After the exam
ISTQB results and certificates
Find the right organization for results, certificate copies and verification, and understand what a register search can tell you.
Who handles your results and certificates
Each provider sets its own turnaround for your delivery method. An on-screen result, an email and the certificate can arrive at different times. We cannot promise one turnaround for every provider.
- Keep your booking reference and the email address used for registration.
- Check the account and inbox specified by the provider, including spam.
- If the stated turnaround passes, contact the provider with your booking details.
- If you want to challenge a result, ask the provider for its appeal process and deadline.
Contact the issuer for your certificate
ISTQB itself does not issue certificates. The member board or exam provider that issued your qualification is the organization to contact if the certificate is missing, the name needs correction or you need a replacement. A replacement or verification service may have a charge.
Store the certificate securely with the issuing body, qualification name, award date and certificate number. Keep an original copy rather than relying only on an image posted to a social profile.
Source: ISTQB certificate FAQ.
Use the Successful Candidate Register carefully
The official Successful Candidate Register lets you search by name or certificate number. Listed numbers are partly masked to reduce misuse.
Inclusion is voluntary, so absence from the register does not prove that someone lacks certification. New entries can take time, and certificates obtained before January 2017 may not appear. Contact the issuer if you need confirmation, an update or a change to your listing.
For employers and recruiters
Ask for the qualification and issuer. Search the register if it helps, then contact the issuer for verification. A missing register entry alone is not proof that a certificate is false.
Does the certificate expire?
ISTQB’s certificate FAQ says Foundation, Specialist and Advanced certificates are valid for life, and Expert certificates for seven years. For renewal rules, check the specific qualification with its issuer.
A syllabus retiring is a change to exam availability. It does not, by itself, mean the certificates already awarded become invalid. The transition guide explains the current Agile changes.
Sources and how we checked
Official sources checked on October 4, 2026. Study schedules and readiness advice are our editorial guidance. They are not ISTQB requirements.