The short version
Take DVA-C03 if your daily work is writing and deploying application code on AWS. Take SAP-C03 if you design whole architectures across many accounts and projects, and you have at least two years doing it. Most people should not start with SAP-C03. It is a Professional-level exam, and AWS recommends more experience for it. If you are a developer who is growing into architecture, DVA-C03 first and SAP-C03 later is a sensible order. Both are new versions. The SAP-C03 figures follow the exam guide AWS published on October 27, 2026.
Comparison table
| DVA-C03 | SAP-C03 | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | AWS Certified Developer – Associate | AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional |
| Level | Associate | Professional |
| Audience | Developers building and maintaining applications on AWS | Experienced architects working across multiple applications in complex environments |
| Recommended experience | 1+ year hands-on, one high-level language | 2+ years designing and implementing AWS solutions |
| Time | 130 minutes | 180 minutes |
| Questions | 65 (50 scored, 15 unscored) | 75 (65 scored, 10 unscored) |
| Question types | Multiple choice, multiple response | Multiple choice, multiple response |
| Passing score | 720 of 1,000 | 720 of 1,000 |
| Domains | 4, with weightings 30/26/22/22 | 5, with weightings 25/25/15/15/20 |
| Registration opens | December 1, 2026 per the DVA-C03 exam guide (an AWS blog from September 2026 said October 27) | October 27, 2026 |
| Delivery starts | December 1, 2026 | November 17, 2026 |
| Validity | 3 years | 3 years |
The SAP-C03 weightings, passing score and question counts come from its exam guide, which AWS published on October 27, 2026. Check the guides before you plan.
What each exam covers
DVA-C03 is about the developer’s view: Lambda, API Gateway, DynamoDB, messaging, IAM and KMS, SAM and CI/CD, logs and tracing. It adds AI-assisted development and an AI security task. See the DVA-C03 domains.
SAP-C03 is about the architect’s view. Its five domains are architecture design and implementation built for the cloud, security, compliance and governance, cost-optimized architecture design, resilience, migration and business continuity, and operational excellence and automation. AWS lists new skills in generative and agentic AI, resilience engineering, DevSecOps and observability, data and analytics, and post-quantum cryptography in KMS. See the SAP-C03 overview.
Overlap and differences
Overlap. Both expect you to know IAM, KMS, serverless services, containers, messaging and observability at a working level. Both now include AI topics. Studying for one gives you vocabulary for the other.
Differences.
- Depth versus breadth. DVA-C03 asks how to make one service work correctly in an application. SAP-C03 asks which combination of services meets many requirements at once.
- Who decides. In DVA-C03 you are the developer fixing a problem. In SAP-C03 you advise a company on a design.
- Length. SAP-C03 gives 180 minutes for 75 questions, so each scenario is longer.
- Scope. Multi-account governance, migration and cost design are central to SAP-C03. They are not the focus of DVA-C03.
How to choose
- Developer with under two years on AWS: DVA-C03.
- Developer who already designs systems and has two or more years: consider DVA-C03 as a quick win, then SAP-C03.
- Architect or consultant with five or more years, no certification: SAP-C03 is realistic. Many people still take an Associate-level exam first to learn the style.
- Full-time operations or DevOps: compare with AWS DevOps Engineer – Professional, which also recertifies the Developer – Associate credential.
AWS does not require DVA-C03 before SAP-C03. There is no formal prerequisite for either.
Take both?
Yes, if your role mixes coding and design. The order matters for practical reasons. DVA-C03 builds the service-level detail that SAP-C03 questions assume. A common path is DVA-C03, then months of real design work, then SAP-C03. The DVA-C03 study plan and the SAP-C03 study plan help you size the effort.
Renewal
Both credentials last three years. You renew by passing the latest version of the exam. For Developer – Associate, AWS also lists AWS Skill Builder maintenance and passing DevOps Engineer – Professional. See renewal and retakes. For SAP-C03, AWS’s exam page says to pass the latest version before expiry. AWS says current holders keep their credentials until the original expiration date.
More guides for DVA-C03
- DVA-C03 Exam Format, Scoring and Retakes
- DVA-C03 Sample Questions With Answers
- Is the DVA-C03 Exam Hard?
- DVA-C03 Prerequisites and Skills Check
- Is DVA-C03 Worth It? An Honest Look
- DVA-C03 Cheat Sheet: Key Facts to Review
Next step
Read the DVA-C03 overview and the SAP-C03 overview, then try the practice sets for the one you choose: DVA-C03 practice tests or SAP-C03 practice tests.
Frequently asked questions
Is SAP-C03 much harder than DVA-C03?
It is a Professional-level exam with longer scenarios and broader scope. Most people find it a bigger step than the Associate exam.
Do I need DVA-C03 before SAP-C03?
No. AWS lists no required prerequisite for either exam.
Which one is better for a developer?
DVA-C03 matches daily developer work. SAP-C03 suits a developer who already designs multi-account systems.
Can I take them in the same month?
Nothing stops you, though the preparation is different. Space them if you can.