AWS SysOps Administrator Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the AWS SysOps Administrator, eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$150
Provider
Amazon Web Services
Validity
3 years
Available
Global
Education
No formal education requirement
Experience
Recommended but not required, varies by level
Specific Requirements
- There are no mandatory prerequisites. AWS states that all AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites.
- AWS recommends one year of experience with deployment, management, troubleshooting, networking and security on AWS.
- AWS also recommends at least one year of experience in a related operations role such as system administrator.
- Recommended general knowledge includes monitoring and logging techniques, networking concepts such as DNS, TCP, IP and firewalls, familiarity with at least one scripting language and one major operating system, container and orchestration basics, and CI/CD and Git.
- Recommended AWS knowledge includes the AWS Well-Architected Framework, CloudFormation and other infrastructure as code, AWS networking and security services, cloud financial management, hybrid and multi-VPC operations, and the main compute and database services.
- Candidates with no IT work experience are advised by AWS to earn AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner first. Candidates must be at least 13 years old.
Number of Questions
65 questions, of which 50 are scored and 15 are unscored pretest items
Duration
130 minutes
Question Format
Multiple choice: one correct response and three incorrect responses, Multiple response: two or more correct responses out of five or more response options, Unscored pretest questions that are mixed in and not identified, AWS publishes no hands-on lab component for SOA-C03; the published format is multiple choice and multiple response only
Passing Requirement
720 on a scaled range of 100 to 1,000, using a compensatory model so no individual domain has to be passed
How It Is Delivered
Pearson VUE test center or Pearson VUE online proctored exam (OnVUE)
Languages Offered
English, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese
Create an AWS Certification account at aws.amazon.com/certification
Select your exam and choose Pearson VUE as testing provider
Choose test center or online proctored option
Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
- Two forms of valid ID (one with photo)
- Confirmation email with appointment details
- For online: clear desk, webcam, stable internet
What are the prerequisites for the AWS SysOps Administrator?
There are no mandatory prerequisites. AWS states that all AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites.. AWS recommends one year of experience with deployment, management, troubleshooting, networking and security on AWS.. AWS also recommends at least one year of experience in a related operations role such as system administrator.. Recommended general knowledge includes monitoring and logging techniques, networking concepts such as DNS, TCP, IP and firewalls, familiarity with at least one scripting language and one major operating system, container and orchestration basics, and CI/CD and Git.. Recommended AWS knowledge includes the AWS Well-Architected Framework, CloudFormation and other infrastructure as code, AWS networking and security services, cloud financial management, hybrid and multi-VPC operations, and the main compute and database services.. Candidates with no IT work experience are advised by AWS to earn AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner first. Candidates must be at least 13 years old..
How much does the AWS SysOps Administrator cost?
The AWS SysOps Administrator exam costs $150. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the AWS SysOps Administrator?
Create an AWS Certification account at aws.amazon.com/certification → Select your exam and choose Pearson VUE as testing provider → Choose test center or online proctored option → Pay the exam fee and schedule your date
What should I bring to the AWS SysOps Administrator?
Two forms of valid ID (one with photo). Confirmation email with appointment details. For online: clear desk, webcam, stable internet.
Ready to prepare for AWS SysOps Administrator?
Get the complete exam guide with study plan, tips, and practice questions.
View AWS SysOps Administrator Guide