What Is the Difference Between AWS CLF-C01 and CLF-C02?
Same format, different blueprint. Here’s what changed when CLF-C02 replaced CLF-C01 and what it means if you’re studying from older material.
CLF-C01 and CLF-C02 are two versions of the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner exam. CLF-C02 replaced CLF-C01 in September 2023. The format stayed the same, but the content domains were reorganized, with more weight on security and cloud technology and less on billing.
If you’re comparing them, you’re probably holding a study guide that says C01 and wondering whether it still works. Short answer: partly.
The timeline
CLF-C01 launched in 2019 and was the Cloud Practitioner exam for several years. AWS retired it in mid-September 2023 and launched CLF-C02 right after. You can’t take CLF-C01 anymore. Only CLF-C02 is available.
What stayed the same
| Detail | CLF-C01 | CLF-C02 |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | 65 | 65 |
| Time | 90 minutes | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 700 / 1,000 | 700 / 1,000 |
| Cost | $100 | $100 |
| Level | Foundational | Foundational |
| Format | Multiple choice and multiple response | Same |
If you took C01 or you’re used to it, the experience of the exam is very similar.
What changed: the domains
The biggest difference is how the content is organized and weighted.
| Domain | CLF-C01 | CLF-C02 |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Concepts | 26% | 24% |
| Security and Compliance | 25% | 30% |
| Technology (renamed Cloud Technology and Services) | 33% | 34% |
| Billing, Pricing, and Support | 16% | 12% |
Security and Compliance grew the most. Billing shrank. So if you’re using C01 material, you’ll likely over-study billing and under-study security.
What changed: the content
Beyond the percentages, AWS rewrote the exam’s task statements. A few differences stand out.
- Security gets deeper. More emphasis on the shared responsibility model, identity and access management, and AWS security services.
- Well-Architected Framework and the Cloud Adoption Framework are treated more explicitly in the cloud concepts domain.
- Current services and terminology. The newer blueprint reflects services AWS has built out since 2019, and some older emphasis was dropped.
- Deployment and operations concepts are framed in a more modern way.
AWS doesn’t publish a line-by-line diff, so the best way to see exactly what’s in scope is to read the current exam guide. It’s free.
Should you use old C01 study material?
Not on its own. Most of the foundational content still applies: the cloud benefits, core services, pricing models, and support plans. But gaps exist, and the weighting is different.
If you have C01 material, use it as a starting point and fill the gaps with a CLF-C02 course, the current exam guide, and CLF-C02-specific practice exams. Be careful with practice exams labelled “C01.” They may test emphasis the real exam no longer has.
How to check what you’re buying
When you look at a course or practice exam, check that:
- It says CLF-C02, not just “Cloud Practitioner”
- It was updated after September 2023
- Its domain breakdown matches the current weights above (30% security, 12% billing)
What about certificates earned on C01?
They remained valid until their own expiration date, but the three-year window means the last of them lapse in September 2026. We cover that in whether CLF-C01 is still valid.
Is C02 harder?
Slightly different, not much harder. Security carries more weight, and some candidates find the wording a bit more scenario-focused. If you’re well prepared on the current blueprint, it’s about the same level of difficulty.
For a full overview of the current exam, see what CLF-C02 is and our CLF-C02 preparation guide.
A few more questions people ask
Can I still buy C01 practice exams?
You can find them, but they won’t match the current blueprint. Weighting changed, with more security and less billing, so you’d be practicing for an exam that no longer exists.
Did the cost or passing score change between versions?
No. Both cost $100 and need a scaled 700 out of 1,000, with 65 questions in 90 minutes.
Is the C02 exam name different?
The certification name is the same: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner. Only the exam code changed, and the code is what you’ll see when you book and on your score report.
Practice for the CLF-C02 with full-length exams
Six full-length CLF-C02 practice exams, 390 questions in all, built around the real exam blueprint. Run them timed to rehearse your pacing, or drill one domain at a time when you know where you are weak. You see how you did by domain after every attempt, so you know what to study next.
- 6 full-length exams, 65 questions each
- Timed exam mode and practice by domain
- Explanations to learn from your misses
- Results broken down by exam domain