AWS Certification Exam Voucher and Discounts: How to Pay Less and Book Your Exam

Key takeaways

• AWS controls exam prices and official discounts. Unverified "up to 50% off" promotions should be checked before you pay.
• Exam levels are Foundational, Associate, Professional and Specialty. Beginners usually start with Cloud Practitioner or an Associate exam.
• Check your AWS Certification account for benefits that may apply after you pass an exam.
• Vouchers have expiry dates and rules; read them before booking.
• Exams can be taken at a test centre or online with a proctor, subject to the provider's rules in your country.

How do AWS exam vouchers and discounts work?

An exam voucher is a code that pays all or part of an exam fee when you schedule the exam. AWS sets the prices and publishes its own benefits and promotions. This page used to quote exam fees and "up to 50%" discounts from 2023. Those figures change and we cannot verify them today, so we have removed them. Always check the current price and terms on the official AWS Certification site.

What discounts are legitimate?

• AWS Certification benefits. People who pass an AWS exam may receive benefits in their AWS Certification account, such as a discount voucher for a later exam. Check which are active for you, and note any expiry date.
• Promotions and events. AWS and its programmes sometimes run offers, often with conditions and deadlines.
• Employer or partner programmes. Some employers and training partners give vouchers for approved candidates.
• Training bundles. Some training providers include a voucher. Ask for the terms in writing.

Be careful with sites that sell cheap "vouchers" without clear sources. A voucher that is invalid or already used wastes your time and money. Pay only through AWS or an authorised partner.

How do you book an AWS exam with a voucher?

1. Create or sign in to your AWS Certification account.
2. Choose the exam and select the delivery option: test centre or online proctored.
3. Pick a date and time.
4. Enter the voucher code at checkout and confirm the amount due.
5. Read the identification and environment rules, especially for online exams (quiet room, clean desk, ID).
6. Run any system test the provider offers before exam day.

Which AWS certification should you take first?

If you are new to cloud, start with Cloud Practitioner or go straight to the Solutions Architect Associate if you are comfortable with networking and Linux. Exam codes and versions change, so confirm the current guide on AWS before you study. AWS publishes service details in the AWS documentation.

Tips for passing first time

• Read the official exam guide and note the domains and weightings.
• Practise in a free-tier account, and set a billing alert so a test does not cost you.
• Take official or reputable practice exams and review every wrong answer.
• Do not memorise dumps. They are against exam rules and do not build skill.

See our posts on tips to pass AWS exams first time, the RHCSA exam voucher discount and the CompTIA exam discount.

Common mistakes

• Buying a voucher from an unknown seller.
• Booking an exam without reading the voucher's expiry and region rules.
• Using an outdated exam code from an old blog.
• Skipping the online proctoring system test.

Next steps

Next steps: for guided preparation, see our AWS Solutions Architect Associate course, and read tips to pass on the first attempt.