AWS Cloud Practitioner cost, booking and exam day: US$100, the ID rules and what happens after

A candidate books a test centre appointment and arrives with only a passport. Test centres ask for two forms of identification, so he is turned away and loses the fee. Every rule in this guide exists on someone's worst day.

What does it cost?

AWS publishes the fee: US$100 for each attempt at a foundational exam. Tax may be added, and the price in your local currency depends on exchange rates. AWS reviews exam prices at least once a year, so check the price shown when you book.

Candidates often budget for the exam fee only. A subscription, a second attempt and a forgotten practice resource arrive later, and the true cost can double the plan.

Which budget fits you?

The three budgets differ in training, not in the exam fee.

In every budget, keep a reserve for a possible second attempt. Ziad, in the book, chose the economy budget. He used the free official course and question set, practised in a free-plan account with a budget alert and paid only the exam fee. He passed first time and used his 50 per cent voucher for an Associate exam.

To save money, ask your employer to pay the fee, especially if it is an AWS partner or runs on AWS. Use the free official training before you buy anything. After you pass any AWS exam, you receive a 50 per cent discount voucher for your next one. Read the terms of any voucher, including its expiry date, because AWS cannot extend it.

What do you need before you book?

There are no prerequisites, and candidates must be at least 13 years old. Those aged 13 to 17 may sit AWS Certification exams with the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

Identity. At a test centre, you need two IDs: two primary IDs, or one primary and one secondary ID. For an online proctored exam, you need one primary ID. A primary ID must be original, unexpired and issued by a government, with no photocopies or digital IDs. Your name must match the name on your AWS Certification Account. AWS allows name changes up to two business days before your first exam.

Language and extra time. The exam is offered in 12 languages, including Arabic, English, French, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese. If English is not your first language and you sit the exam in English, you can request a 30-minute extension. You request it once, before you register, and it then applies to your future AWS exams. Candidates with a documented disability can request accommodations before scheduling each exam.

How do you book, step by step?

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

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

What are the rescheduling and retake rules?

You can reschedule or cancel up to 24 hours before your appointment, and each appointment can be rescheduled only twice. If you cancel within 24 hours, or miss the appointment, you lose the fee. Documented illness or emergencies may qualify for a waiver.

If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days before you can retake. There is no limit on attempts, but you pay the full fee each time. Once you pass, you cannot sit the same exam again for two years.

What happens on exam day?

• At a centre: Bring your two original IDs. Arrive early, because centres check identity and photograph you. Leave everything else in the locker you are given.
• 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. Close every other application and stay in the camera's view.

Omar, in the book, chose online testing. Two days before, he ran the system test, cleared his desk and unplugged a second monitor. On the day he began check-in 30 minutes early, and the exam started on time.

When do results arrive?

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 showing your performance by domain, and AWS issues a digital badge through Credly.

Who do you contact when something goes wrong?

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. Chapter 10 of CredenTrek For AWS Cloud Practitioner has six message templates.