When is CMMC Level 1 required?

Short Answer

There is no single nationwide deadline. The requirement attaches contract by contract, when a solicitation includes the CMMC clause calling for Level 1. The self-assessment phase of the rollout has been in effect since November 10, 2025. The July 13, 2026 suspension of the move to Phase 2 did not remove Level 1.

How it becomes required

Level 1 becomes a condition of award when a contract or solicitation includes the DFARS CMMC clauses at Level 1. Without a current self-assessment and affirmation in SPRS, you are not eligible for award on such a contract.

The rollout is phased

The CMMC program phases in under 32 CFR 170.3(e). Phase 1, which includes Level 1 self-assessments, has been active since November 10, 2025. On July 13, 2026, the Department of War suspended the transition to Phase 2 that had been scheduled for November 10, 2026. Program managers may still include CMMC Level 1 (Self) or Level 2 (Self) in solicitations, and the DoW CIO CMMC page states that all Phase I self-assessment requirements remain in place.

The program is under review, and no date has been set for the suspension to end. Confirm the current status against the primary sources and your specific solicitations rather than a fixed calendar date.