IT Certification Verification
How to Verify a Red Hat Certification
Red Hat certifications validate Linux administration, enterprise IT, and DevOps skills. Unlike many IT certifications that use multiple-choice exams, Red Hat certifications are performance-based — candidates complete hands-on tasks in a live environment. This makes them among the most credible Linux credentials. Here is how to verify them.
Quick answer
Verify Red Hat certifications through the Red Hat Certification Central verification portal at rhtapps.redhat.com/verify. The candidate can also share their Red Hat certification verification page URL or a Credly badge. Red Hat maintains a public registry of active certifications.
Red Hat certification tracks
Red Hat certifications are organized by level and specialty:
| Credential | Abbreviation | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Certified System Administrator | RHCSA | Core RHEL administration: file systems, users, services, networking, SELinux |
| Red Hat Certified Engineer | RHCE | Ansible automation, advanced system administration; requires RHCSA |
| Red Hat Certified Architect | RHCA | Expert-level; requires passing 5+ specialty exams from the RHCA catalog |
| Red Hat Certified Specialist | RHCS (various) | Domain-specific: OpenShift, Ansible, RHEL, DevOps, Security, Storage, and more |
The RHCSA is the prerequisite for RHCE. The RHCA is the highest-level Red Hat credential and requires earning five specialist certifications in addition to the RHCE.
How to verify via Red Hat Certification Central
Red Hat maintains a public certification verification portal:
- Go to rhtapps.redhat.com/verify
- Enter the candidate's Red Hat certification ID (a number provided to all Red Hat certified professionals)
- The system will display all active Red Hat certifications held by that individual
- Confirm the specific certification (RHCSA, RHCE, etc.) is listed as Active and not expired
Candidates can also share a direct link to their Red Hat certification verification page. Red Hat also issues Credly badges for certifications, which can be used for supplemental verification.
Ask for the Red Hat Certification ID
The Red Hat Certification Central portal requires the candidate's certification ID number, not just their name. Ask candidates to provide this ID (visible in their Red Hat portal profile) alongside their name for smooth verification.
Version-specific certifications
Red Hat certifications are tied to specific RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) versions. For example, an RHCSA earned on RHEL 7 is a different credential from one earned on RHEL 9. Red Hat certifications do not automatically transfer to newer versions — recertification on the current version is required to hold a current-version credential.
When reviewing credentials, confirm the RHEL version associated with the certification. For roles involving current enterprise infrastructure, RHEL 8 or RHEL 9 certification is relevant as of 2026.
Red flags
- Candidate cannot provide a Red Hat Certification ID for portal verification
- Certification is listed as expired in the Red Hat portal
- RHCE claimed without holding a current RHCSA — RHCE requires RHCSA as prerequisite
- RHCA claimed but only 1–2 specialist certifications found in the portal — RHCA requires 5 specialist exams
- Version on the certification is significantly outdated for the role's technology stack
Verification checklist
- 1. Ask the candidate for their Red Hat Certification ID number
- 2. Verify at rhtapps.redhat.com/verify using the certification ID
- 3. Confirm the claimed certification (RHCSA, RHCE, RHCA, RHCS) is listed as Active
- 4. Note the RHEL version associated with the certification — confirm it is appropriate for the role
- 5. For RHCE: confirm RHCSA is also listed. For RHCA: confirm 5+ specialist exams are listed.
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