Why Azure DP-203 is Retired and What Data Engineers Should Focus on Next

Alternatives and What You Should Do Now

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Why Was DP-203 Certification Retired?

The Azure DP-203 certification, which has established value for validating skills in data engineering on Microsoft Azure, was officially retired on March 31, 2025. This decision aligns with Microsoft’s approach to reduce the number of certifications and to put more focus on its emerging technologies and related credentials. The retirement is a natural evolution because of the shift towards Microsoft Fabric, Microsoft’s centralized, cohesive, integrated, and unlimited platform for data analytics and engineering which offers new approaches to data workloads. And, as the cloud evolves, so must certifications, while ensuring that professionals have the latest skills.

What Are the Alternatives to DP-203?

If you were preparing for DP-203, or are already a certified DP-203 credential holder, the recommended certification to pursue for the greatest credentials value is the DP-700: Implementing Data Engineering Solutions Using Microsoft Fabric certification. The DP-700 certification is focused on data engineering in the Microsoft Fabric…