Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) Requirements & Prerequisites
Everything you need to know before registering for the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), eligibility, cost, format, and what to expect on exam day.
Cost
$99
Provider
Microsoft
Validity
Does not expire
Available
Global
Education
No formal education requirement
Experience
Recommended but not required
Specific Requirements
- No formal prerequisites. Microsoft does not require any other certification, degree, or work experience to sit AZ-900.
- Microsoft's audience profile suggests skills and experience in an area of IT such as infrastructure management, database management, or software development, but states this as a recommendation and not a requirement.
- A Microsoft account linked to a Microsoft Learn certification profile, with the name entered exactly as it appears on your government-issued photo ID.
- For an online exam, a computer with local administrative permissions that passes the Pearson VUE system test, plus a private walled room with a door.
- A current government-issued photo ID that matches your certification profile name and is not expired.
- Accommodations must be requested and confirmed before scheduling, and Microsoft advises allowing up to 20 days for processing.
Number of Questions
40-60 questions
Duration
45 minutes
Question Format
Multiple choice, single answer, Multiple choice, multiple answers, Drag and drop, Build list, Hot area, Active screen, Yes/no statement sets
Passing Requirement
700
How It Is Delivered
Proctored at a Pearson VUE test centre or online through OnVUE; students and educators can schedule through Certiport
Languages Offered
English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Spanish, German, French, Indonesian (Indonesia), Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Chinese (Traditional), Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian
Rules specific to this exam
- Microsoft publishes 45 minutes of exam time and 65 minutes of seat time for all Fundamentals exams.
- Microsoft does not publish a question count for AZ-900 specifically. It states that most Microsoft Certification exams contain between 40 and 60 questions.
- Microsoft does not confirm which question types appear on any given exam. The types listed here are the ones demonstrated in the official exam sandbox.
- Five minutes of break time are built into the 45 minutes. The clock keeps running during a break and you cannot return to questions seen before it.
- Access to learn.microsoft.com during the exam is available on role-based exams only, not on Fundamentals exams.
- The AZ-900 study guide states that if the exam is not available in your preferred language you can request an additional 30 minutes to complete it. Microsoft routes that request through Pearson VUE's English as a Second Language form and asks for a letter from an instructor or employer. If the exam is available in your native language and you choose another, no extra time is given.
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
Score Scale
1 to 1,000
Score You Need
700
How It Is Calculated
Microsoft awards one point for each correctly answered component, so a multi-part question can earn all, some, or none of its points. There is no penalty for guessing. Every form contains unscored pretest items that candidates cannot identify. The reported number is a scaled score, and Microsoft states it does not equal 70 percent of the raw points because the passing standard adjusts to the difficulty of the questions delivered.
When You Get Results
Within minutes of finishing for exams without labs; available in your Microsoft Learn profile within 24 hours.
In raw terms: Microsoft does not publish a raw-to-scaled conversion and states that a percent-correct figure will not tell you whether you passed.
- The score report gives one overall numeric score, a pass or fail status, and a bar chart of performance by skill area.
- Microsoft does not provide a numerical score per section, only the relative bar chart.
- Scoring zero in one skill area is possible because some areas carry only a few questions.
- Identical scores across multiple attempts are common and do not indicate an error.
- Microsoft does not disclose which individual questions were answered incorrectly.
- 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 Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
No formal prerequisites. Microsoft does not require any other certification, degree, or work experience to sit AZ-900.. Microsoft's audience profile suggests skills and experience in an area of IT such as infrastructure management, database management, or software development, but states this as a recommendation and not a requirement.. A Microsoft account linked to a Microsoft Learn certification profile, with the name entered exactly as it appears on your government-issued photo ID.. For an online exam, a computer with local administrative permissions that passes the Pearson VUE system test, plus a private walled room with a door.. A current government-issued photo ID that matches your certification profile name and is not expired.. Accommodations must be requested and confirmed before scheduling, and Microsoft advises allowing up to 20 days for processing..
How much does the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) cost?
The Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) exam costs $99. This includes the exam fee only, study materials are additional.
How do I register for the Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
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 Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
Two forms of valid ID (one government-issued with photo). Appointment confirmation. For online: clean workspace, webcam, microphone.
Ready to prepare for Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)?
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