The AWS Cloud Practitioner exam (CLF-C02) costs 100 USD, and that is the only cost line on the AWS exam page. The exam is 90 minutes of 65 multiple choice or multiple response questions, taken at a Pearson VUE test center or online proctored. Pass it, and the rest of the budget shrinks. AWS gives you a 50% discount on other AWS Certification exams once you hold one, and the recertification every 3 years has a free route.
One fee per attempt, listed in your currency
CLF-C02 is the Foundational-level exam, and the AWS exam pricing table lists each level's price in USD and in the local currencies AWS publishes:
| Level | USD | EUR | AUD | JPY | KRW | CNY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundational (CLF-C02) | $100 | €85 | A$150 | ¥15,000 | ₩131,525 | ¥704 |
| Associate | $150 | €128 | A$224 | ¥20,000 | ₩197,287 | ¥1,057 |
| Professional | $300 | €256 | A$449 | ¥40,000 | ₩394,575 | ¥2,113 |
| Specialty | $300 | €256 | A$449 | ¥40,000 | ₩394,575 | ¥2,113 |
The Associate row is the number you need for the discount math in the next section. Three notes on the table change what you pay. Applicable taxes may apply. Prices are valid for one exam attempt. AWS updates local-currency prices at least annually in May to reflect foreign exchange rates, and it can update the rates more often with at least 30 days' notice. Indian rupee is accepted on the Pearson Mindhub voucher store only, so a rupee payment happens through a voucher.
The AWS Certification FAQs set the fee rules around the attempt. If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days before you can retake, and each attempt costs the full registration fee. There is no limit on how many times you can attempt the exam. You can cancel or reschedule up to 24 hours before your appointment without fees. Miss the appointment and the fee is forfeited, with a medical exception noted in the FAQ, and you cannot register again until 24 hours after the missed time. An exam can be rescheduled twice, and exam vouchers exist to cover the fee at scheduling time when someone buys one.
The exam page lists a single cost line, and the cost FAQ describes the exam fee as what the exam costs, with taxes as the add-on. So the budget for sitting the exam is one fee per attempt, and the local-currency price is a published number worth checking before you schedule.
Passing halves the price of the next exam
Once you earn one AWS Certification, you get a 50% discount on other AWS Certification exams, and you access the discount from your AWS Certification Account (exam page). The AWS Certification hub calls it the 50% discount voucher for a future exam.
At today's prices the voucher is worth 75 USD on an Associate-level exam. The AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate (SAA-C03) exam, which the CLF exam page lists first among the certifications other cloud professionals take next, costs 150 USD (SAA-C03 exam page). With the voucher it costs 75 USD. On the CLF-C02 to SAA-C03 path, the two exams together cost 175 USD instead of 250 USD, so the 100 USD first exam earns the 75 USD discount.
The Before Testing policy sets the mechanics. A 50% voucher is honored at 50% off the exam price at the time of exam purchase, so the discount tracks the price in effect when you buy.
Recertification has a free route
The certification is valid for 3 years (exam page), and the FAQ says you are required to recertify every 3 years. The recertification page lists four options for the Cloud Practitioner, and each one extends your validity by 3 years:
- Complete the AWS Cloud Quest: Recertify Cloud Practitioner game-based training. No exam or prep required. The cost row for this option is free.
- Pass the latest version of the CLF-C02 exam.
- Pass any Associate-level exam.
- Pass any Professional-level exam.
The three exam options say they can be taken using the 50% discount voucher in your AWS Certification Account.
There is also a maintain option. It extends your certification by 1 year through AWS Skill Builder, and it requires an active certification within 90 days of expiration plus an active Skill Builder subscription (Monthly, Annual, or Team).
If you are not advancing, the free game-based route is the default renewal. It keeps the CLF alive for another 3 years at $0. If you are advancing, the exam that earns your next certification also recertifies the CLF at the discounted price.
The prep side of the budget can be free
AWS's own prep materials start on the exam page. Its four-step Exam Prep Plan on AWS Skill Builder includes the AWS Certification Official Practice Question Set and the Official Pretest, which the page points to for identifying the areas you need to refresh (exam page).
For a complete prep path that costs nothing, CramHQ's CLF-C02 path is free. The free CLF-C02 assessment returns a Readiness Report with your top gaps, and no card is required. The full CLF-C02 course is free as well, and it includes original practice questions with hints and explanations, flashcards, 5 practice tests, the Final Timed Simulation, and targeted Pass Plan repairs.
What to budget and when to book
Budget 100 USD for the exam attempt, in your currency from the table above, with applicable taxes where they apply. Keep the 14-day retake window in mind if the first attempt does not go well. Take the free CLF-C02 assessment before you book. It returns a Readiness Report with your top gaps, and as a CramHQ rule of thumb, book the exam when a timed practice set holds up and the report shows no large gaps. If it does, the fixes are free, so close them before the 100 USD goes to an exam you are not ready for.