do These Updates Mean for Cybersecurity Pros?

Fortinet doesn’t just develop integrated, automated cybersecurity solutions; it also maintains a series of certifications for people who operate that technology. After all, who better than the company that manufactures the firewalls and SD-WANs to decide which cybersecurity administrators know how to configure a Fortinet firewall, or whether a network admin can properly manage an application delivery controller on Fortinet’s OS?

The Fortinet cybersecurity certification program has been a recognizable fixture in the IT world since its 2015 debut. But in October 2023, Fortinet changed its certification program. Then, in October 2025, they changed it again. In early 2026, there were additional updates. 

So, where does the program stand now? Here's what you need to know: 

Newest Changes to the Fortinet Certification Program

Fortinet’s certification program has undergone an unusually rapid evolution over the past few years. In 2023, the company moved away from its long-running, numbered NSE 1–8 certification ladder in favor of named, role-based certifications designed to better match real-world cybersecurity jobs.

Then, in late 2025 and early 2026, Fortinet adjusted its approach once more. 

Rather than abandoning the NSE structure entirely, Fortinet brought back the NSE numbering system as exam levels, while keeping the named certifications as the credentials professionals actually earn. 

The result is a hybrid model that blends the flexibility of role-based certifications with the familiarity of the NSE progression many Fortinet professionals were already used to.

Today, Fortinet certifications fall into five named categories: 

1. Fortinet Certified Fundamentals (FCF) 

2. Fortinet Certified Associate (FCA)

3. Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP)

4. Fortinet Certified Solution Specialist (FCSS)

5. Fortinet Certified Expert (FCX) 

Behind the scenes, exams are still aligned with NSE levels, with NSE 8 once again serving as the expert-level benchmark, directly tied to the Fortinet Certified Expert (FCX) certification.

According to the Fortinet Training Institute, this approach preserves clear skills progression while allowing security professionals to focus on certifications that better align with their job roles, technologies, and career goals.

In short, the certifications are named, the exams are numbered, and NSE 8 is firmly back at the top of the ladder as part of a more flexible, role-focused certification program.

Understanding Fortinet’s New Certification Program

Some of Fortinet's new cybersecurity certifications are similar to their previous versions, but some are entirely novel. Here’s the new Fortinet certification list (as of early 2026):

Keep in mind—while the certifications themselves are now named, Fortinet still uses NSE exam levels behind the scenes. For example, professional- and specialist-level certifications are earned by passing exams aligned to NSE 4 through NSE 7, while the expert-level Fortinet Certified Expert (FCX) certification is tied directly to NSE 8.

You can find more information about them in Fortinet’s certification guide.

How to Earn a New Fortinet Certification

Fortinet also simplified the process for earning all its certifications. As of 2026, most Fortinet certifications require either a single core exam or a core and an elective exam. Most Certified Solution Specialist (CSS) certs require one core exam, while Professional-level certs each require two exams.

In April 2026, the FCX exam requirements changed to add more exams and prerequisites—we'll cover those details in the next section because the changes were pretty extensive. 

Fortinet also standardized the pricing and expiration for its certifications, too. If a Fortinet certification has one exam, it costs $400. If it has two exams, each exam costs $200. 

All Fortinet certifications also now have an expiration date, and for the vast majority of them, it’s two years from the date you earned it. Renewing the cert almost always requires passing the same exam again, or earning a later cert.

Changes to NSE 8/Fortinet Certified Expert (FCX)

While NSE levels serve as exam indicators now, rather than standalone certifications, NSE 8 remains Fortinet’s definitive expert benchmark—and there have been some pretty big changes in recent years. 

In Fortinet’s current naming, the legacy NSE 8 practical exam is NSE8_870, and the updated certification structure now uses separate NSE 8 Core and Specialization practical exam modules. The written exams referenced during the transition include NSE8_812 (legacy) and NSE8_813 (recertification).

The FCX certification is designed for senior network and security engineers who work with complex, multi-product Fortinet environments. It validates expert-level skills in secure network architecture, advanced configuration, and real-world troubleshooting across Fortinet’s portfolio.

Earning FCX for the First Time (Initial Certification Path)

As of April 2026, candidates pursuing the FCX certification for the first time must complete the following:

Prerequisites (before scheduling the core exam):

• NSE 4 (FortiOS 7.6 or higher)

• One NSE 5 or NSE 6 exam

• NSE 7 (FortiOS 7.6 or higher)

FCX-Level Exams:

• NSE 8 Core practical exam module: A hands-on, proctored practical exam module where candidates configure and troubleshoot complex Fortinet environments under time constraints.

• One NSE 8 Specialization practical exam module: A domain-focused practical exam module aligned to a specific solution area. Candidates must pass a specialization module within one year of passing the Core module.

Notably, a written exam is no longer required for initial FCX certification under the updated structure. This marks a significant change from the previous NSE 8 pathway, which required candidates to pass a written exam before attempting the practical.

Passing only the Core practical module also does not grant the certification; candidates must pass both the Core module and one Specialization module to earn NSE 8/FCX.

Recertifying FCX in 2026

For professionals who are already FCX-certified and need to recertify in 2026, a written exam is still required.

According to the Fortinet Training Institute:

• The current NSE 8 written exam (NSE8_812) will be discontinued as a prerequisite for initial certification.

• The last delivery date for NSE8_812 is December 31, 2025.

• NSE8_812 does not apply to the updated Core and Specialization practical exam modules introduced in 2026; it only pairs with the legacy NSE8_870 practical exam.

• A new written exam (NSE8_813) will be released for certified professionals who are required to recertify in 2026.

In other words, the written requirement now applies only to recertification scenarios—not to new FCX candidates pursuing initial certification under the updated structure.

While the requirements and prerequisites around NSE 8 have evolved, its role has not. FCX remains one of the most demanding vendor-specific cybersecurity certifications available.

Is Fortinet’s Old Certification Program Retiring?

The original linear NSE 1–8 certification ladder has been retired, but the NSE numbering system itself remains. Today, NSE numbers represent exam levels, not standalone certifications. Fortinet certifications are earned under the FCF, FCA, FCP, FCSS, and FCX naming structure, while exams continue to reference NSE levels for consistency and progression.

• NSE 1–2 (Foundational level): These exam levels align with Fortinet Certified Fundamentals (FCF) certifications. They cover basic cybersecurity concepts, threat awareness, and high-level security principles. Training at this level is often free and designed for newcomers to cybersecurity. NSE 3 (Associate level): NSE 3 exams align with the Fortinet Certified Associate (FCA) certification. This level focuses on foundational operational knowledge, including core Fortinet products and basic deployment and management concepts.

• NSE 4–5 (Professional level): These exam levels support the Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) certifications. FCP credentials typically require passing two exams, one NSE 4 and one NSE 5, within a specific track such as secure networking, security operations, cloud security, or SASE.

• NSE 6–7 (Solution specialist level): NSE 6 and NSE 7 exams align with Fortinet Certified Solution Specialist (FCSS) certifications. These advanced exams validate deep, solution-specific expertise and are designed for experienced engineers responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining complex Fortinet environments.

• NSE 8 (Expert level): NSE 8 is the highest exam level and maps directly to the Fortinet Certified Expert (FCX) certification.

  • As of April 2026, initial FCX certification requires passing the NSE 8 Core practical exam module and one NSE 8 Specialization practical exam module (after completing required NSE 4–7 prerequisites).

  • Recertification in 2026 requires the updated NSE 8 written exam (NSE8_813).

While Fortinet no longer expects professionals to progress through every NSE level sequentially, the numbering system still provides a clear signal of exam difficulty and experience level — with NSE 8 remaining firmly at the top of the program.

Why Did Fortinet Change Its Certifications?

In 2023, Fortinet changed its certification program to focus more on scalability, flexibility, and modularity. In 2025, it switched back to a naming convention closer to the original due to confusion and community feedback. 

Fortinet has joined a long list of certification providers who seem to realize that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work well in modern IT. Cybersecurity professionals from one company to the next look completely different and often have vastly different job responsibilities and expectations. Certification providers are offering more modular certifications that an IT professional can pick and choose from to make their career their own.

There’s a trend in IT toward certification vendors moving toward role-specific certifications — certs that cover the skills and knowledge a person in a given job would reasonably need, rather than the minutiae of a vendor’s OS, hardware, and software. Fortinet is moving in that direction with this change to its certification program.

RELATED: Here's Everything We Know About the New CCNP Updates in 2023

Can I Transition My Old Fortinet Certifications into the New Certifications?

For the most part, no. Fortinet does not automatically convert retired NSE certifications into the new role-based credentials. There are a few limited exceptions tied to the original transition period:

• If you held an active NSE 8 certification on October 1, 2023, you may have been eligible for automatic recognition toward an FCSS certification, depending on the NSE 7 exam you completed.

• If you had active NSE 1 and NSE 2 certifications at that time, Fortinet issued a corresponding Fortinet Certified Fundamentals (FCF) certification with a matching expiration date.

Outside of these cases, most professionals must earn new certifications once their legacy NSE credentials expire. Because transition rules can change, make sure you review Fortinet's official requirements before planning renewals.

How to Study for the New NSE Certifications 

Core platforms and concepts, including FortiGate firewalls, SD-WAN, FortiAnalyzer, FortiSOAR, public cloud security, OT security, and SASE, remain central to Fortinet’s exams. What’s changed is how those technologies are grouped and tested across certifications.

The most effective way to prepare is to:

• Identify the certification track that aligns with your job role

• Match training to the specific NSE exam levels required for that certification

• Focus on hands-on experience, especially for Professional, Solution Specialist, and Expert-level exams

While Fortinet continues to update its official training, existing CBT Nuggets Fortinet courses remain relevant. Learners simply need to choose the right courses to ensure the material matches the exam they’ll take for the new certification. 

For instance, the CBT Nuggets course on FortiAnalyzer 7.x will still prepare you for the Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) in Network Security elective exam.

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