CLF-C02 exam: cost, duration, format and booking

These are the facts AWS publishes for CLF-C02. It is a Foundational-level exam, so it shares price and pass mark with the other exams at that level.

The price is 100 USD per attempt. AWS publishes local-currency prices for the euro, Australian dollar, won, yen, yuan and rupee: in the euro zone it is 85 EUR. AWS notes that taxes such as VAT may apply, and it updates exchange rates at least once a year, in May.

You pay by card (Visa, American Express, Mastercard or JCB) or with a voucher. Passing any AWS certification gives you a 50% voucher for your next exam.

There are two question types: multiple choice, with one correct answer and three distractors, and multiple response, with two or more correct answers out of five or more options. Of the 65 questions, 15 are unscored and you will not know which. Guessing is not penalized.

The score is scaled from 100 to 1,000 and the pass mark is 700, with compensatory scoring. AWS does not publish how many correct answers equal 700, because it varies between exam forms. Results reach your account within 5 business days.

It is offered in 12 languages: Arabic, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. Italian and German retire after 31 December 2026. If you take it in English and it is not your first language, you can request 30 extra minutes (ESL +30) before booking.

You need an AWS Certification Account, separate from your AWS account, created with an AWS Builder ID at aws.training/Certification. From there choose Schedule New Exam, find CLF-C02 and select Schedule with Pearson VUE to pick a test center or online delivery, a date and a time, and pay.

Online, English-speaking proctors are available 24/7. Before booking, try the sample questions to check whether you are ready.

You can reschedule or cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the appointment, and each appointment can be rescheduled twice at most. Cancel more than 24 hours ahead and you get a refund; inside that window, or if you do not show up, you lose the fee.

If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days and pay the full fee again; there is no limit on attempts. Once you pass, you cannot retake the same exam for two years.

The certification is valid for 3 years. You can renew it in four ways: AWS Cloud Quest: Recertify Cloud Practitioner, free and available in the 6 months before expiry; passing the current version of CLF-C02; passing any Associate exam; or passing any Professional exam. Each option adds 3 years from the date you complete it.

To walk in prepared, practise with the full CLF-C02 bank: start free.