CompTIA PenTest+ exam guide

Exam PT0-003

CompTIA PenTest+ (PT0-003) validates the ability to plan, scope and run penetration tests across networks, web applications, cloud and other attack surfaces, then report findings. Attacks and exploits make up the largest share of the exam. It is a vendor-neutral, DoD 8140-approved stepping stone toward hands-on credentials like OSCP.

QuestionsUp to 90

Time limit165 minutes

Passing score750 (100-900 scale)

Exam fee$439 USD

Valid for3 years

DeliveryPearson VUE test center or online proctored (OnVUE)

Format: Multiple choice and performance-based. Fee note: 2026 US retail price.

Who it's for

Security analysts and administrators moving into offensive security, and junior penetration testers with 3-4 years of experience.

What the exam covers

Engagement Management13%

Reconnaissance and Enumeration21%

Vulnerability Discovery and Analysis17%

Attacks and Exploits35%

Post-exploitation and Lateral Movement14%

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None

Recommended: 3-4 years of hands-on experience performing penetration tests, with Network+ and Security+ or equivalent knowledge.

Keeping it active

Valid 3 years. Renew through CompTIA Continuing Education: earn 60 CEUs in the 3-year cycle and pay the $150 CE fee, or pass a newer version or a higher-level CompTIA exam that renews it automatically, or complete the matching CertMaster CE course.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

Scoping engagements, rules of engagement and legal considerations
Passive and active reconnaissance and enumeration
Vulnerability scanning and analysis
Exploiting network, web, cloud, wireless and identity weaknesses
Post-exploitation, persistence and lateral movement
Scripting and automating attacks
Writing findings and remediation reports

Job roles

Penetration TesterVulnerability Assessment AnalystRed Team Operator (junior)Security ConsultantApplication Security TesterEthical Hacker

DoD 8140

Recognized in the DoD 8140 qualification matrix for vulnerability assessment and related cybersecurity work roles. Open the DoD Workforce Navigator

Where it fits in your path

Take before

CompTIA Security+CompTIA Network+

Go next

OffSec Certified Professional (OSCP+)CompTIA SecurityX (formerly CASP+) GIAC Penetration Tester (GPEN)EC-Council Certified Penetration Testing Professional (CPENT)

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

Week 1: Read the PT0-003 objectives and build a home lab (Kali plus intentionally vulnerable VMs).
Week 2: Engagement management: scoping, contracts, rules of engagement, standards and reporting structure.
Week 3: Reconnaissance and enumeration (21%): OSINT, Nmap, service enumeration and scripting basics.
Week 4-5: Attacks and exploits (35%): network, web app, cloud, AD and wireless attacks in the lab.
Week 6: Vulnerability analysis and post-exploitation: scanner output, privilege escalation, lateral movement, cleanup.
Week 7: Timed practice exams and review of tool output interpretation.

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam date Hours per week

Exam-day tips

Attacks and exploits are 35% of the exam; know which tool fits each attack scenario.
Be able to read Nmap, Burp, Metasploit and script output and choose the next logical step.
Engagement management questions test scope, authorization and communication; never pick an answer that exceeds scope.
Expect basic code snippets (Python, Bash, PowerShell) and be ready to identify what they do.
Use the full 165 minutes for performance-based items; they are worth working through carefully.

Key terms for this exam

All 246 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Kerberos vs NTLM Brute-Force Attack vs Dictionary Attack vs Password Spraying Vertical Privilege Escalation vs Horizontal Privilege Escalation Cross-Site Scripting vs Cross-Site Request Forgery Stored XSS vs Reflected XSS vs DOM-Based XSS SQL Injection vs OS Command Injection Cross-Site Request Forgery vs Server-Side Request Forgery SAST vs DAST vs IAST Input Validation vs Output Encoding Buffer Overflow vs Integer Overflow Directory Traversal vs File Inclusion Vulnerability Scan vs Penetration Test

Frequently asked questions

How much does PenTest+ cost?

The PT0-003 voucher is $439 USD at CompTIA's 2026 US retail price.

PenTest+ vs CEH: which is better?

PenTest+ includes performance-based questions and is cheaper; CEH has strong brand recognition. Both are DoD 8140 approved. Many testers take one, then OSCP for hands-on credibility.

PenTest+ vs OSCP?

OSCP is a 24-hour hands-on practical exam and far harder. PenTest+ is a good structured foundation before OSCP.

How do I renew PenTest+?

Earn 60 CEUs within 3 years and pay the $150 CE fee, or pass SecurityX.

Is PenTest+ hard?

It is intermediate. Candidates without hands-on lab practice tend to struggle with tool-output and simulation questions.

Official page: www.comptia.org. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

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