One search result says you must pass AZ-104 before you can sit AZ-305, and another says you can take them in any order. The contradiction is real, and it comes from the rule being stated at two different levels. At the booking level, the AZ-305 exam page lists no prerequisite. At the credential level, the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification page requires the Azure Administrator Associate certification, which you earn by passing AZ-104, before it issues the expert credential. The decision in front of you is study order, and your current role decides it. If your job is administering Azure, book AZ-104 first. If your job is designing solutions and you have administration experience to show, book AZ-305 now.
What the two Microsoft pages say, exactly
The Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification page (the English version of the certification was updated on April 17, 2026) puts the requirement in one sentence. "To become a Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, you must earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification." It lists one prerequisite certification and one required exam, AZ-305.
The Azure Administrator Associate certification page lists no prerequisite of its own. Its exam is AZ-104, and the "Take the exam" section states, "You will have 100 minutes to complete this assessment." The page's last updated date is 04/17/2026.
The AZ-305 exam page states a passing score of 700 and a retirement date of none, and it does not list any prerequisite exam for booking. It does note that AZ-305 is part of the requirements for the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification.
On order, the most direct statement comes from a marked answer on Microsoft's community forum, answered by a Learn Expert on 2024-06-12: "There is no restriction as to which order you can take exams." The same answer says that passing AZ-305 first without AZ-104 earns no certification, and that passing AZ-104 afterwards earns both the Azure Administrator Associate and the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certifications (forum thread).
Read together, the pages say this. None of the official pages require you to hold AZ-104 before booking AZ-305. What is required sits at the credential level, and holding the Associate certification satisfies it, whichever order you earned the two passes.
What each exam measures, with domain weights
The English versions of both exams were updated on April 17, 2026, and both study guides state their skills as measured as of that date. A score of 700 or greater passes both exams. Both certifications expire annually and renew for free by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn.
AZ-104 measures implementing and operating Azure. Its five domains, from the AZ-104 study guide:
- Manage Azure identities and governance (20-25%)
- Implement and manage storage (15-20%)
- Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20-25%)
- Implement and manage virtual networking (15-20%)
- Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10-15%)
The objectives under those domains start with manage, implement, deploy, and monitor. The audience profile describes someone who implements, manages, and monitors an organization's Azure environment, with experience in PowerShell, the Azure CLI, the Azure portal, ARM templates or Bicep, and Microsoft Entra ID.
AZ-305 measures designing Azure solutions. Its four domains, from the AZ-305 study guide:
- Design identity, governance, and monitoring solutions (25-30%)
- Design data storage solutions (20-25%)
- Design business continuity solutions (15-20%)
- Design infrastructure solutions (30-35%)
The objectives start with design, recommend, and specify. The audience profile asks for advanced experience with IT operations, including networking, virtualization, identity, security, business continuity, disaster recovery, data platforms, and governance. It also lists experience with Azure administration, Azure development, and DevOps processes. Read the first of those against the AZ-104 domains. The architect profile expects you to already administer Azure.
Two format notes. The AZ-104 page lists 100 minutes for the exam, and you can request 30 more if the exam is not available in your preferred language. The AZ-305 page does not state a duration, so confirm it when you book. Exam pricing varies by country or region, and Microsoft's pages tell you to confirm pricing with the exam provider before registering.
The comparison ends in a verdict
| AZ-104 | AZ-305 | |
|---|---|---|
| Credential | Azure Administrator Associate, earned by passing this exam alone | Part of Azure Solutions Architect Expert, which also requires the Azure Administrator Associate certification |
| Prerequisites to book | None listed | None listed |
| What it measures | Implement and operate Azure | Design Azure solutions |
| Domains (as of 2026-04-17) | 5. Identity and governance 20-25%, storage 15-20%, compute 20-25%, networking 15-20%, monitoring 10-15% | 4. Identity, governance and monitoring 25-30%, data storage 20-25%, business continuity 15-20%, infrastructure 30-35% |
| Passing score | 700 | 700 |
| Duration | 100 minutes (certification page last updated 2026-04-17) | Not stated on the exam page |
| Verdict | Book first when you implement or operate Azure day to day | Book first when you design solutions and have administration experience to show |
Book the exam that matches your role
Which exam to book first depends on your current role and how much administration depth you can show. The credential needs both exams either way. The question is which pass to earn now.
If you already administer or operate Azure, book AZ-104 first. Its domains are your day job, and it is the prerequisite for the expert credential either way.
If your role is solution design and you can show administration experience, book AZ-305 now. The design exam should come easier to you, and the credential is still waiting for the AZ-104 result, so the two bookings do not conflict. Microsoft's instructor-led AZ-305 course requires students to have previous experience deploying or administering Azure resources. If that sentence does not describe you, the design exam is ahead of you.
If you are new to Azure, book neither. Both audience profiles assume hands-on Azure experience. The Azure Fundamentals exam (AZ-900) is the natural first step while you build it.
If your role points both ways, test your own readiness before you book. Take the free AZ-104 assessment and the free AZ-305 assessment on CramHQ. Each is free, needs no card, and returns a Readiness Report with your top gaps.
Passing AZ-305 first does not earn the credential
Skipping AZ-104 does not shorten the credential path. If the Azure Solutions Architect Expert credential is the goal, you take both exams either way. Passing AZ-305 first earns the exam score and defers the credential. It is issued after you hold the Azure Administrator Associate certification, so whichever exam you pass second completes it. Passing AZ-104 first completes it as soon as the AZ-305 score lands. If a deadline forces the order, start with AZ-104. Its pass is required in both orders.
Your next step
Compare the two Readiness Reports against the domain weights above. The exam whose top gap you can close first is the one to book.
If you want a full study path, the AZ-104 course and the AZ-305 course cost $34.99 for 12 months of access and include practice tests and the Pass Plan.