Certification and Exam Information – SPC5 Upgrade

Exam and certification summary

Required course: SAFe 5.0 Upgrade Online course
(available in Learning Plan)

Certification level: Intermediate

Job role description / target audience:
A Certified SAFe® 5 Program Consultant (SPC) is a SAFe implementation professional responsible for training leaders, change agents, consultants, and team members to drive a Lean-Agile transformation at enterprise scale.

This exam is designed to test key areas of SAFe 5.0 including knowledge, skills, and mindset specific to the SAFe Program Consultant role.

Key areas of competency

  • Business Agility
  • Team and Technical Agility
  • Agile Product Delivery
  • Enterprise Solution Delivery
  • Lean Portfolio Management
  • Organizational Agility
  • Continuous Learning Culture
  • Lean-Agile Leadership

Exam prerequisite skills or knowledge

These skills and knowledge are highly recommended to successfully pass the exam:

  • Experience in Agile
  • Experience in Lean
  • Current SAFe 4 Program Consultant certification

Exam requirements

The first step toward becoming a SAFe certified professional is to complete the SAFe 5.0 Upgrade online course found in your upgrade learning plan in the SAFe Community Platform. This is a requirement, because completing the course provides access to all the study materials and the exam. Note that completing the course does not guarantee passing the exam.

Exam details

  • Exam name: SAFe® 5 Program Consultant Upgrade Exam
  • Exam format: Multiple Choice, Multiple Select
  • Exam delivery: Web-based (single-browser), closed book, no outside assistance, timed
  • Exam access: Candidates can access the exam within the SAFe Community Platform upon completion of the SAFe 5.0 Upgrade online course
  • Exam duration: Once the exam begins, candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours) to complete the exam
  • Number of questions: 45
  • Passing score: 32 out of 45 (71% passing score)
  • Language: English
  • Exam cost: First two exam attempts are included as part of the upgrade. There is NO 30 day window for taking the exam after completing the SAFe 5.0 Upgrade online course – the exam can be taken at any time after online course completion. Each retake attempt after the first two free attempts costs $250.
  • Retake policy: Second attempt on exam (first retake) can be done immediately after first attempt. Third attempt requires a 10-day wait. Fourth attempt requires a 30-day wait.

Exam study materials

The exam is designed to measure knowledge and skill related to the job role. We highly recommend candidates use a variety of resources to prepare for this exam including:

  • Course materials – The course materials are an essential artifact from the course and can be downloaded from the SAFe Community Platform. These materials can be used to refer back to the content that was presented during the class.
  • Study guide – This comprehensive guide details the job role and all resources related to the exam, including a detailed reading list. Access is available through the Learning Plan in the SAFe Community Platform upon course completion.
  • Practice test – The practice test has the same number of questions, level of difficulty, and time duration. It is part of the Learning Plan in the SAFe Community Platform and can be taken an unlimited number of times at no cost. *This is not the actual exam, and passing it does not guarantee success on the certification exam.
  • Sample questions – Flashcard-style mobile-friendly sample questions are available (Internet required).

Upgrading your certification to SAFe 5

You may have questions about how to upgrade your current SAFe 4 certification to SAFe 5 including:

  • What is the path for SPCs and SPCTs to upgrade from 4.0, 4.5, or 4.6 to 5.0?
  • I’m a certified member, when will I see my learning plan and upgrade exam for SAFe 5.0?
  • As an SPC 4 with SAFe® 4.5 and/or SAFe® 4.6 validations, do I need SAFe® 5.0 validations as well?
  • My certification is up for renewal. Should I wait until the 5.0 exam is ready?
  • Is there a cost associated with upgrading to SAFe 5.0?
  • Will I still be able to use SAFe version 4 courseware?

Answers to these and many other questions can be found on the SAFe 5.0 FAQs on the Scaled Agile Community Platform.

What you get

Becoming a Certified SAFe® 5 Program Consultant requires an exceptional range of skills and is a career path for many servant leaders. Certification includes:

  • Certified SAFe® 5 Program Consultant PDF certificate
  • Certified SAFe® 5 Program Consultant digital badge to promote your accomplishment online
  • One-year membership to the SAFe Community Platform, which includes access to the SPC Community of Practice
  • Access to Meetup groups and events that connect you with other certified SAFe professionals
  • A variety of learning resources to support you during your SAFe journey

Learn more about the benefits of SAFe community membership