AWS Certifications List 2027: The Complete Guide & Career Roadmap

The short answer: As of October 7, 2026, AWS lists 13 certifications in five categories: Business, Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty. One is in beta (AI Business Strategist). One is scheduled to retire (Advanced Networking Specialty). Three more exams move to new versions between now and January 14, 2027: Machine Learning Engineer Associate, Solutions Architect Professional and Developer Associate.

The roadmap in this guide is EvolveSkill’s own editorial guidance, not an AWS roadmap. AWS does not set a required order for its certifications, and its Before Testing page says all AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites. Statements attributed to AWS come from AWS’s own pages and announcements, listed at the end.

How to read the status labels

Chapter 1: How AWS organizes its certifications

AWS groups its certifications into five categories. The descriptions below are condensed from AWS’s exam guide index.

Older lists may show four levels. Business is a separate category, and the Specialty group is down to two exams after retirements. A list that still shows SysOps Administrator or Machine Learning Specialty as current is out of date.

Chapter 2: What AWS certifications are available?

Exam lengths and question counts come from AWS’s exam pages. They can change when AWS releases a new version.

Business

AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01) is for product and program managers, sales and line-of-business leaders, and consultants who guide AI projects. AWS says it requires no coding or AWS implementation experience and recommends about six months of experience working with or alongside AI initiatives. The exam covers AI fundamentals and literacy, AI strategy and business value, AI governance and responsible AI leadership, and business readiness and transformation.

Status as of October 7, 2026: beta delivery began September 29, 2026, in English and Japanese. AWS lists a beta price of $50 and a standard price of $100. AWS had not shown a general availability date on the pages we checked. Candidates who earn the certification by February 15, 2027 receive an Early Adopter badge.

AWS draws the line between this and AI Practitioner this way: AI Practitioner validates technical understanding, and AI Business Strategist validates business judgment.

Foundational

Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) is a Foundational exam. AWS describes the candidate as having up to six months of exposure to the AWS Cloud, and states that this exposure is not required.

AI Practitioner (AIF-C01) is aimed at anyone exploring AI and machine learning on AWS, including people in non-engineering roles.

Associate

Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) covers designing cloud solutions on AWS. AWS recommends at least one year of hands-on experience designing them. We found no announced successor exam. If you are preparing for it, our guide on why candidates fail the Solutions Architect Associate exam (opens in a new tab) covers the common mistakes.

Developer Associate targets developer roles. The last day to take DVA-C02 is November 30, 2026. DVA-C03 registration opens October 27, 2026, and DVA-C03 delivery begins December 1, 2026. The new version adds AI-assisted development, a new task on AI security, containers (Amazon ECR, ECS, EKS and AWS Fargate), and services such as Amazon Bedrock, Amazon Q, Kiro and Amazon Data Firehose.

CloudOps Engineer Associate (SOA-C03) is the exam that was called SysOps Administrator. AWS renamed it with the SOA-C03 version, which began September 30, 2025. AWS recommends about one year of experience.

Data Engineer Associate (DEA-C01) is for data engineering roles. AWS recommends two to three years of data engineering experience and one to two years of hands-on AWS experience.

Machine Learning Engineer Associate is moving from MLA-C01 to MLA-C02. As of October 7, 2026, MLA-C02 is in beta. AWS’s last day for MLA-C01 in English was September 28, 2026. The beta price is $75. MLA-C02 adds generative AI implementation and fine-tuning, agentic AI, foundation models, expanded Amazon Bedrock coverage and responsible AI, with no new exam domains.

Professional

Solutions Architect Professional is for experienced architects. AWS recommends two or more years of experience designing and implementing AWS solutions. The last day to take SAP-C02 is November 16, 2026. SAP-C03 registration opens October 27, 2026, and SAP-C03 delivery begins November 17, 2026. The new version adds generative and agentic AI architectures, resilience engineering, DevSecOps and observability, data and analytics, and post-quantum cryptography.

DevOps Engineer Professional (DOP-C02) is for people who provision, operate and manage AWS environments. AWS recommends two or more years of experience. We found no announced change to this exam.

Generative AI Developer Professional (AIP-C01) is generally available. AWS recommends two or more years of experience building production applications on AWS and at least one year of hands-on work with generative AI.

Specialty

Security Specialty (SCS-C03) launched on December 2, 2025, replacing SCS-C02. AWS recommends five years of IT security experience and at least two years of hands-on experience securing AWS workloads, so this is not an entry-level exam.

Advanced Networking Specialty (ANS-C01) is still listed, but AWS says the last day to take it is December 31, 2026. See the next section.

Chapter 3: What changes between now and January 2027

AWS announced these changes. The dates below are AWS’s, as of October 7, 2026, and AWS can update them.

What this means in practice

• Existing credentials stay valid. AWS’s September 1, 2026 announcement states that existing credentials remain active through their original expiration dates. For Advanced Networking, AWS says certifications earned before the retirement stay active for the standard three-year period, and no new ones are issued after it.
• Check your exam date against the table. If you are preparing for DVA-C02 or SAP-C02, confirm which version your booking covers and whether you can sit it before the last day. (EvolveSkill editorial guidance: if your exam is scheduled close to a changeover, read AWS’s current exam guide for the version you will actually take.)
• Advanced Networking has no named replacement. AWS points to digital training on AWS Skill Builder and names no replacement exam.
• MLA-C02 dates have moved before. AWS’s July 14, 2026 post said “early 2027” for general availability. Its September 1, 2026 post gives January 14, 2027. AWS’s exam page showed the general availability date as to be determined when we checked. Treat January 14 as the latest AWS statement, and check AWS before you plan around it.

What we did not find announced (as of October 7, 2026): successors to SAA-C03, DEA-C01, DOP-C02, SCS-C03, CLF-C02 or AIF-C01; a general availability date for AIB-C01; or a replacement for Advanced Networking. This guide does not guess at any of them. We found no published AWS roadmap for 2027, and this guide is not one. The 2027 in the title refers to the changes AWS has announced through January 14, 2027.

Chapter 4: Retired, renamed and replaced certifications

These are not part of the current list. Older articles and job postings may still mention them.

AWS says holders of the 2024-retired specialties stay active for three years from the date earned.

Chapter 5: Which path should you follow?

This whole section is EvolveSkill editorial guidance, not AWS policy. AWS does not set a required certification order or say that any certification must come first. AWS does list recommended experience for each exam, shown above.

Three questions that narrow the choice

1. 01What do you do, or want to do, day to day? Pick the certification whose role matches the work. Architecture, development, operations, data, machine learning, security and business strategy each have their own exam.
2. 02How much hands-on AWS experience do you have? Compare yourself to the experience AWS recommends for each exam. A Professional or Specialty exam assumes years of work, not weeks of study.
3. 03What do you need the credential for? A specific project or job requirement can decide the exam for you. If there is none, choose by role and experience.

If you are still deciding whether the time is worth it, read whether an AWS certification is worth it (opens in a new tab) before committing to a path. If you want help choosing your first exam, our guide on which AWS certification to start with (opens in a new tab) goes deeper than this overview.

If you are new to AWS

EvolveSkill suggestion: Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) is a reasonable starting point if you are new to AWS. AWS describes its candidate as having up to six months of AWS exposure and says that exposure is not required. If you already work with AWS, you can go straight to the Associate exam that matches your role. AWS does not say Cloud Practitioner must come first.

Paths by role

A suggested progression

EvolveSkill’s suggestion for technical learners is to treat the levels as building blocks:

1. 01One Foundational exam, only if you need it. Cloud Practitioner for general AWS literacy, or AI Practitioner for AI literacy.
2. 02One Associate exam that matches your job. Associate exams target specific technical roles, so pick the one closest to your work.
3. 03A Professional or Specialty exam once you have the experience AWS recommends. These exams assume years of hands-on work.

AWS does not require this order. If you already have the experience AWS recommends, you can start higher.

Chapter 6: Preparing without wasting time

Preparation principles, kept short on purpose.

• Use the exam guide for the exact version you will take. AWS publishes one per exam, with domains and tasks. Because DVA, SAP and MLA are changing, a study resource written for an older version may not match the exam you sit.
• Hands-on work matters. AWS’s pre-testing guidance says “There is no true substitute for experience,” and each exam page lists recommended experience.
• Training is optional. AWS says training is not mandatory. AWS Skill Builder offers over 900 free self-paced digital courses, and paid subscriptions add exam preparation resources.
• Plan for a retake. If you do not pass, AWS requires a 14-day wait before you retake the exam. It sets no limit on attempts. You cannot retake an exam you have passed for two years. If a version change is approaching, allow for AWS’s 14-calendar-day wait after a failed attempt and leave time to schedule a retake before the old version closes.
• We found no pass rates published by AWS. Treat any site that quotes AWS pass rates with caution unless it cites a source.

When you are ready to study for one exam in depth, our AWS exam preparation guide (opens in a new tab) covers building a study plan, using practice questions and deciding when you are ready to book.

Chapter 7: Cost, validity and renewal

Exam cost (AWS’s USD prices, as of October 7, 2026)

Beta exams are priced differently: $50 for the AI Business Strategist beta and $75 for the Machine Learning Engineer Associate MLA-C02 beta. AWS says it updates prices at least once a year, in May, for currency changes. Check AWS’s booking page for the price you will pay.

Validity and renewal

AWS certifications are valid for three years. According to AWS’s recertification page (checked October 7, 2026), you can renew by:

• Retaking the current exam, or passing a qualifying higher-level exam. Either gives you three more years, and AWS offers a 50% discount on the additional exam.
• Using AWS Skill Builder maintenance, a newer route that extends a certification by one year. AWS lists it for Solutions Architect Associate, Developer Associate, CloudOps Engineer Associate, Data Engineer Associate, Machine Learning Engineer Associate, Solutions Architect Professional, DevOps Engineer Professional, Security Specialty and Advanced Networking Specialty. It requires an active certification within 90 days of expiry and an active Skill Builder subscription. If you miss this maintenance window, check the other eligible renewal options listed in this section for your certification. AWS’s June 23, 2026 announcement described it as an open beta, so confirm the current terms with AWS.
• Cloud Practitioner only: the free AWS Cloud Quest: Recertify Cloud Practitioner option, which AWS says must be completed within six months of expiry.

The Skill Builder maintenance route is not listed for AI Business Strategist, Generative AI Developer Professional, AI Practitioner or Cloud Practitioner. AI Business Strategist and Generative AI Developer Professional renew by retaking the exam. AI Practitioner renews by retaking the exam or passing Machine Learning Engineer Associate or Generative AI Developer Professional.

FAQ

How many AWS certifications are there?

As of October 7, 2026, AWS lists 13 certifications in five categories: 1 Business, 2 Foundational, 5 Associate, 3 Professional and 2 Specialty. One of the 13 is in beta (AI Business Strategist), and one is scheduled to retire on December 31, 2026 (Advanced Networking Specialty). Because AWS has announced the Advanced Networking retirement, the number of exams you can take will change after that date.

What are the AWS certification levels?

AWS uses five categories: Business, Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty. Foundational builds overall AWS Cloud understanding. Associate targets specific technical roles. Professional covers complex tasks that need advanced skills and experience. Specialty covers one technical domain. Business is for people who shape technology strategy without building the solutions.

Which AWS certification should I take first?

AWS does not set a required first exam or order, and its Before Testing page says all AWS Certifications may be earned without completing specific prerequisites. EvolveSkill suggestion: if you are new to AWS, Cloud Practitioner is a reasonable start, but it is optional. If you already work with AWS, choose the Associate exam that matches your role. This is editorial guidance, not an AWS rule. The role table above shows routes.

Which AWS certifications are being retired or replaced?

AWS has announced four changes, all with dates in the table above:

• Advanced Networking Specialty retires. The last exam day is December 31, 2026.
• Solutions Architect Professional moves from SAP-C02 to SAP-C03. The last SAP-C02 day is November 16, 2026.
• Developer Associate moves from DVA-C02 to DVA-C03. The last DVA-C02 day is November 30, 2026.
• Machine Learning Engineer Associate moves from MLA-C01 to MLA-C02. MLA-C01 retires in all languages on January 14, 2027.

Machine Learning Specialty already retired on March 31, 2026, and SysOps Administrator was renamed CloudOps Engineer.

What should I take instead of Advanced Networking Specialty?

AWS names no replacement exam. AWS points to digital training on AWS Skill Builder. Certifications earned before the retirement stay active for the standard three years. If you want the credential, you need to take the exam by December 31, 2026.

Is there a new Solutions Architect Associate exam (SAA-C04)?

As of October 7, 2026, we found no AWS announcement of one. SAA-C03 is the current exam.

Do AWS certifications expire, and how do I renew?

They are valid for three years. You can renew by retaking the exam or passing a qualifying higher-level exam, and some certifications can be extended by one year through Skill Builder maintenance. See the renewal section above for the exact options and the beta caveat.

How much does an AWS certification exam cost?

AWS’s prices are $100 for Business and Foundational, $150 for Associate and $300 for Professional and Specialty, in USD per attempt, as of October 7, 2026. Beta exams are priced differently. AWS reviews prices at least once a year, in May.

Which AWS certifications cover AI and machine learning?

Four are AI-focused as of October 7, 2026: AI Practitioner (AIF-C01, Foundational), AI Business Strategist (AIB-C01, Business, beta), Machine Learning Engineer Associate (MLA-C02, beta) and Generative AI Developer Professional (AIP-C01). Machine Learning Specialty has retired. The Developer, Solutions Architect Professional and ML Engineer updates also add AI content to existing exams.

Sources

AWS pages and announcements used for facts in this guide. All accessed October 7, 2026 unless a publication date is shown.

• AWS Certification
• AWS Certification exam guides index
• AWS exam pages: Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner, AI Business Strategist, Solutions Architect Associate, Developer Associate, CloudOps Engineer Associate, Data Engineer Associate, Machine Learning Engineer Associate, Solutions Architect Professional, DevOps Engineer Professional, Generative AI Developer Professional, Security Specialty, Advanced Networking Specialty, Machine Learning Specialty (retired)
• Certification updates: September 2026 (AWS, September 1, 2026)
• Introducing AWS Certified AI Business Strategist (AWS, September 1, 2026)
• Updates to AWS Certified Machine Learning Engineer Associate (MLA-C02) (AWS, July 14, 2026)
• AWS Recertification and A new way to keep your AWS Certification current (AWS, June 23, 2026)
• AWS Certification policies: before testing and AWS Certification FAQs
• AWS Skill Builder digital training
• AWS Certification retirements and launches (AWS, January 30, 2024)
• AWS Certification: exam updates

EvolveSkill is an independent educational resource; certification names and program details belong to AWS.