This page is for people preparing for AWS certification exams, most often the foundational Cloud Practitioner. It gives you free practice sets split by topic, such as compute, storage, security, billing and networking. It also has a short worked-answer section, a study plan, and the exam format, fees and scoring taken from the official AWS pages.
According to Amazon Web Services, “Exam format 65 questions, either multiple choice or multiple response”[1]
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the foundational-level AWS certification. It tests broad cloud knowledge rather than hands-on engineering: cloud concepts, core services, security and compliance, and billing and support. There are no mandatory prerequisites, so anyone can sit it. Candidates aged 13-17 need the consent of a parent or legal guardian.
The exam has 65 questions, either multiple choice or multiple response, with 90 minutes to finish. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or through online proctoring. Exam appointments are appointment-based, and most are available 24/7. The fee is $100 per attempt. The passing standard is a scaled score of 700 for foundational exams. Results are posted to your AWS Certification Account within five business days after the exam closes.
If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days before retaking, and you pay the full registration fee for every attempt. A passing result stays active for three years, and AWS offers renewal options through its recertification page. For comparison, Associate exams cost $150 and use a passing score of 720, while Professional and Specialty exams cost $300 and use 750. Fees, formats and policies can change, so check the official AWS certification pages before you book.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty) | 65 questions[1] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (beta)) | 85 questions[2] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified AI Practitioner) | 65 questions[5] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate) | 65 questions[7] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner) | 65 questions[8] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate) | 65 questions[9] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Developer - Associate) | 65 questions[10] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional) | 75 questions[11] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Generative AI Developer - Professional) | 75 questions[12] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C01; remaining language) | 65 questions[6] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C02 beta)) | 85 questions[6] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Security - Specialty) | 65 questions[13] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate) | 65 questions[4] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Number of questions (AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional) | 75 questions[14] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty) | 170 minutes[1] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (beta)) | 170 minutes[2] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified AI Practitioner) | 90 minutes[5] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified CloudOps Engineer - Associate) | 130 minutes[7] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner) | 90 minutes[8] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Data Engineer - Associate) | 130 minutes[9] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Developer - Associate) | 130 minutes[10] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional) | 180 minutes[11] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Generative AI Developer - Professional) | 180 minutes[12] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C01; remaining language) | 130 minutes[6] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C02 beta)) | 170 minutes[6] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Security - Specialty) | 170 minutes[13] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate) | 130 minutes[4] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Time limit (AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional) | 180 minutes[14] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Passing score (Associate) | 720 scaled score[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Passing score (Foundational) | 700 scaled score[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Passing score (Professional and Specialty) | 750 scaled score[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Associate) | $150 per attempt[4] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (beta)) | $50 beta exam[2] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer - Associate (MLA-C02 beta)) | $75 beta exam[6] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Foundational) | $100 per attempt[8] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Professional) | $300 per attempt[14] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Specialty) | $300 per attempt[13] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Retake fee | Full registration fee per attempt[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Wait 14 calendar days after failing[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Validity | Three years[15] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Renewal | Renew for 3 more years; maintain for 1 more year[16] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring[15] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Eligibility | No mandatory prerequisites[15] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Eligibility (Minors (ages 13–17)) | Parental or legal guardian consent required (ages 13–17)[17] | pearsonvue.com · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Score release | Within five business days[3] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
| Testing window | Appointment-based; most online appointments available 24/7[18] | Amazon Web Services · Oct 28, 2026 |
The content areas below are copied from the official AWS content outline published by Amazon Web Services, with the share of the exam each area carries. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Weight | Practice on this site |
|---|---|---|
| Billing, Pricing, and Support[20] | 12% | AWS Billing, Pricing, and Cost Management Practise telling pricing models, cost tools and support plans apart, and know which tool answers which cost question. |
| Cloud Concepts[20] | 24% | AWS Well-Architected Framework and Design ... Practise the benefits of the cloud and the design principles behind reliable, secure and cost-aware architectures. |
| Cloud Technology and Services[20] | 34% | AWS Compute Services Practise matching a short scenario to the right compute, storage, database, networking or integration service. |
| Security and Compliance[20] | 30% | AWS Security and IAM Practise the shared responsibility model, IAM basics and which AWS service supports which security or compliance need. |
Prepare for the AWS - Amazon Web Services exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is S3 Transfer Acceleration used for?
Answer: A. To speed up long-distance uploads to S3 using CloudFront edge locations
Explanation:
The correct answer is that S3 Transfer Acceleration speeds up long-distance uploads to S3. It routes traffic through CloudFront edge locations, so a client far from the bucket's Region reaches a nearby edge first and then travels over the AWS network.
The other options describe different jobs. Accelerating queries on S3 data is the territory of query services, not a transfer feature. Automatic compression is not something this feature does. Faster replication between Regions is handled by replication settings, not by Transfer Acceleration, which is about how clients send data in.
Rule to remember: when a question mentions distant users uploading to one bucket, think edge locations and Transfer Acceleration. When it mentions copying data between buckets, think replication.
Question: A company is migrating an on-premises application that uses JMS with Apache ActiveMQ to AWS and wants to avoid rewriting messaging code. Which service is best?
Answer: C. Amazon MQ
Explanation:
Amazon MQ is correct because it is a managed message broker for ActiveMQ and RabbitMQ, and it supports standard protocols such as JMS. A company that already uses JMS with ActiveMQ can move the broker and keep its existing messaging code.
Amazon SQS is a managed queue with its own API, so the code would need to change. Amazon SNS is a publish and subscribe topic service, also with its own API, and it is not a drop-in broker. Amazon EventBridge routes events between services and applications, which is a different model from a JMS broker.
Rule to remember: when the wording is about migrating without rewriting and names a broker or protocol, choose Amazon MQ. When you are building something new on AWS, SQS and SNS are the usual native choices.
Question: Which AWS service provides a fully managed source control service that hosts Git repositories?
Answer: A. AWS CodeCommit
Explanation:
AWS CodeCommit is correct because it is the service that hosts private Git repositories as a managed source control service. The question asks specifically about hosting repositories, which is source control.
AWS CodeBuild is wrong because it compiles code and runs tests. AWS CodeDeploy is wrong because it automates deploying code to compute targets. AWS CodePipeline is wrong because it orchestrates the stages of a release process and connects the other tools, but it does not store the code itself.
Rule to remember: match each developer tool to one stage. Store code with CodeCommit, build and test with CodeBuild, deploy with CodeDeploy, and chain the stages with CodePipeline.
Start with the official exam page for your certification and read the list of content areas, so you know what the exam actually covers. Then take the general AWS practice test cold to see where you stand. Do not worry about the score; note which topics felt guessed.
Next, work through the topic sets that match your weak spots. Try AWS Security and IAM and AWS Storage and Databases for the heaviest service areas, and Billing, Pricing, and Cost Management for the smaller but easy-to-lose area. After each set, read the explanation for every question you missed and for the ones you guessed right. Write the rule behind each one in a short note.
Use the AWS documentation and free training material to fill the gaps those notes show, rather than reading everything. In the last days before your appointment, repeat the sets you did worst on, then retake a mixed set under the time limit. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to check understanding, not to memorise answers.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.
The fee depends on the level. Foundational exams such as Cloud Practitioner cost $100 per attempt, Associate exams cost $150, and Professional and Specialty exams cost $300. Beta exams can be priced lower. Retakes cost the full registration fee each time, so check the exam page on aws.amazon.com for current pricing.
AWS uses scaled scores. The passing standard is 700 for Foundational exams, 720 for Associate exams, and 750 for Professional and Specialty exams. The scaled score is not a simple percentage of correct answers, so use practice sets to find weak topics rather than to predict an exact result.
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam has 65 questions, either multiple choice or multiple response, and a time limit of 90 minutes. Other exams differ. For example, Solutions Architect - Associate gives 130 minutes, and Solutions Architect - Professional has 75 questions and 180 minutes.
You must wait 14 calendar days after a failed attempt before you can retake the same exam. You also pay the full registration fee again for each attempt. Use the waiting period to review the topics where you lost marks, then book your next appointment.
AWS says its certifications can be earned without completing specific prerequisites. Candidates aged 13-17 may take AWS exams with the consent of a parent or legal guardian. Check the Pearson VUE page for AWS for the exact steps and ID requirements in your location.
A certification is active for three years. AWS lets you renew for 3 more years, or maintain your certification for 1 more year of validity, depending on the option you use. The recertification page on aws.amazon.com explains which route applies to your credential.