Certification Maintenance Requirements 2025
Salesforce certifications validate the skills and knowledge of professionals working with Salesforce technologies. To ensure that certified individuals stay current with Salesforce’s rapidly evolving platform, Salesforce requires ongoing maintenance of certifications through periodic release exams. These maintenance exams align with Salesforce’s triannual product releases: Spring, Summer, and Winter.
Current Certification Maintenance Requirements
As of mid-2025, Salesforce certifications require maintenance completion on a release-by-release basis. Most certifications require passing a maintenance exam for each Salesforce release relevant to the certified credential. The typical number of maintenance exams expected annually is three, corresponding to the Spring, Summer, and Winter releases.
Certification holders must complete maintenance exams by the stated deadlines to keep their credentials active. Failure to maintain certification within deadlines may result in expiration, which impacts professional credibility and may affect employment or consulting opportunities.
Key Deadlines for 2025 Releases
Winter ’25 Release
Maintenance window open: December 2024 through February 2025
Maintenance deadline: February 28, 2025
Spring ’25 Release
Maintenance window open: March 2025 through May 2025
Maintenance deadline: May 31, 2025
Summer ’25 Release
Maintenance window open: June 2025 through August 2025
Maintenance deadline: August 31, 2025
Salesforce recommends completing maintenance well before the deadline to avoid last-minute issues such as platform downtime or exam access problems.
Who Must Complete Maintenance Exams?
Most Salesforce certifications require regular maintenance, including but not limited to:
Salesforce Administrator (ADM 201)
Advanced Administrator
Platform App Builder
Platform Developer I and II
Sales Cloud Consultant
Service Cloud Consultant
Marketing Cloud Consultant and Email Specialist
CPQ Specialist
Certain specialized certifications or those obtained recently may have different requirements or grace periods, so it is essential to check the specific credential details in the official Salesforce Certification Maintenance portal.
How to Complete Maintenance
All maintenance exams are completed online via the Trailhead platform. These are typically free for credential holders and must be done using a Salesforce or Trailhead account linked to the certification. Regularly reviewing release notes and Trailhead modules for updates is strongly advised to prepare for exams.
Consequences of Missing Deadlines
If maintenance is not completed by the deadline, certifications expire and require recertification effort, which may involve retaking the full exam rather than just a maintenance test. This can have significant implications for Salesforce professionals depending on their certification status for career advancement or client engagements.
Summary
Salesforce certifications require maintenance exams each release cycle.
Deadlines for 2025 releases are February 28 (Winter), May 31 (Spring), and August 31 (Summer).
Maintenance exams must be completed online in Trailhead before deadlines.
Failure to maintain certifications results in expiration and the need for full recertification.
Staying on top of certification maintenance is critical for Salesforce professionals to ensure their credentials reflect the latest Salesforce platform knowledge and maintain their competitive edge in the marketplace.