Azure Data Engineer (DP-203) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the Azure Data Engineer (DP-203), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$165
Provider
Microsoft
Validity
1 year (renewal required)
Available
Global
Education
No formal education requirement
Experience
Recommended but not required
Specific Requirements
- There were no mandatory prerequisites. Microsoft did not require another exam or certification before DP-203.
- Microsoft's published candidate profile asked for subject matter expertise integrating, transforming and consolidating data from structured, unstructured and streaming systems into a schema suitable for analytics.
- Solid knowledge of SQL, Python and Scala, which Microsoft named directly as the required data processing languages.
- An understanding of parallel processing and of data architecture patterns including modern data warehouse, big data and lakehouse designs.
- Proficiency with Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Event Hubs, Azure Data Lake Storage and Azure Databricks.
- As of March 31, 2025 the exam is retired, so passing it is no longer possible regardless of preparation.
Number of Questions
Microsoft does not publish a question count for individual exams. Its official statement is that most Microsoft certification exams typically contain between 40 and 60 questions and that the number varies by exam and changes when the exam is updated.
Duration
100 minutes. The Azure Data Engineer Associate certification page still carries the line "You will have 100 minutes to complete this assessment" alongside its retirement warning. Microsoft's general table allocates associate role-based exams without labs 100 minutes of exam time against 120 minutes of seat time, so the appointment ran about 20 minutes longer than the clock to cover instructions, the Candidate Agreement and post-exam comments.
Question Format
Multiple choice, Multiple response, Hot area, Drag and drop, Build list, used heavily on DP-203 for ordering pipeline and transformation steps, Active screen, Case studies describing a full data platform with several linked questions, Problem-and-solution question sets, where the same scenario repeats with different proposed solutions, Interactive labs in a live Azure environment on forms that include them
Passing Requirement
700 or greater on a scale of 1 to 1,000. Microsoft states this is a scaled score that may not equal 70 percent of available points, and that the bar reflects the difficulty of the question set you received.
How It Is Delivered
Proctored through Pearson VUE, either at a physical test centre or online with the OnVUE secure browser. Online candidates complete a self check-in, upload a headshot, a government-issued ID photo and room-scan photos taken with a mobile phone, then wait in a proctor queue. Check-in opens 30 minutes before the appointment and closes 15 minutes after it.
Languages Offered
English, Chinese (Simplified), Japanese, Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Traditional), Italian
Create a Microsoft Learn profile
Navigate to the exam page and click 'Schedule exam'
Choose Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring
Pay the exam fee and confirm your appointment
- Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo)
- Appointment confirmation
- For online: clean workspace, webcam, microphone
What are the prerequisites for the Azure Data Engineer (DP-203)?
There were no mandatory prerequisites. Microsoft did not require another exam or certification before DP-203.. Microsoft's published candidate profile asked for subject matter expertise integrating, transforming and consolidating data from structured, unstructured and streaming systems into a schema suitable for analytics.. Solid knowledge of SQL, Python and Scala, which Microsoft named directly as the required data processing languages.. An understanding of parallel processing and of data architecture patterns including modern data warehouse, big data and lakehouse designs.. Proficiency with Azure Data Factory, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Stream Analytics, Azure Event Hubs, Azure Data Lake Storage and Azure Databricks.. As of March 31, 2025 the exam is retired, so passing it is no longer possible regardless of preparation..
How much does the Azure Data Engineer (DP-203) cost?
The Azure Data Engineer (DP-203) exam costs $165. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the Azure Data Engineer (DP-203)?
Create a Microsoft Learn profile → Navigate to the exam page and click 'Schedule exam' → Choose Pearson VUE test center or online proctoring → Pay the exam fee and confirm your appointment
What should I bring to the Azure Data Engineer (DP-203)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation. For online: clean workspace, webcam, microphone.
Ready to prepare for Azure Data Engineer (DP-203)?
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