1.1 AZ-305 Current Exam Facts & Format

AZ-305 Current Exam Facts & Format

Quick Answer: Exam AZ-305 (Designing Microsoft Azure Infrastructure Solutions) requires a scaled score of 700 out of 1000, includes roughly 40-60 questions in mixed formats, and gives you 120 minutes to finish. It costs US$165 in the United States (pricing varies by country/region), is delivered through Pearson VUE at a test center or by online proctor, and is one of the two required exams for the Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert credential (the other being AZ-104).

Why the Logistics Matter Before You Study Content

AZ-305 is a scenario-driven design exam — you are graded on whether you pick the right Azure service for a stated business and technical constraint, not on whether you can recite a service's feature list. Because the exam uses a scaled scoring system rather than a raw percentage, and because some question formats (especially case studies) do not let you go back once you move past them, misunderstanding the format costs you points before you have read a single question about identity or networking. Budgeting your 120 minutes correctly, and knowing exactly what triggers a retake wait, both directly affect whether you leave with a passing scaled score of 700 or higher.

Core Exam Facts at a Glance

Microsoft revises this exam's skills-measured outline periodically. As of this writing, the English-language version was refreshed on April 17, 2026, so if you find an older study resource dated before that, treat its domain list as historical rather than current.

How Scaled Scoring Actually Works

Microsoft does not publish "you need X correct answers out of Y" because AZ-305 uses scaled scoring: your raw performance is converted onto a common 1-1000 scale so that different exam forms, which draw slightly different questions of slightly different difficulty, stay comparable. A 700 is the passing threshold no matter which specific set of questions you draw. Two practical consequences follow. First, not every question is worth the same amount toward your final score — some are unscored pilot items Microsoft is field-testing for future exams, and you cannot tell which ones those are, so treat every question as if it counts. Second, do not use "I think I got about 70% right" as a reliable pass/fail signal; the scaled conversion means raw percentage correct and final scaled score are two different numbers, and a candidate can miss more questions on a harder form and still clear 700.

Question Formats You Will Encounter

AZ-305, like most Microsoft role-based exams, mixes several item types instead of using pure multiple choice throughout:

• Single-answer multiple choice — pick the one best design recommendation.
• Multiple-response ("select all that apply") — pick every option that correctly satisfies a requirement, common when several Azure services are each partially correct.
• Drag-and-drop / build-list — sequence deployment steps, or match a service to a stated requirement.
• Case studies — an extended scenario (company background, existing environment, business and technical requirements) followed by several related questions. Case studies are frequently locked once you leave them, meaning you cannot return to change an earlier answer after moving to the next section, so read the full scenario carefully before answering any of its questions.
• Mark for review — most standard questions outside a locked case study can be flagged and revisited before final submission.

Retake Policy and Certification Validity

If you do not pass on your first attempt, Microsoft's standard retake policy applies to AZ-305 exactly as it does to its other role-based exams:

You are capped at five attempts within a rolling 12-month period, measured from your first sitting. Once you pass, the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification (assuming you also hold AZ-104) is valid for one year, and Microsoft lets you renew it for free by passing a short online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn before it expires — there is no need to sit the full proctored exam again every year just to stay current.

A Realistic Exam-Day Scenario

Picture a candidate who schedules an online-proctored sitting from a home office. Before the exam starts, a system check confirms webcam, microphone, and a clear desk; the proctor requires a government-issued photo ID and a 360-degree scan of the room. Once the exam begins, the candidate reaches a six-question case study about a healthcare company migrating an on-premises SQL Server estate to Azure. They read the entire background — the current architecture, compliance constraints, and budget limits — before answering any of the six questions, because once they click through to the next section those answers lock. With roughly 120 minutes for around 55 total questions, that is about 2.2 minutes per question on average, but case studies consume more time up front for reading and less per individual question afterward, so budgeting evenly across the whole clock rather than question-by-question is the safer strategy.

Key Takeaways

• AZ-305 requires a scaled score of 700/1000, not a fixed raw percentage.
• The exam typically has 40-60 questions across 120 minutes and costs US$165 in the United States.
• Case study questions often lock once you leave them — read the full scenario before answering any of its questions.
• Retake waits are 24 hours after a first fail, then 14 days after each subsequent fail, capped at 5 attempts per rolling 12-month period.
• The Expert certification, once earned alongside AZ-104, is valid for 1 year with a free online renewal assessment.