AWS Cloud Practitioner · Book and sit

Cloud Practitioner exam day: IDs, the online check-in clock and results in five business days

By Mustafa K. Al-Dori · Checked against official documents on 11 October 2026 · 6 min read

The short answer

At a test centre you need two IDs, and online you need one primary ID. Online check-in opens up to 30 minutes early, and if you are more than 15 minutes late the exam cannot be launched and the fee is lost. Results are posted to your AWS Certification Account within five business days.

Every exam-day rule exists because of somebody's worst day.

Identity first

Setting	What you need
Test centre	Two IDs: two primary IDs, or one primary and one secondary
Online proctored	One primary ID

A primary ID must be original, unexpired and issued by a government. Photocopies and digital IDs are not accepted. Your name must match the name on your AWS Certification Account. AWS allows name changes up to two business days before your first exam, so check the account before you book.

At a test centre

Bring your two original IDs and arrive early, because centres check identity and photograph you. Leave everything else in the locker you are given. A candidate who arrives with only a passport is turned away and loses the fee, since two forms of identification are required.

Online

You can start check-in up to 30 minutes before your appointment. If you are more than 15 minutes late, or your computer fails the system test, the exam cannot be launched and the fee is lost.

You need a private room, a clear desk, a webcam, a stable connection and a computer that passes the system test. During the exam you may not stand up or leave the camera's view for any reason.

Run the Pearson VUE system test on the computer and network you will use before you book online, and again before the day. Close every other application.

Five booking steps

Sign in to your AWS Certification Account, with your name exactly as on your IDs.
Request the 30-minute extension or any accommodation first, if you need one.
Choose AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, CLF-C02, and your language.
Choose a Pearson VUE test centre or online proctoring, then a date that fits the end of your plan.
Pay or apply a voucher, keep the confirmation, and set reminders.

After the exam

Most AWS exams do not show a result on screen. Your result is posted to your AWS Certification Account within five business days. You can then download a score report that shows your performance by domain, and AWS issues a digital badge through Credly.

Whom to contact

AWS Training and Certification handles your AWS Certification Account, vouchers, accommodations, results, badges and renewal.

Pearson VUE handles the appointment itself: the test centre, online check-in and technical problems during the exam.

AWS Support plans cover AWS cloud accounts, not certification. For a problem during an online exam, contact Pearson VUE the same day with evidence such as a screenshot.

A short rule for the day

Start check-in at the 30-minute mark, because a slow system check can push you towards the 15-minute limit. If a technical problem stops the exam, contact Pearson VUE the same day and keep a screenshot as evidence.

A last check

Look at the reminders you set, and add one more: the evening before, confirm the IDs, the room and the time zone of your appointment.

Questions readers ask

What ID do I need?

Two IDs at a test centre (two primary, or one primary and one secondary) and one primary ID online. A primary ID must be original, unexpired and government-issued.

What happens if I am late for an online exam?

If you are more than 15 minutes late, or your computer fails the system test, the exam cannot be launched and the fee is lost.

When do I get my result?

Within five business days, in your AWS Certification Account, where you can download a score report by domain.

Sources

This article is independent and is not endorsed by AWS. Facts change: confirm them on the official page before you act.