Sources and changes

When a direct EA or MCA-E is transferred to CSP, Azure services keep running without interruption. Only the billing relationship changes.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Subscription IDs and resource IDs stay the same during the transfer. All resources, such as virtual machines, disks and websites, move with it.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Existing access permissions and Azure RBAC assignments stay intact during the transfer. The partner does not automatically get access to the environment.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Only a direct EA and an MCA-E can be moved to CSP administratively. A CSP partner approved for this does it in the Azure portal; the customer approves the transfer. For an indirect EA and for Web Direct, such as pay-as-you-go with a credit card or an MCA signed online, this transfer does not exist.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026, Microsoft, 17 August 2026

The transfer can be requested by direct-bill CSP partners that hold a Solutions Partner designation (Data & AI, Digital & App Innovation or Infrastructure) or are an Azure Expert MSP, and by distributors with the Frontier Distributor designation.

Source: Microsoft, 17 August 2026

For the transfer, the customer accepts the Microsoft Customer Agreement and the partner sets up an Azure plan. The customer and partner tenants must be in the same authorised region.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Previously applied quota increases move to the CSP subscription. Without an earlier increase, the default CSP limit applies.

Source: Microsoft, 17 August 2026

Reservations and savings plans can move with the subscriptions.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026, Microsoft, 29 December 2025

If the billing currency changes, monthly billed reservations and savings plans stop at the next billing period; prepaid ones remain. If a savings plan from an EA in a currency other than US dollars moves to CSP, the pricing currency changes. You then choose between automatic replacement with a one-year plan or arranging new plans through Azure support.

Source: Microsoft, 29 December 2025

Cost and usage data do not move with the subscription. They are downloaded before the transfer, together with the invoices.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026, Microsoft, 17 August 2026

An Azure support plan does not move with the subscription. After the transfer, the CSP partner is responsible for support.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

CSP does not offer Dev/Test subscriptions. An EA Dev/Test subscription is first converted to a regular subscription and then falls under standard pricing; the Dev/Test discount no longer applies.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

SaaS subscriptions from Azure Marketplace do not move with the Azure subscription and are transferred separately. Marketplace products that are not available for CSP block the transfer of that subscription.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Azure Hybrid Benefit settings on virtual machines remain in effect after the transfer.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

A subscription with an active Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment (MACC) cannot be transferred while the MACC is running.

Source: Microsoft, 29 December 2025

If subscriptions are in multiple tenants, each tenant needs a separate transfer. Microsoft mentions consolidating into one tenant first as an alternative; changing tenants does remove the Azure role assignments.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026, Microsoft, 17 August 2026

Usage up to the moment of transfer appears on the old invoice, usage after it on the new one.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Subscriptions in an expired EA remain transferable as long as they continue under an extended term.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

The Cost Management connector for Power BI stops working after the transfer to CSP. Microsoft names exports from Cost Management as an alternative.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Some transfers need an extra review by Microsoft, depending on how the enrollment is set up.

Source: Microsoft, 21 August 2026

Subscriptions that cannot be moved administratively, such as pay-as-you-go, an online MCA or an indirect EA, go to CSP through a technical migration of the resources to new CSP subscriptions.

Source: Microsoft, 17 August 2026, Microsoft, 29 December 2025

Resources can only be migrated between subscriptions when both subscriptions are in the same Microsoft Entra tenant.

Source: Microsoft, 29 July 2025

During a migration, the source and target resource groups are locked for changes for up to four hours. Existing resources keep working.

Source: Microsoft, 29 July 2025

A migration changes the resource ID. Scripts, templates and dashboards that use the ID must be updated.

Source: Microsoft, 29 July 2025

Role assignments on a migrated resource do not move with it and must be recreated after the migration.

Source: Microsoft, 29 July 2025

Not all resource types can be migrated, and dependent resources must move together. Depending on the resources, a migration can cause downtime.

Source: Microsoft, 29 July 2025, Microsoft, 17 August 2026

When you move from an online MCA to CSP, reservations and savings plans do not move automatically.

Source: Microsoft, 29 December 2025

Since 1 November 2025, everyone pays the Level A price for online services under EA and MPSA, such as Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365. According to most sources, Azure usage had no price levels and has not become more expensive because of this change.

Market sources Source: Market source, Market source

Microsoft generally no longer renews EAs for smaller organisations and refers them to MCA-E or CSP. Market sources mention a threshold of around 2,400 users; Microsoft has not published a fixed threshold itself.

Market sources Source: Market source

Paying Microsoft by invoice (wire transfer) requires at least six months as a customer, no outstanding balance and usage above a threshold that differs per country.

Source: Microsoft, 26 August 2026

With pay-as-you-go, you request pay by invoice through a support ticket; with a Microsoft Customer Agreement, you do it in the Azure portal. Microsoft may run a credit check and ask for annual accounts or a guarantee.

Source: Microsoft, 26 August 2026

Once you switch to wire transfer with Microsoft, you cannot go back to a credit card as your default payment method.

Source: Microsoft, 26 August 2026

Every Azure customer gets free Basic support from Microsoft: documentation, Azure Advisor and service health alerts. Technical help by email, phone or chat is not included and requires a paid support plan, such as Developer, Standard or Professional Direct.

Source: Microsoft

At Intercept, the CSP Enterprise programme applies from €50,000 of Azure usage a month: up to 12% discount and 24/7 support at a reduced rate, with a contract of at least twelve months.

Intercept Source: Intercept

Below €50,000 a month, the discount at Intercept rises with usage. The percentages on this site (5, 7 and 9%) are indicative; the final percentage is in the calculation.

Indicative Source: Intercept

According to Microsoft, reserved instances give up to 72% discount compared with pay-as-you-go, depending on type, region and term.

Source: Microsoft

Below €50,000 a month, support is included at Intercept: a regular point of contact with Azure specialists, who bring in Microsoft where needed. 24/7 support is available. From €50,000 a month, 24/7 CSP Enterprise Support is part of the programme, at a reduced rate.

Intercept Source: Intercept

Intercept is an Azure Expert MSP, has more than 70 Azure specialists and at least 3 Microsoft Azure MVPs, and has helped more than 1,000 organisations, including more than 200 SaaS companies.

Intercept Source: Intercept

Intercept has been moving EA customers to CSP since 2020. When Microsoft phased out TrueLime's EA, TrueLime asked three parties for a proposal and chose Intercept.

Intercept Source: Intercept