AWS Recertification

Maintain your certification. Get recertified.

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AWS Certifications are valid for three years. To maintain your AWS Certified status, we require you to periodically demonstrate your continued expertise through a process called recertification. Recertification helps strengthen the overall value of your AWS Certification and shows individuals and employers that your credential covers the latest AWS knowledge, skills, and best practices.

Do you have questions related to temporary testing center closures? Check out our FAQ page.

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How to Get Recertified

Recertification for the Foundational-level certification

Take the Cloud Practitioner exam
You can retake the current AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam to recertify. You can use your 50% discount voucher from the Benefits section of your AWS Certification account to recertify or apply it to any future certification exam you wish to pursue.

Earn an Associate-level or Professional-level certification
You can also satisfy the recertification requirement by passing any Associate-level or Professional-level certification.

 

 

Recertification for the Associate-level certification

Take the Associate exam
You can take the Associate-level exam for the certification you already have. For example, if you are an AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, you can retake the current AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate exam to recertify. You can use your 50% discount voucher from the Benefits section of your AWS Certification account to recertify or apply it to any future certification exam you wish to pursue.

Earn a Professional-level certification
You can also satisfy the recertification requirement by passing either the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional exam for the Architect path or AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional exam for the Developer or Operations path. For example, if you pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam, this will satisfy your AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate recertification requirement.

Recertification for the Professional-level certification

Take the Current Professional-level exam
You can take the current Professional-level exam for the certification you already have. For example, if you are an AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional, you can retake the current AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam to recertify. You can use your 50% voucher from the Benefits section of your AWS Certification account to recertify or apply it to any future certification exam you wish to pursue.

Recertification for the Specialty certification

Take the Current Specialty exam
You can take the current Specialty exam for the certification you already have. For example, if you are an AWS Certified Security – Specialist, you can retake the current AWS Certified Security – Specialty exam to recertify. You can use your 50% discount voucher from the Benefits section of your AWS Certification account to recertify or apply it to any future certification exam you wish to pursue. 

AWS Certification Recertification FAQs

  • You will be required to update your certification (or recertify) every three years.

  • We encourage you to pursue the AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty certification. The AWS Certified Data Analytics - Specialty exam replaces the AWS Certified Big Data - Specialty exam. The term “data analytics” more closely aligns with language we hear from our customers and our AWS offerings, so we have changed the name of the certification in response. The certification validates, and will continue to validate, expertise working with AWS services to design, build, secure, and maintain analytics solutions. All associated benefits will be valid for the full three-year certification cycle.

  • The AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder - Specialty exam retired on March 23, 2021. Any AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder - Specialty certifications earned prior to March 23, 2021 will remain active for the standard three years from the date of issuance. All associated benefits, including digital badges, will also remain active while the certification is active. We are no longer issuing new AWS Certified Alexa Skill Builder - Specialty certifications or recertifications. Explore available AWS Certifications.

  • You can renew your certification by using your 50% off voucher code to take the current, full exam at 50% off.

  • We removed prerequisites to give candidates more flexibility. Candidates are no longer required to have an Associate-level certification before pursuing Professional-level certification, and they are no longer required to have Foundational or Associate certification before pursuing Specialty certification. We still encourage exam candidates pursue our recommended learning paths as they advance and validate their skills.

Prepare to Get AWS Certified with Online Training

Preparing for your next AWS Certification? Join one of our free, live webinars led by AWS-accredited instructors. These webinars explore main exam topics and identify specific areas to study. You can also register for free Exam Readiness digital courses you can take anytime, anywhere.

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