AWS Cloud Practitioner Passing Score (700/1000) and Pass Rate

The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02) passing score is 700 out of 1000. That is a scaled score, not a percentage: the exam reports a result from 100 to 1000, and 700 is the fixed threshold AWS uses to keep difficulty consistent across versions. You get a pass or fail, measured against 700.

This guide explains what the passing score means, how scaled scoring works, what the pass-rate figures online are really worth, and what happens if you do not pass.

Last reviewed: July 2026.

What is the AWS Cloud Practitioner passing score?

The AWS Cloud Practitioner passing score is 700 out of 1000. CLF-C02 reports a scaled score from 100 to 1000, and 700 is the fixed pass threshold AWS sets to keep difficulty consistent across exam versions. You see a pass or fail result measured against 700, not a raw percentage of questions answered correctly.

You also pass on your overall score alone: you do not need to pass each domain separately, so a weak domain can be offset by a strong one. The biggest domains still deserve the most study. All of this comes straight from the official CLF-C02 exam guide, not from third-party write-ups. Here is the quick-reference scorecard.

Item	Value
Scoring scale	100 to 1000 (scaled)
Passing score	700
Questions	65 (50 scored, 15 unscored)
Time	90 minutes
Retake wait	14 days
Result	Pass or fail

Scoring facts are from the exam guide; exam length and logistics are on the official certification page.

How the 100 to 1000 scaled score works

The 100 to 1000 score is not a percentage of questions you got right. The questions are not all equally hard, and 15 of the 65 do not count at all, so the number of correct answers you need to reach 700 is not a fixed 70%. Scaling lets AWS compare results fairly, which is why you target a score, not a percentage, and why the pass mark stays at 700 across exam versions while the questions change.

The practical takeaway: stop trying to back-calculate “how many can I get wrong.” Aim to be comfortably above the threshold on full-length practice, and the scaled-score mechanics take care of themselves.

One more scoring rule straight from the guide: unanswered questions count as wrong and there is no penalty for guessing. Never leave a question blank.

What is the Cloud Practitioner pass rate?

AWS does not publish an official Cloud Practitioner pass rate, so any figure is an estimate. CLF-C02 is widely considered high-pass because it is foundational and well-resourced, but treat quoted pass rates as rough context only and rely on your own full-length practice scores as the real readiness signal.

This is worth stressing because pass-rate numbers get repeated as fact across the web with no source. They are not AWS data. Our own numbers are different in one way: the live community stats page shows pass rates and average scores from signed-in users taking the practice exams on this site, so you can see exactly where the data comes from. It is practice data, not the real exam, but it is honest data. If the exam feels approachable, that is consistent with it being a foundational, broad-but-not-deep exam; your practice scores are the measure that actually predicts your result.

What happens if you fail the exam?

If you fail CLF-C02 you wait 14 calendar days before you can retake, and you pay the exam fee again each attempt. AWS’s own retake policy sets no limit on attempts: you can retake as many times as you need. Your score report breaks performance down by domain, so use it to target your weakest areas before you rebook the exam.

A fail is recoverable and common enough not to dwell on. Use the domain breakdown, drill the weak areas on the CLF-C02 domain practice, and rebook once your timed mock scores hold.

How to know you are ready to pass

You are ready when your full-length timed mocks keep landing above 80% in every one of the four domains, comfortably clear of the 700 threshold. One good score is not enough; look for repeatable results and steady domain coverage. Timed mocks also build the pacing and stamina the real exam needs. To see what those questions feel like first, try a full-length timed mock.

For what it’s worth, I passed with a scaled score around 850, comfortably above the 700 line. The pass result popped up on screen the moment I hit submit at the test center, and the official score and Credly badge landed a day or two later.

Bottom line

• The pass mark is a scaled 700 out of 1000. It is a threshold, not a 70% mark.
• AWS publishes no official pass rate, so trust your own mock scores over internet figures.
• A fail costs a 14-day wait and a domain-by-domain plan, nothing more.

Aim for a steady 80%-plus on full mocks before you book, using the free CLF-C02 practice exams.

Frequently asked questions

What score do you need to pass the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam?

The passing score is 700 out of 1000. CLF-C02 uses a scaled score from 100 to 1000, so 700 is not 70% of questions correct; it is a scaled threshold AWS sets to keep difficulty consistent across exam versions. You pass or fail against 700, and the result shows as pass or fail.

Is 700 the same as 70 percent on the Cloud Practitioner exam?

No. The 100 to 1000 scale is not a simple percentage. Because questions vary in difficulty and 15 of the 65 are unscored, the number you need correct to reach 700 is not a fixed 70%. Aim well above the threshold in practice rather than targeting an exact percentage.

Is there an official AWS Cloud Practitioner pass rate?

AWS does not publish an official pass rate. CLF-C02 is widely regarded as high-pass because it is foundational and well-resourced, but any specific figure you see is an unofficial estimate. Focus on your own practice scores, which are the only reliable readiness measure.

What happens if you fail the AWS Cloud Practitioner exam?

If you fail, you wait 14 days before retaking and pay the exam fee again each attempt. You can retake as many times as you need; only the 14-day wait applies between attempts. Your score report shows performance by domain, so use it to target weak areas before you rebook.