Requirements for Certification
There are no formal prerequisites for
CCIE certification; other professional
certifications or training courses are
not required. Instead, candidates must
first pass a written qualification exam
and then the corresponding hands-on lab
exam. You are expected to have an
in-depth understanding of the topics in
the exam blueprints and strongly
encouraged to have three to five years
of job experience before attempting
certification. You can review the exam
preparation materials included on this
page for more information.
Step One: CCIE Routing and Switching
Written Exam
You must pass the two-hour, written
qualification exam which covers
networking concepts and some equipment
commands before you are eligible to
schedule the lab exam.
Step Two: CCIE Routing and Switching
Lab Exam
The eight-hour lab exam tests your
ability to configure actual equipment
and get the network running in a timed
test situation. You must pass the lab
within three years of passing the
written to achieve certification. Your
first lab attempt must be made within 18
months.
