You can find the answers to your questions by following the links at VMware Certification

André

‌Agreed - the pages for each individual certification will spell out the various valid paths and their requirements.

Yep I've already read all the official documentation.  I found it lacking in the specifics i was asking about, so I came here.  The diagrams imply that you need to update your cert to 6.0 before taking the VCAP exam, but they do not explicitly state it.  That's why I came here for clarification.

So to be clear the question is a simple yes or no:

If I have an active VCP 5.5 DCV, register for and pass the VCAP 6 DCV Deploy 6, would I then be granted the VCAP cert?

I of course would like to avoid having to spend two hundred some bucks on a test if its not absolutely necessary, but that may be the business model here to generate revue.  The FAQ doesn't have a section for "I have a VCP5, do I need to upgrade it to VCP 6 prior to taking the exam".  The new candidates section only lists paths if you have a current VCP6 in DCV and a path for if you hold a VCP6 in other areas.  I take the implication there that I have to upgrade my VPC to 6.  I'm just asking for confirmation of that ...inconvenient requirement.

So can anyone confirm that upgrading your VCP to 6 is a explicit and hard requirement to be granted the VCAP 6 cert upon passing the exam?

Using VCAP6-DCV Deploy as an example, the valid "start points" are here:

Or here:

If you have some other combination of certifications, I believe you would need to reach one of those "start points" first.

In your case, I believe you need to get to VCP6-DCV or VCAP5-DCA (*) first, then you could work on VCAP6-DCV Deploy.

If you want some form of official confirmation, drop an email to certification@vmware.com

(* Note that going the VCP5-DCV > VCAP5-DCA > VCAP6-DCV Deploy route would NOT also give you the VCP6-DCV)

Yep this is what I figured.  The path of least resistance would be take the VCP6-DCV Delta exam to upgrade my VCP then take the VCAP6-DCV Deploy exam, but that's still only implied there by lack of other options.  Meaning there's no "If you have VCP5-DCV..." path  (which I think would cover a lot of people). Call me crazy, but I just don't like making inferences based on incomplete information.  I will probably email them just to be sure.  Thanks again.

If you are already VCP5.5 then only VCP-DCV 6.0  exam needed for VCAP-DCV 6.0