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OCA/OCP Java FAQ

Do I need to take OCA exam before I can take OCP Java 11, 17, or 21 certification exam?

Updated Java Certification paths with new 1Z0-819 exam change


The short answer is NO!.

Long answer:

Until a few years ago, before Java 11, there were two Java certifications - Oracle Certified Associte (OCA) and Oracle Certified Professional (OCP) and you had to first acquire the OCA certification before you could acquire the OCP certification. This is still true for the Java 8 certifications. Meaning, if you want to acquire OCP Java 8 certification, you need to first acquire the OCA Java 8 certification by passing the 1Z0-808 exam and acquire the OCP Java certification by passing the 1Z0-809 exam.

However, Oracle has discontinuted the OCA certification for newer Java versions (i.e. after Java 8). So, now, if you want to acquire the OCP Java 11 certification, you need to pass just one exam 1Z0-819 and if you want to acquire the OCP Java 17 certification, you need to pass just one exam 1Z0-829. Although nothing has been announced yet for Java 21 (as of 19th Feb 2024), we expect the same to be true for OCP Java 21 certification.

What if I am already OCA Java 8 Certified?

It does not matter if you already have a prior OCA or OCP Java certification for any Java version. Earlier Oracle used to offer upgrade exams but now they have discontinued those exams as well. So, irrespective of which certification you may or may not have, you need to take the same certification exam to acquire OCP Java 11, 17, or 21 Certification.