Microsoft Azure Fundamentals AZ-900: Certification Guide 2026

What Is the AZ-900 Certification?

The AZ-900 (Microsoft Azure Fundamentals) is the foundational Microsoft cloud certification. It demonstrates that you understand basic cloud computing concepts, core Azure services, Azure pricing and SLAs, and Microsoft's cloud governance and compliance model. It does NOT require hands-on Azure experience or coding skills — it is genuinely a fundamentals-level exam.

The az-900 certification is valuable for:

• IT decision-makers and managers: Understanding what Azure can and cannot do without being hands-on technical
• Non-technical business professionals: Finance, HR, and operations staff who work alongside Azure teams and need cloud fluency
• Technical beginners: Developers and sysadmins who are new to Azure and want a credentialed starting point
• Students: Demonstrating cloud fundamentals knowledge for entry-level IT positions

It is a prerequisite for no other Microsoft certification but is a strong foundation before attempting role-based certifications like AZ-104 (Administrator) or AZ-204 (Developer). Many organizations now expect all IT staff — including non-developers — to hold the az 900 certification.

AZ-900 Topics Covered

Microsoft publishes the exact topic breakdown (called the 'skills measured') for the AZ-900 exam. The current domains and their approximate exam weights are:

• Describe cloud concepts (~25–30%): What is cloud computing? Shared responsibility model, cloud service types (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), cloud deployment models (public, private, hybrid). Core vocabulary of cloud computing that every domain builds on.
• Describe Azure architecture and services (~35–40%): Azure regions and availability zones, resource hierarchy (subscriptions, resource groups, resources), core services: Compute (VMs, App Service, Azure Functions, containers), Storage (Blob, File, Queue, Table), Networking (VNet, VPN, ExpressRoute, Load Balancer), Database (Azure SQL, Cosmos DB), and Identity (Azure Active Directory).
• Describe Azure management and governance (~30–35%): Cost management (Azure pricing calculator, TCO calculator, spending factors), governance tools (Azure Policy, RBAC, Blueprints, Management Groups), compliance and privacy (Microsoft Trust Center, Service Trust Portal), monitoring tools (Azure Monitor, Azure Advisor, Service Health).

For a detailed walkthrough of each domain with practice scenarios, see our az 900 study guide which covers all three content domains in depth.

AZ-900 Passing Score and Cost

The AZ-900 az-900 exam uses a scaled score from 100 to 1000. The passing score is 700. Microsoft does not publish the exact number of questions required to reach 700 since the scoring algorithm scales questions differently based on difficulty level.

Key scoring facts:

• You receive your score immediately at the testing center or online, right after completing the exam
• A detailed score report shows your performance by domain area — useful for targeted study if you need to retake
• The AZ-900 certification does NOT expire — once you pass, the credential is yours permanently (unlike some certifications that require renewal)

The exam fee is $165 USD (pricing may vary by region and currency). Microsoft occasionally offers vouchers through learning events, Microsoft Learn promotions, and student discount programs. If you need to retake, there is a 24-hour waiting period after the first attempt and longer waiting periods for subsequent retakes.

For free official preparation: Microsoft Learn at learn.microsoft.com offers a complete, free az 900 course that covers all exam domains with interactive exercises, labs, and knowledge checks — no payment required.