AIF-C01 Exam Format, Scoring and Retakes

The short version

AIF-C01 has 65 questions and gives you 90 minutes. You pass with a scaled score of 700 on a scale of 100 to 1,000. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or online with a proctor. If you fail, you wait 14 calendar days before trying again.

Time and number of questions

The exam has 65 questions in total. Of these, 50 are scored and 15 are unscored. AWS uses the unscored ones to test new questions for future exams, and it does not mark which ones they are. Treat every question as if it counts.

You get 90 minutes for the whole set. That is a little under 1 minute 25 seconds per question if you spend your time evenly. Some questions are short definitions, and some are scenarios of several lines, so you will bank time on the easy ones.

Question types

AWS says the exam uses one or more of four types:

  • Multiple choice: one correct answer and three wrong ones.
  • Multiple response: two or more correct answers among five or more options. You must select all of the correct ones to get credit.
  • Ordering: a list of three to five steps that you must select and put in the right order.
  • Matching: a list of responses that you pair with three to seven prompts. Every pair must be right for credit.

The multiple response, ordering, and matching types are all-or-nothing. Read the instruction line carefully. For more on how these formats work in general, see our exam question types page.

Passing score and how scoring works

Results are reported as a scaled score from 100 to 1,000, and 700 is the minimum to pass. A scaled score is not a percentage. AWS uses scaling so that different versions of the exam, which can differ slightly in difficulty, are comparable. You cannot convert your score to “70%”.

Other scoring facts from the exam guide:

  • Unanswered questions count as wrong, and there is no penalty for guessing. Answer everything.
  • Scoring is compensatory. You do not need to pass each domain on its own, only the exam as a whole.
  • Domains carry different weights, so some have more questions than others. See domains explained.
  • Your score report may include a table that rates your performance by section. AWS advises caution when you read it, because each section has few questions.

Delivery and languages

AWS exams are offered through Pearson VUE. You choose a test center or an online proctored exam. For online exams you must be able to talk to the proctor, and AWS lists English availability as all day and night; some other languages have set hours. Online candidates may not stand up or leave the camera’s view, and AWS does not schedule breaks. At a test center you can take an unscheduled break, but the clock keeps running.

AWS lists twelve languages for this exam: Arabic, English, French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Latin America), Spanish (Spain), Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese. The certification page also says the exam in Italian and German is retired after October 15, 2026, so check the language list when you book. If English is not your first language, AWS offers a 30-minute extension on request. You ask for it once, before you register, in your AWS Certification account.

For ID rules and what to expect on the day, read our exam day guide.

Review tools during the exam

The exam software lets you move forward and back, and you can flag a question for later. After the last question, a review screen lets you open all, unanswered, or flagged questions. Leaving comments uses exam time, so AWS suggests flagging a question and commenting after you finish.

Results

AWS says results are posted to your AWS Certification account within five business days after the exam closes. Some results take longer if they need a security or technical review. You can then download a PDF score report from the Exam History tab.

Retakes and validity

  • If you fail, you wait 14 calendar days before you retake the exam. AWS states there is no limit on the number of attempts.
  • If you pass, you cannot take the same exam again for two years, unless a new version with a new series code is released.
  • The certification is valid for three years. To renew, pass the latest version of AIF-C01, or pass the Machine Learning Engineer – Associate or Generative AI Developer – Professional exam, as AWS lists on its recertification page.

AWS also notes that exam guide updates are published about one month before they apply to the exam. The current exam guide is version 1.2, published October 29, 2026. Compared with version 1.1 (April 30, 2026), the format and scoring are unchanged; the revision history lists only a change to the out-of-scope services list. The AWS exam guide has the change history.

More guides for AIF-C01

Next step

Plan your weeks with the study plan. When you want timed practice in the same shape, our AIF-C01 practice tests give you five original sets of 65 questions.

Frequently asked questions

Can I skip questions and come back?

Yes. You can move back and forth and flag questions for review. Before you submit, use the review screen to find unanswered ones.

Is there a penalty for a wrong answer?

No. AWS states there is no penalty for guessing, and unanswered questions count as incorrect, so always pick an answer.

How much does the exam cost?

Fees depend on country and change, so this guide does not list them. See certification costs for how to find the current figure.

Try these practice exams