AZ-900 cost, booking and exam day: fees by country, your Learn profile and the retake rules

A candidate books AZ-900 with his work account. Two years later he changes jobs, the account is closed and his certification record goes with it. Microsoft warns that such records cannot be recovered. The account you book with matters more than the date.

What does it cost?

Microsoft sets exam prices by the country or region where the exam is taken, so the book does not print a fee. The price shown when you schedule is the one that applies. Check it on Microsoft Learn's exam pricing page for your country before you plan.

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

Which budget fits you?

Keep a reserve for a possible second attempt in every budget. Ahmad, in the book, chose the economy budget. He used the free Learn path, the practice assessment and the sandbox, and paid only the exam fee. His employer, a Microsoft partner, refunded it after he passed.

To save money, ask your employer to pay the fee, especially if it is a Microsoft partner. Use the free official material before you buy anything. Microsoft has at times offered free or discounted exam vouchers through its training events and student programmes, so check the current offers. Students may also find discounted exams through Certiport and their school. Read the terms of any voucher, including its expiry date and which exams it covers.

What do you need before you book?

AZ-900 has no prerequisites, so anyone can book it. You book through your Microsoft Learn profile, and two details matter.

Use a personal Microsoft account. Microsoft strongly recommends a personal account rather than a work or school account. If you leave that organisation, records held under its account are lost and cannot be recovered.

Match your legal name. Your profile must hold your legal name exactly as it appears on your identity document. If the names do not match, you will not be able to sit the exam.

Pearson VUE checks your identity before every exam, at a test centre or online. Bring a current, government-issued photo ID with your name exactly as on your Learn profile. Pearson VUE sets the detailed rules by country, so check its identification rules for your country when you book.

Language and extra time. The exam is offered in 13 languages, including English, Arabic, French, German, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. If the exam is not offered in your preferred language, the study guide states that you can request an additional 30 minutes. Candidates with a documented disability can request accommodations. Request these before you schedule, because processing can take up to 20 days.

How do you book, step by step?

1. Sign in to Microsoft Learn with your personal Microsoft account and check your legal name.
2. Request extra time or any accommodation first, if you need one.
3. Open the Azure Fundamentals page and choose to schedule with Pearson VUE.
4. Choose your language, a test centre or online delivery, and a date that fits the end of your plan.
5. Pay, or apply a voucher, then save the confirmation and set reminders.

You can book no more than 90 days ahead, and you can hold at most two Microsoft exam appointments through Pearson VUE at a time. Students taking the exam through their school may book through Certiport instead.

What are the rescheduling and retake rules?

Reschedule or cancel through your Learn profile at least 24 hours before your appointment. With less notice, the fee is forfeited, and so is a voucher if you used one.

If you fail, you can retake the exam after 24 hours. After that, you must wait 14 days between attempts, and you may take the same exam no more than five times in 12 months. You pay for each attempt. Once you pass, you cannot retake the exam while your certification is valid.

What happens on exam day?

• At a centre: Bring your ID. Arrive early, because centres check identity and photograph you. Leave everything else in the locker.
• Online: Before you register, run Pearson VUE's system pre-check on the computer you will use, and run the system test again on the day. Clear your desk and close every other application. You start the exam from your Learn profile. The exam clock keeps running during any break, and after a break you cannot return to the questions you saw before it.

Jamal, 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 started early from his Learn profile, and the exam began on time.

When do results arrive?

For most exams, Microsoft shows your result within minutes of finishing. Your score report shows your overall score, pass or fail and a bar chart of your performance in each skill area. Results reach your Learn profile within 24 hours, and Microsoft issues a digital badge you can share.

Who do you contact?

Microsoft's credentials support handles your Learn profile, transcript, badges, exam policies and challenges to exam questions. Pearson VUE handles the appointment itself: scheduling, the test centre, online check-in, accommodation requests and technical problems during the exam. Azure support plans cover Azure subscriptions, not certification. If your online session fails, contact Pearson VUE the same day and keep the case number. Khalid, in the book, did exactly that, and his retake wait was waived so that he sat the exam again that week.