If you’ve been searching for “what percent do I need,” you’ve probably noticed that every site gives a slightly different answer. That’s because AWS never gives one. Here’s what’s real and what’s a rule of thumb.

What AWS actually says

AWS reports results as a scaled score between 100 and 1,000. The minimum to pass is 700. There’s no official statement that 700 equals a specific percentage, and AWS explicitly says scaled scores account for differences between exam versions.

So the most accurate answer is: you need a scaled 700, and the percentage of questions that gets you there isn’t published.

AWSFrom Amazon Web ServicesHow AWS reports exam resultsAWS certification policies, including scoring and retake rules, in AWS’s own words.→

Why 70% is still a useful number

Plenty of people say the exam needs 70%, and the number isn’t pulled from nowhere. 700 out of 1,000 is 70% on a straight scale, and it’s a handy approximation. Several practice-exam platforms use 70% as the pass line for that reason. Ours do too.

Just keep two caveats in mind:

• Fifteen of the 65 questions don’t count. You’d be scored on 50 questions, but you don’t know which ones. So you can’t count your own right answers on the real exam.
• Scaling can shift the real line. Depending on the difficulty of your form, the number of correct answers needed may be a bit higher or lower than 70%.

A practical way to plan

Rather than trying to calculate the exact line, think in terms of margin.

The key word is “repeatedly.” One good score can be luck, or can reflect remembering questions you’ve seen. Several good scores on different exams, with solid reasons for your answers, is the real signal.

Why practice scores and real scores don’t match perfectly

Practice exams are written by third parties, not by AWS. Some are easier than the real exam, some are harder, and some test obscure details the real exam never touches. That’s why a margin matters. If your practice questions are slightly easier than the real thing, a 72% might translate into a borderline real result. If they’re harder, a 72% might be more than enough.

Another effect: once you’ve seen a practice question, your score on it is inflated. Take each exam once, review it, and then move to a fresh one rather than retaking the same one for a better number.

Do you need to pass every domain?

No. CLF-C02 uses compensatory scoring, so only your overall result matters. You don’t have to hit a minimum in each of the four domains. You do get a domain-by-domain performance breakdown afterward, which is useful but doesn’t affect pass or fail.

That said, don’t lean on it. A weak domain drags down your total, and Security and Compliance plus Cloud Technology and Services together make up 64% of the exam. Ignore either and you’re giving away a lot of points.

Quick facts about the exam

• 65 questions, 90 minutes
• 50 scored, 15 unscored
• Scaled score of 100 to 1,000, pass at 700
• Multiple choice and multiple response
• No penalty for wrong answers

Bottom line

Think of 70% as a ballpark and 80% as your target. You’ll find more on how this works in our explanation of AWS exam scoring, and in how many practice exams to take before booking.