About the AWS Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) Exam

Quick Answer: The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) exam has 65 questions, a 90-minute time limit, and requires 700/1000 to pass. It covers Cloud Concepts (24%), Security and Compliance (30%), Cloud Technology and Services (34%), and Billing, Pricing, and Support (12%). The exam costs $100 USD with no prerequisites.

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner is the foundational-level certification in the AWS certification path. It validates your overall understanding of the AWS Cloud, regardless of your specific technical role. The current version of the exam is CLF-C02, which replaced the original CLF-C01 in September 2023 with updated content and an expanded focus on security and modern cloud services.

Exam Format at a Glance

Domain Breakdown

On the Exam: Security and Compliance (30%) and Cloud Technology and Services (34%) together make up nearly two-thirds of the exam. Prioritize these domains in your study plan.

Question Types Explained

Multiple-Choice (Single Select)

You are presented with a question and four answer options (A, B, C, D). One answer is correct. These make up the majority of questions.

Multiple-Response (Multi-Select)

You are given a question with five or more options and asked to select two or more correct answers. The question will specify how many to select (e.g., "Select TWO").

Tip: On multi-select questions, partial credit is NOT given. You must select all correct answers and no incorrect answers to receive credit.

Unscored Questions

Of the 65 questions, 15 are unscored experimental questions that AWS uses to evaluate for future exams. You will not know which questions are unscored, so treat every question as if it counts. This also means you only need to answer 35 out of 50 scored questions correctly (assuming 700 is roughly 70%).

Who Should Take This Exam?

The CLF-C02 is ideal for:

• Cloud beginners starting their AWS certification journey
• Business professionals (managers, sales, procurement) who work with technical teams
• IT professionals transitioning to cloud computing
• Students pursuing cloud career paths
• Anyone who wants to validate foundational AWS knowledge before pursuing Associate-level certifications

Prerequisites

AWS states there are no formal prerequisites for the Cloud Practitioner exam. However, they recommend:

• 6 months of exposure to the AWS Cloud
• A basic understanding of IT services and their uses in the AWS Cloud platform
• Knowledge of core AWS services, use cases, billing, pricing models, security concepts, and how the cloud impacts business

How to Register

1. Create an account at aws.training
2. Navigate to AWS Certification and select Schedule an Exam
3. Choose CLF-C02: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner
4. Select Pearson VUE as your test delivery provider
5. Pick a test center or choose online proctoring
6. Select your preferred date and time
7. Pay $100 USD

What to Bring on Exam Day

At a test center:

• Two forms of valid identification (one must be government-issued photo ID)
• Nothing else is permitted in the testing room

For online proctoring:

• Government-issued photo ID
• A quiet, private room with a clear desk
• A webcam and reliable internet connection
• No secondary monitors, phones, or reference materials

Scoring

The exam uses a scaled scoring model ranging from 100 to 1,000. The passing score is 700. AWS does not publish the exact number of questions you need to answer correctly because the difficulty of questions can vary between exam versions. As a rough guideline, aim for approximately 70% or higher accuracy.

After completing the exam, you receive a pass/fail notification immediately. Your detailed score report (showing domain-level performance) is available within 5 business days in your AWS Certification account.