To pass the AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate exam, learn the four scored domains in the official exam guide. Practise hands-on in the AWS Free Tier, then work through a course structured around those domains. Confirm readiness with AWS's own practice question set, then book a seat through Pearson VUE. Checked against the official AWS SAA-C03 exam guide on 8 September 2026.
What the SAA-C03 credential actually certifies
The current exam code is SAA-C03. It replaced earlier exam versions, and any study material or blog post that does not name this code is likely out of date. The exam confirms that a candidate can design solutions using the AWS Well-Architected Framework. That covers secure, resilient, high-performing and cost-optimized architectures, plus reviewing an existing solution to suggest improvements.
AWS recommends at least one year of hands-on experience designing cloud solutions before attempting SAA-C03. AWS states this as recommended experience, not a registration requirement. Nobody checks your work history before you book the exam. Scenario questions still assume you have built and broken things on AWS, not just read about them.
Exam at a glance
Before you commit money and a date, confirm these facts against the current exam guide. They cover format, timing, cost and the scoring model.
The exam includes 65 questions in total: 50 that count toward your score and 15 unscored questions used by AWS to test future exam content. You cannot tell which is which, so treat every question the same way. Both multiple choice (one correct answer among four) and multiple response (two or more correct answers among five or more options) appear. Neither format penalises a guess.
Scoring runs from 100 to 1,000, with 720 needed to pass. AWS uses a compensatory scoring model. You pass the exam overall, not each domain on its own. A weak domain can still be offset by strong performance elsewhere. Do not stop studying a topic just because you find it hard.
The four domains, and what each is really testing
Every SAA-C03 question maps to one of four domains. The weightings below come from the official exam guide. They replace an older five-domain breakdown that some study material still repeats from a retired exam version.
| Domain | Weight | What it tends to ask you to do |
|---|---|---|
| Design secure architectures | 30% | Choose IAM policies, encryption settings and network controls that keep access and data tightly scoped |
| Design resilient architectures | 26% | Plan for failure using multiple Availability Zones, decoupled components and backup strategies |
| Design high-performing architectures | 24% | Match compute, storage and database choices to a workload's real performance needs |
| Design cost-optimized architectures | 20% | Compare pricing models and storage tiers to control spend as part of the design, not after it |
Notice that security carries the heaviest weight. A fast, cheap design that leaves a database publicly accessible still fails the point of the exam.
How to prepare, stage by stage
The diagram below shows the mechanism. Each stage builds on the last, and skipping the hands-on stage is the most common reason candidates struggle with scenario questions.
- Learn the core services first. Get comfortable with EC2, S3, VPC, IAM and RDS before touching the exam guide's task statements. These services show up across all four domains.
- Practise hands-on. Use the AWS Free Tier and AWS's own lab environments to build small architectures, not just read about them. Reading about a VPC differs from configuring one yourself.
- Follow a course mapped to the domains. A syllabus that mirrors the exam guide's four domains makes it easier to spot gaps than a syllabus organised only by service.
- Check readiness with official tools. AWS offers a free Skill Builder exam-prep plan, free live webinars and free Exam Readiness courses. It also publishes an official Practice Question Set and Practice Exam. Use these as your final check, not your first pass.
- Schedule only once you are consistent. Book the exam once practice attempts show steady, repeatable results across all four domains, not a single lucky score.
Try this before you book: pick one AWS service pair you already know, such as S3 and CloudFront. Write one sentence for each of the four domains explaining how you would use that pair to satisfy that domain's goal. A domain you cannot answer in one sentence is your next study topic.
Where Ethnus Codemithra fits
The AWS Solutions Architect Associate course at Ethnus Codemithra prepares students for this exact exam, SAA-C03. Its foundational modules cover EC2, Lambda, EBS, S3, VPC, Direct Connect, IAM, CloudTrail, RDS, ElastiCache, DynamoDB, Auto Scaling, ELB, CloudWatch and SNS. Separate design modules then map onto the four scored domains above. The course includes lab and sandbox access with unlimited attempts, plus trainer-led sessions for doubt clearing.
If SAA-C03 feels like a stretch right now, Ethnus Codemithra also runs AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials. This 200-hour program covers AWS fundamentals alongside Java Fundamentals and Tech Essentials, with the same lab-and-sandbox structure. For a shorter first look, the AWS Cloud Masterclass is a free, live 3-hour Discovery Day with a hands-on build. It feeds into both the Cloud Practitioner Essentials and Solutions Architect Associate pathway. Training helps you prepare, but AWS does not require it, and no course can promise you a pass.
Scheduling, retakes and recertification
Pearson VUE delivers AWS exams, including SAA-C03, either at a physical test centre or through online proctoring. Book through your AWS Certification account once you are ready.
If you do not pass, you must wait 14 calendar days before retaking the exam. There is no cap on the number of attempts, but you pay the full exam fee each time. After you pass, you must wait two years before retaking the same exam.
The certification is valid for three years, after which you need to recertify to keep it current. Build recertification into your calendar rather than waiting for a reminder.
Frequently asked questions
What is the current AWS Solutions Architect Associate exam code?
The current code is SAA-C03. Older material referencing SAA-C02 or an earlier version covers a retired exam.
Do I need a year of AWS experience before I can register?
No. AWS recommends at least one year of hands-on experience designing cloud solutions, but this is guidance, not a registration requirement.
Is training mandatory before I can sit the SAA-C03 exam?
No. AWS recommends training as part of preparation but does not require it for certification.
How many times can I retake the exam if I fail?
There is no limit on attempts. You must wait 14 calendar days between attempts and pay the full exam fee each time.
Where should I start if I am not ready for SAA-C03 yet?
Start with AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials or the free AWS Cloud Masterclass Discovery Day before moving on to the Solutions Architect Associate course.
The course above maps directly onto the four domains, with lab access and trainer support built in. Start with the Ethnus Codemithra AWS Solutions Architect Associate course.
