The short version
You pay a fee every time you sit an exam, and the fee depends on the vendor, the exam level, and your country. Retakes cost the full price again at the vendors we checked. Renewal works very differently by vendor, from free to a paid fee or another exam. Plan for the exam fee, your study materials, practice exams, and a retake buffer.
Fees change and differ by country; check the vendor’s page. Every price on this page is as of October 2026, read from the vendor’s own site.
How exam fees work
A fee per attempt. Each sitting is a separate purchase. If you fail, you pay again. If you pass, you pay nothing more for that exam, though some certifications need renewal later.
Pricing by level. Vendors usually price by exam level. Entry-level exams cost less than associate exams, and professional or expert exams cost more. Some advanced exams have more than one part, so the total for a certification can be several fees.
Regional pricing. Prices are set per country or currency. Microsoft says its prices follow currency values in specific countries and regions. AWS lists local prices in some currencies. A price you saw in a forum post may be wrong for where you live.
Taxes. VAT, GST, or sales tax may be added at checkout. Microsoft says additional taxes may apply in some countries. AWS says taxes such as VAT may apply. Cisco lists its US-dollar prices without tax. Look at the final checkout total, not the list price.
Vouchers. A voucher is a prepaid code that you redeem at booking. They come from the vendor, an employer, a training program, or a promotion. Read the terms: vouchers can expire, and AWS says its vouchers are single-use and work with Pearson VUE unless stated otherwise. A 50% voucher gives half off at purchase, and a 100% voucher covers the full price. Cisco customers and learning partners can buy vouchers with Cisco Learning Credits.
Rescheduling and no-shows. Money can be lost if you miss the notice window. Microsoft and AWS both say to reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment, or the fee is forfeited. Microsoft does not refund exams you fail or appointments you miss. See the exam day guide for the practical side.
Example fees
Fees change and differ by country; check the vendor’s page. The figures below are US-dollar amounts as of October 2026, and are examples of how pricing is laid out.
| Vendor | What the vendor’s page shows |
|---|---|
| Microsoft | As of October 2026, associate and expert exams typically cost US$165, adjusted by country. Each exam’s page shows its own price. Microsoft Office Specialist pricing is handled by Certiport. |
| AWS | As of October 2026: foundational and business exams US$100, associate US$150, professional and specialty US$300. Taxes may apply and local-currency prices exist. |
| Cisco | As of October 2026, examples in US dollars without tax: entry-level CCST US$125, CCNA US$300, CCNP core US$400. Pearson VUE lists other countries and currencies. |
| CompTIA | CompTIA sets the price per exam and country. Open the exam’s page in the CompTIA store and select your country to see the current fee. |
How to find the current fee for any exam:
- Microsoft: open the exam’s page on Microsoft Learn and look at the price in the schedule section.
- AWS: use the pricing information in AWS Certification’s exam policies, then check the total at checkout in your AWS Certification account.
- Cisco: use the pricing table in the Cisco certification FAQ, then compare it with Pearson VUE’s price list for your country.
- CompTIA: open the exam’s page on the CompTIA store and select your country before reading the price.
Discounts and student programs
- Microsoft academic pricing is available in most countries, except India and China according to Microsoft’s page. You mark yourself as a student in your Learn profile and verify your academic status. Verification expires after 12 months. If you pay before you are verified, you pay full price and Microsoft does not refund the difference.
- AWS 50% voucher. AWS says many exams can be taken with a 50% discount voucher available in your AWS Certification account. Check what is currently offered to you.
- Employer and training programs. Employers, schools, and training partners often provide vouchers. Ask before you pay yourself.
- Free retakes or bundles. Vendors and providers run these now and then. Treat them as time-limited and check the dates. Do not plan your budget around one.
Retakes: cost and waiting periods
None of the vendors below gives a free retake as a standing right. The waiting periods differ.
| Vendor | Waiting period after a failed attempt | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft (role-based, specialty, fundamentals) | 24 hours before the second attempt, then 14 days between later attempts, up to 5 attempts in 12 months | You pay again, if a fee applies |
| CompTIA | None between the first and second attempt, then 14 calendar days before a third or later attempt | Full price every time, no retake discounts |
| AWS | 14 calendar days, no limit on attempts | Full price every time |
| Cisco | 5 calendar days for most exams, 15 calendar days for CCIE and CCDE written exams | Check the current fee on the exam’s page |
Some related rules matter if you have passed:
- Microsoft: you cannot retake an exam you have passed unless the certification has expired.
- CompTIA: after you pass, you cannot retake the same exam code without CompTIA’s approval, and you wait for a new exam series.
- AWS: after you pass, you cannot retake that exam for two years.
If a failed attempt was caused by an internet or equipment failure with a Pearson VUE case, Microsoft may waive the waiting period. The case number is required, so write it down.
Renewal: keeping a certification current
Renewal is where vendors differ most. Always check the page for your own certification, because rules vary by level.
Microsoft role-based certifications. Associate, expert, and specialty certifications last one year at a time. Renewal is free, online, and unproctored. The assessment is open book and shorter than the original exam. You can take it during a six-month window before expiry, and a pass extends the certification by one year from the expiry date. You can retake the assessment as often as needed before the certification expires. Fundamentals certifications do not expire.
CompTIA. Most certifications run on a three-year cycle. You renew through the Continuing Education program by earning continuing education units (CEUs) and paying a CE fee, or by passing the latest exam version, earning a higher-level certification, or completing the CertMaster CE option. As of October 2026, CompTIA’s CE fee page lists US$75 for A+ and Data+, and US$150 for most others, including Security+ and Network+, for the whole three-year cycle. CompTIA’s CE page lists the CEUs required per cycle: 50 for Security+, 30 for Network+, and 20 for A+. CompTIA offers a 30-day grace period after expiry to pay fees or submit CEUs, but it does not give extra time to earn more CEUs.
AWS. Most AWS certifications are valid for three years. You renew by passing the latest version of the exam, or in some cases a higher-level exam. AWS lists “renewing” as adding three years and “maintaining” as adding one year through AWS Skill Builder, which needs an active Skill Builder subscription. For Cloud Practitioner, the free AWS Cloud Quest: Recertify Cloud Practitioner game is available when your certification expires within six months, and passing any Associate or Professional exam also renews it. You need an active certification to renew.
Cisco. Most certifications last three years. You can recertify by passing an exam or by earning continuing education (CE) credits: 15 for Practitioner, 30 for Associate, 40 for Specialist, 80 for Professional, and 120 for CCIE and CCDE. CCST certifications earned after July 15, 2025 are valid for five years, and CE credits do not apply to them. Cisco says it does not extend expiration dates, and an expired certification means going through the exam process again.
Renewal fees are the cost people forget. A free Microsoft renewal and a paid CompTIA cycle have very different long-term costs, so add the renewal to your plan before you choose a path.
Budgeting for a certification
Think of the cost as four buckets:
- The exam fee. Look up the current fee for your country, including tax.
- Study materials. The vendor’s free learning paths are a solid base. Books, video courses, and labs are optional additions. Some labs may cost cloud credits.
- Practice exams. A few timed practice exams show whether you are ready before you pay for the real attempt. They measure readiness. They do not replace the vendor’s learning material, and our questions are original, written by us.
- A retake buffer. Set aside the cost of a second attempt, or at least think about what you would do if you needed one. Few people plan to fail, but a buffer turns a failed attempt into an inconvenience instead of a crisis.
Smart ways to lower the total:
- Ask your employer or school for a voucher or reimbursement before you buy.
- Check student pricing if you qualify.
- Book the exam only when you are consistently scoring above your target on timed practice, not just when you feel motivated.
- Schedule with enough notice that you can reschedule without losing the fee.
- Prefer the vendor’s free practice assessments where they exist, in addition to your own practice sets.
Then add the renewal: how often, how much, and how much time.
Next step
Read how to study for IT certification exams to turn your budget into a study plan, and the exam day guide so you do not lose a fee to a missed check-in. When you pick an exam, browse the practice exams.
FAQ
Is the exam fee the same everywhere?
No. Vendors set prices by country and currency, and taxes may be added. Always read the price at checkout.
Can I get a refund if I fail?
At Microsoft, no. Failed attempts and missed appointments are not refunded. Treat the fee as spent once you sit the exam, and cancel in time if you need to move it.
Do I have to pay to renew?
It depends on the vendor. Microsoft’s annual renewal assessment is free. CompTIA charges a CE fee over the cycle, AWS usually means passing an exam again, and Cisco allows CE credits or an exam.
How long should I wait before retaking?
That is set by the vendor, from none to 14 days or more. See the table above, and then spend the time on the weak areas in your score report.