Do You Need the eJPT or Security+ Before the OSCP?

    No, OffSec doesn't require the eJPT or Security+ before the OSCP+ (OSCP Plus). Here's what each cert tests and costs, who it suits, and the free foundations that matter more.

    By Hacker Blueprint··8 min read

    The short answer

    No. You don't need the eJPT, Security+ or any other certification before the OSCP+™ (OSCP Plus). OffSec sets no formal prerequisites for PEN-200, its course for the exam, and its exam guide says the OSCP® is "awarded without prerequisites to individuals who pass a performance test." On eJPT vs OSCP, the eJPT is an entry-level practical with 48 hours for 45 questions, while the OSCP exam gives you 23 hours and 45 minutes under a proctor to compromise machines, then a day to write the report.

    What OffSec does recommend is skills: networking, Windows and Linux administration, and basic scripting. A certification can help you build them. It can't stand in for them.

    The eJPT is a sensible first hands-on exam if you're new and want a date to work toward. Security+ makes sense when a job asks for it. If neither applies, put the time and money into the foundations and into OSCP prep, and most of that path is free.

    We're Hacker Blueprint. Our instructor holds the OSCP, our academy has more than 600 students, and around 7,000 people have claimed our prep materials.

    Video: is the OSCP right for you?

    Is the OSCP Right for Me? (2026 Guide) starts with who the OSCP suits, then covers the exam costs at 1:16, choosing a bundle at 2:39 and the exam structure and rules at 4:09. Our free academy resources come up at 7:14 and a study roadmap at 9:09. It went up in November 2025, so use the table below for current prices.

    What OffSec asks for before the OSCP+

    The PEN-200 page puts it plainly: "While there are no formal prerequisites, it is strongly recommended that you have" a solid understanding of TCP/IP networking, reasonable Windows and Linux administration experience, and familiarity with basic Bash or Python scripting.

    No certification appears anywhere in that list. OffSec even sells the exam on its own for $1,699, with no course required (offsec.com, checked October 29, 2026).

    eJPT vs OSCP vs Security+ at a glance

    The three exams test different things. Here they are side by side, from each vendor's own site on October 29, 2026.

    Detail eJPT Security+ OSCP+
    Run by INE CompTIA OffSec
    Exam type Hands-on practical, 45 questions Up to 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions Hands-on, proctored, plus a written report
    Time 48 hours 90 minutes 23h 45m, then 24h for the report
    Price Needs an INE subscription; Fundamentals Annual is $349 a year with a voucher included $404 retail (CompTIA's figure as of January 2025) $1,699 exam only, $1,749 with 90 days of PEN-200
    Valid for 3 years 3 years 3 years (the OSCP itself never expires)
    What it shows Entry-level pentest skills Broad security knowledge for defense and admin roles You can compromise unseen machines and an AD set, then document it

    What the eJPT is and who it suits

    The eJPT (Junior Penetration Tester) is INE's "hands-on, entry-level Red Team certification", built for people with little to no cybersecurity experience. Since an update on March 26, 2026, the exam has 45 questions in a 48-hour hands-on practical, graded automatically. The biggest domain is host and network penetration testing (35%), followed by assessment methodologies, host and network auditing, and web application testing.

    To sit it, you need an INE subscription and a voucher. The Fundamentals Annual plan is $349 a year and includes an eJPT or ICCA voucher plus a year of novice-level training. Vouchers expire 180 days after purchase and include one free retake, taken within 14 days of a failed attempt.

    The topics overlap with OSCP prep: enumeration, public exploits, password attacks, pivoting and web testing. The format is where they part ways. The eJPT gives you 48 hours in a lab to work through questions. The OSCP+ gives you under a day, with a proctor watching, to compromise machines and prove each one, then a report on top. The eJPT's objectives also include exploitation with Metasploit, which the OSCP+ limits to one target, so retrain the manual route afterwards (see our OSCP+ allowed tools guide).

    It suits a newcomer who wants a cheaper, lower-pressure first exam, or someone whose employer already pays for INE. If you can root easy Hack The Box machines without a walkthrough, it will mostly confirm what you know.

    What Security+ is and who it suits

    Security+ is CompTIA's broad security certification. The current V7 exam (SY0-701) has up to 90 multiple-choice and performance-based questions in 90 minutes, taken at a Pearson VUE test center or online. CompTIA recommends Network+ and two years in a security or systems administrator role first. V8 (SY0-801) is expected on or around November 17, 2026, and the English V7 exam retires on June 11, 2027.

    CompTIA's own FAQ puts the US retail price at $404 "as of January 2025", and the store shows the current price for your country. If you fail, you buy another voucher, unless your bundle includes a retake.

    People take Security+ because employers ask for it. CompTIA says it "is recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense and complies with Directive 8140", which makes it a standard ask in government and defense work.

    It won't prepare you for the OSCP+, though. Security+ is a 90-minute knowledge exam, and the OSCP+ is close to a full day of hands-on work on machines you've never seen. Take it if a job needs it, on its own timeline.

    Which route fits your background

    New to IT. Your bottleneck is Linux, networking and Windows, and neither certification fixes that on its own. Start with the free beginner paths in our academy: Linux for Hackers, Networking Fundamentals, VM Lab Setup, Python for Hacking and Offensive Cyber Intro. Our six-minute OSCP roadmap for beginners shows the same order. Once the basics feel easy, the eJPT is a fair checkpoint if you want one.

    Some IT, networking or Linux experience. You can usually skip the eJPT, unless an employer pays for it or you want the milestone. Your gap is methodology, so watch our free 2-hour OSCP course and practice standalone machines with the walkthrough closed. Add Security+ only if a job you want lists it.

    Already doing CTFs or Hack The Box. Go straight to OSCP prep. What catches people like you is the Active Directory set, the report and the 24-hour format, so start AD early with our free AD chains. If you're also weighing Hack The Box's CPTS, our OSCP vs CPTS post compares the two.

    The fundamentals that matter more than any cert

    Before you start structured OSCP prep, be comfortable with five things:

    • The Linux command line. Files, permissions, users, processes and services.
    • Networking. What a port scan is telling you, what common services do, and enough about subnets and routing to see why a host won't answer.
    • Windows basics. Accounts and groups, services, the registry, scheduled tasks and a little PowerShell.
    • Reading scripts. Following a short Python or Bash script and making small edits, since public exploits rarely run as written.
    • A lab. A Kali VM, a target or two, and snapshots you can roll back.

    That's phase 1 of our OSCP+ roadmap. For what the exam itself feels like, read How hard is the OSCP?

    Our free Hacking 101 playlist covers this ground on video: Linux, a Kali and VirtualBox lab, Burp Suite, recon and first exploits, plus Linux and Windows machines worked from recon to root.

    FAQ

    Do I need the eJPT before the OSCP?

    No. OffSec sets no formal prerequisites for PEN-200 or the OSCP+ exam. The eJPT is an optional first hands-on exam for beginners who want a milestone.

    Do I need Security+ before the OSCP?

    No. OffSec doesn't require it, and it tests broad security knowledge in 90 minutes. Take it if a job posting or a DoD 8140 role asks for it.

    eJPT vs OSCP: which is harder?

    The OSCP+ is harder. The eJPT gives you 48 hours for 45 auto-graded questions in a lab, while the OSCP+ gives you 23 hours and 45 minutes under a proctor to compromise standalone machines and an Active Directory set, then a professional report.

    Security+ vs OSCP: which should you get?

    They serve different goals. Security+ is CompTIA's 90-minute knowledge exam and a standard ask in US government and defense work under DoD Directive 8140, while the OSCP+ is a hands-on pentesting exam with a report. Get Security+ if a job asks for it, and the OSCP+ if you want to prove you can carry out a penetration test.

    What are the prerequisites for the OSCP?

    There are none formally. OffSec strongly recommends TCP/IP networking, Windows and Linux administration experience, and basic Bash or Python scripting.

    Is the eJPT enough preparation for the OSCP+?

    On its own, no. The OSCP+ adds an Active Directory set, a proctored exam of 23 hours and 45 minutes, strict tool limits and a professional report.

    What should I do before starting OSCP prep?

    Get comfortable with Linux, networking, Windows and basic scripting, and build a lab with snapshots. Our free beginner learning paths cover most of it.

    A free route to the OSCP+

    Skip the warm-up certification unless it gets you something specific, like an interview or an employer-paid voucher. The early steps cost nothing: the beginner paths in our academy, then the free 2-hour OSCP course, then our free AD chains. After that comes structured prep, and every OffSec fee is in our OSCP cost breakdown.

    @smartsalmon1, one of our students, wrote: "This course was more helpful because it helped me fill in gaps in the basic while the other courses were beyond scope. Really good for building a checklist for various stages of attack lifecycle." (More reviews)

    Try our 30+ hour course for OSCP prep with a free trial, or, once the basics feel solid, start one of our free Active Directory chains.

    Not sure which route fits you? Ask in the Hacker Blueprint Discord.

    Sources

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