AWS Cloud Practitioner Guide: CLF-C02 Exam, Cost, Domains and Study Plan
The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (exam CLF-C02) is Amazon Web Services’ foundational certification. It proves you understand cloud concepts, core AWS services, security and pricing. The exam has 65 questions in 90 minutes, needs 700 out of 1,000 to pass and costs US$100. It suits beginners and non-technical professionals; aspiring cloud engineers should treat it as a first step towards an associate-level certification.
Key takeaways
- Foundational: no hands-on experience required.
- Four domains: cloud concepts, security and compliance, technology and services, billing and pricing.
- Most beginners need 3–6 weeks of study.
- Follow it with an associate certification for technical roles.
CLF-C02 exam at a glance
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Questions | 65 (multiple choice and multiple response; some unscored) |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 (scaled 100–1,000) |
| Fee | US$100 |
| Delivery | Test centre or online proctored |
| Validity | Generally 3 years |
The four exam domains
- Cloud concepts: benefits of the cloud, design principles, migration strategies, cloud economics
- Security and compliance: the shared responsibility model, IAM, security services, compliance
- Cloud technology and services: compute, storage, databases, networking, global infrastructure
- Billing, pricing and support: pricing models, cost tools, support plans
Download the official exam guide for the current weightings.
The concepts that matter most
- Shared responsibility model: AWS secures the cloud; you secure what you put in it.
- Global infrastructure: Regions, Availability Zones and edge locations.
- Core services: EC2 (compute), S3 (storage), RDS and DynamoDB (databases), VPC (networking), IAM (identity), Lambda (serverless).
- Pricing: on-demand vs reserved vs spot vs savings plans, and the free tier.
A 4-week study plan
| Week | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1 | Cloud concepts; AWS global infrastructure; create a free-tier account and explore |
| 2 | Core services: compute, storage, databases, networking |
| 3 | Security (IAM, shared responsibility) and pricing and support |
| 4 | Official practice questions; review weak areas; book the exam |
AWS Skill Builder offers free foundational training aligned to the exam.
Who should take it?
- Career changers starting a cloud path
- Sales, finance, project and product people who work with cloud teams
- Students who want a recognised first credential
- Security beginners who want cloud context alongside Security+
What comes next?
For technical roles, the usual next step is an associate certification, most commonly Solutions Architect – Associate. Weighing up providers? Read AWS vs Azure vs Google Cloud certifications. For other beginner options, see IT certifications for beginners.
Learn cloud live
Tutopiya is planning an 8-week live Cloud Fundamentals (AWS-aligned) cohort for beginners, with hands-on labs and a cloud engineer as mentor. It is independent of AWS and isn’t running yet. Register interest in cloud training. Nothing is charged.
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Frequently asked questions
How hard is the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam? +
It's a foundational exam and among the most accessible cloud certifications. Beginners who study the official exam guide and AWS's free training for a few weeks typically pass. It tests understanding of concepts and services, not hands-on configuration.
How much does the AWS Cloud Practitioner cost? +
The exam fee is US$100. AWS sometimes offers discount vouchers through training events and challenges.
Is AWS Cloud Practitioner worth it? +
It's worth it for non-technical professionals working with cloud teams and as a confidence-building first step for aspiring cloud engineers. For technical roles, follow it with an associate-level certification such as Solutions Architect Associate.
How long is the certification valid? +
AWS certifications are generally valid for three years. Check AWS's current recertification policy.
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