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Red Hat · Linux & Systems · Associate

Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) exam guide

Exam EX200 (RHEL 10)

The Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) validates core Linux administration on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 through a hands-on, performance-based exam. It is the most respected entry-level enterprise Linux certification and the foundation for RHCE and the RHCA.

QuestionsSee official page
Time limitSee official page
Passing scoreSee official page
Exam feeSee official page
Valid for3 years
DeliveryRed Hat remote exam (online) or authorized testing center

Format: Performance-based hands-on tasks on live systems; no internet, product docs available. Fee note: Price varies by country; check Red Hat.

Who it's for

Linux administrators, DevOps engineers and support engineers who manage RHEL systems.

What the exam covers

Understand and use essential tools—
Manage software—
Create simple shell scripts—
Operate running systems—
Configure local storage—
Create and configure file systems—
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems—
Manage basic networking—
Manage users and groups—
Manage security—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None formally. Red Hat recommends RH124 and RH134, or RH199 (RHCSA Rapid Track), or comparable RHEL experience.

Recommended: Hands-on RHEL administration experience.

Keeping it active

Red Hat certifications are considered current for 3 years. Stay current by passing the same exam again or earning another eligible Red Hat certification (for example a higher-level or Specialist exam) before expiry.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Storage with LVM, Stratis/partitions and file systems
  • systemd services and boot targets
  • User, group and permission management
  • SELinux contexts and booleans
  • firewalld and networking with nmcli
  • Package management with dnf
  • Shell scripting and scheduling

Job roles

Linux Systems AdministratorLinux EngineerDevOps EngineerSite Reliability EngineerCloud Engineer

Where it fits in your path

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

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Install two RHEL 10 VMs (free developer subscription); review EX200 objectives
  2. Week 2: Users, groups, permissions, ACLs; essential tools
  3. Week 3: Storage - partitions, LVM, file systems, swap, persistent mounts
  4. Week 4: systemd, boot process, root password recovery, scheduling
  5. Week 5: Networking, firewalld, SELinux, software and containers basics
  6. Week 6: Full timed mock exams; reboot after every task to prove persistence

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-day tips

  • Reboot and verify - configurations that do not survive reboot score zero
  • Use man pages and /usr/share/doc during the exam; practice finding answers there
  • Fix SELinux with correct contexts, never by disabling it
  • Do storage and boot-critical tasks carefully; a broken fstab can cost the whole exam
  • Make sure you practice on RHEL 10 since the exam now uses it

Key terms for this exam

All 153 terms Study with thinQcards™

Commonly confused on this exam

Frequently asked questions

Which RHEL version is the RHCSA exam on?

Red Hat's EX200 page lists Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10.

How long is RHCSA valid?

Red Hat certifications are current for 3 years.

Is RHCSA hard?

It is hands-on and timed; with daily practice most admins prepare in 6-10 weeks.

RHCSA vs Linux+?

RHCSA is performance-based and RHEL-specific and carries more weight with employers; Linux+ is vendor-neutral multiple choice plus simulations.

Do I need to take Red Hat courses?

No, courses are recommended, not required.

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