The short version
AZ-802 gives you 120 minutes and needs a score of 700 or higher on a scale of 1 to 1,000. It is proctored and scheduled through Pearson VUE, currently in English only. Microsoft does not publish the number of questions for this exam; its general guidance is that most exams have 40 to 60. Everything below comes from Microsoft Learn pages read on October 18, 2026, so recheck the exam page before you book.
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Exam | AZ-802: Administering Windows Server |
| Time | 120 minutes (credential page) |
| Passing score | 700 on a 1 to 1,000 scale |
| Delivery | Proctored, scheduled through Pearson VUE |
| Language | English |
| Questions | Not published for AZ-802 |
| Learn access during the exam | Yes, on role-based exams (see below) |
| First retake | 24 hours after the first attempt |
Time and number of questions
The credential page for the Windows Server Administrator Associate states that you have 120 minutes. Microsoft’s general exam-experience page lists two lengths for associate and expert exams: 100 minutes for exams without labs and 120 minutes for exams that may contain labs. Microsoft does not say which exams include labs, because labs can be removed at any time, for example during an outage. Your booking shows the exact time, and the instruction screens at the start tell you what to expect.
That same page gives a seat time, which is the time you should set aside, including instructions, the candidate agreement, and optional comments. For exams that may contain labs it is 140 minutes.
On question count, Microsoft says the number changes as exams are updated and that most exams contain between 40 and 60 questions. Treat that as a rough range, not a promise for AZ-802.
How scoring works
- Scores run from 1 to 1,000, and 700 or more passes.
- The score is scaled. It is not 70% of the points, and you cannot turn it into a percentage of correct answers.
- On multi-part questions you usually earn one point for each correct part, so partial credit is possible.
- There is no penalty for guessing. A wrong answer simply earns nothing, so answer every question.
- Some questions may be unscored items that Microsoft uses to test new material. You will not know which ones.
The score report arrives within minutes for most exams, and it shows your overall score, pass or fail, and a bar chart per skill area. It does not show which questions you missed, and the bars cannot be added up into a percentage.
Question types
Microsoft does not announce which question types a specific exam uses. It does list the kinds you may meet on role-based exams: multiple choice, drag and drop, hot area, build list, active screen, case studies, and labs. The credential page adds that you may have interactive components to complete. The best preparation is Microsoft’s free exam sandbox, linked from the exam page, which lets you click through each format. Our exam question types guide explains how to approach them.
Microsoft Learn during the exam
On associate and expert exams you can open Microsoft Learn in a split screen. You can browse the learn.microsoft.com domain, except Q&A, practice assessments and your profile. No extra time is added and the clock keeps running while you read. Microsoft says the feature is meant for the odd question where you need to look something up, and that using it for every question will leave you without enough time.
For an administration exam this helps with exact parameter names, but it will not teach you the topic in the middle of the test. Practice finding things quickly if you plan to rely on it.
Breaks
Unscheduled breaks are allowed without a prior request. Five minutes are built into the exam time, but you can take longer, and the exam clock keeps running during any break. Once you start a break, you cannot go back to the questions you saw before it, so answer or mark everything first. You also cannot take a break in the middle of a lab or inside a problem-and-solution question set.
Delivery and booking
Microsoft sends you to Pearson VUE to schedule. It recommends registering with a personal Microsoft account, not a work or school account, because exam records tied to an organizational account can be lost when you leave that organization. The exam price depends on the country where you take the exam, so check the booking page for yours. If you need accommodations such as extra time or assistive devices, Microsoft asks you to request them before you register. For the day itself, see our exam day guide.
Retakes
- If you fail, you must wait 24 hours before the next attempt.
- After that, a 14-day wait applies between each further attempt, up to five attempts.
- You may not take the same exam more than five times in 12 months from the first attempt.
- You cannot retake an exam you have passed unless your certification has expired.
A waiver of the waiting time exists only for internet or equipment failures that produced a Pearson VUE case.
Renewal
Microsoft states that associate certifications expire unless renewed. Renewal is free: you pass an unproctored, open-book online assessment on Microsoft Learn during a six-month window before the expiry date, and your certification is extended by one year. Assessments focus on recent changes, so they are shorter than the exam.
More guides for AZ-802
- AZ-802 Sample Questions With Answers
- Is AZ-802 Hard? An Honest Difficulty Check
- AZ-802 Prerequisites: What to Know First
- AZ-802 Renewal and Retakes Explained
- Is AZ-802 Worth It? An Honest Look
- AZ-802 Cheat Sheet: Key Facts to Review
- AZ-104 vs AZ-802: Which First?
Next step
If you want the list of topics behind this format, read domains explained, then plan your weeks with the study plan. When you are ready to practice under time pressure, our AZ-802 practice tests are original sets you can take at your own pace. Microsoft’s own AZ-802 exam page is the final word on the details.
Frequently asked questions
Is 700 the same as 70% correct?
No. The score is scaled, and Microsoft says it may not equal 70% of the points. Questions differ in difficulty and in the number of points, so a percentage cannot be calculated from your answers.
Can I mark a question and come back to it?
Microsoft’s sample screens include a mark-for-review feature and a review screen. Breaks and some question sets limit what you can return to, so test the navigation in the exam sandbox before exam day.
How soon do I get my result?
Microsoft says most exams show results within minutes, and exams with labs take about 30 minutes to score. The score also appears in your Learn profile within 24 hours.