SAA-C03 exam: cost, duration, format and how to book it

The exam costs 150 USD, the price of every AWS Associate exam. In countries that pay in euros, AWS lists 128 EUR, and notes that applicable taxes may apply. The price covers one attempt, and AWS updates exchange rates at least once a year, in May.

If you already hold an active AWS certification, your AWS Certification Account includes a 50% discount for your next exam. You can also pay with vouchers, sold through Pearson VUE, or with a Visa, American Express, Mastercard or JCB card.

You get 130 minutes for 65 questions. There are two 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. Only 50 questions count; the other 15 are trial questions and you cannot tell which.

Scores are scaled from 100 to 1,000 and 720 passes. The model is compensatory: you do not need to pass each domain, only the exam overall. Unanswered questions are scored as incorrect and there is no penalty for guessing, so answer every one.

It is offered in English, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain and Latin America), Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. AWS has announced that the Italian version will be retired after 31 December 2026. Translated exams let you view each question in English.

You take it at a Pearson VUE test center or online with a proctor (OnVUE). Online, there are no breaks and you cannot leave the camera's view. If you take it in English as a non-native speaker, you can request the ESL +30 accommodation once, which adds 30 minutes.

Sign in to aws.training and go to Certification. Select your AWS Certification Account, then Schedule New Exam, find SAA-C03 and choose Schedule with Pearson VUE. In the Pearson VUE dashboard you pick a test center or online delivery, the date and time, and pay.

The name on your profile must match your ID. Online you need one primary ID; at a test center, two. Before the appointment you can try the interface with the AWS Exam Demo on the AWS page at Pearson VUE.

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

Results reach your AWS Certification Account within 5 business days. If you fail, you wait 14 calendar days to retake, with no limit on attempts, but you pay the full fee each time. Once you pass, you cannot retake the same exam for two years.

The certification is valid for 3 years. To renew it for another 3 years, pass the latest version of the exam (with the 50% discount) or pass Solutions Architect - Professional. You can also maintain it for 1 more year on AWS Skill Builder with a paid subscription.

Before booking, check your level with the free sample questions and practise with the SAA-C03 exam-style questions; start free.