That’s the short answer. The more useful question is whether 130 minutes is enough, and for most people it is, if they use it well.

AWSFrom Amazon Web ServicesAWS Certified Solutions Architect – AssociateOfficial exam duration, question count, and format.→

The numbers

The clock only runs on the exam itself. At a testing center, check-in and ID verification happen beforehand and don’t eat into your time. For an online proctored exam, the check-in process, including the room scan, is also separate, but it can take 15 to 30 minutes, so plan for it.

Extra time for non-native English speakers

AWS offers a 30-minute extension for candidates who take the exam in a language that isn’t their first. It’s called an ESL accommodation, and you request it in your AWS Certification account before you schedule the exam. It’s approved in advance, not applied on the day. If English isn’t your first language, I’d request it. There’s no real downside.

Other accommodations, such as for disabilities, are available through a separate request process. Details are on the AWS certification accommodations page, and the earlier you request, the better.

Is 130 minutes enough?

For most candidates, yes. The exam is long, but the questions aren’t so wordy that you can’t think. If you’re well prepared, you’ll usually finish with 15 to 30 minutes to spare, which you can spend reviewing flagged questions.

Where people run short is almost always one of three things:

• Spending five minutes on one question they should have flagged
• Re-reading long scenarios multiple times without a plan
• Second-guessing answers they had right the first time

A pacing plan that works

Here’s a simple structure.

1. First pass (about 90 minutes). Answer every question. If one is taking longer than about two and a half minutes, pick your best guess, flag it, and move on. 2. Review pass (about 30 minutes). Go back through flagged questions with fresh eyes. Often a later question gives you a hint about an earlier one. 3. Final minutes. Make sure nothing is unanswered. There’s no penalty for guessing.

Check your clock every 15 questions. At question 15, you should be around 30 minutes in. At question 30, about 60. At question 45, about 90. Give or take.

How to read faster without missing things

Read the last sentence of the question first. It usually says what’s being asked: “Which solution meets these requirements with the least operational overhead?” Then read the scenario with that in mind, looking for the constraints: cost, availability, latency, security, effort. Then look at the answers.

That order saves a lot of time and cuts down on the “I read it twice and still don’t know what it wants” problem. Our guide on how to read an AWS exam question goes deeper.

Can you take breaks?

Not officially built in. At a testing center, you can ask to step out, but the clock keeps running. Online, leaving the camera view can get your exam flagged or terminated. Use the bathroom before you start.

Practice under real timing

The best way to learn your pace is to take at least two full-length timed practice exams before the real one. You’ll find out whether you rush, whether you linger, and whether the length wears you down. Fatigue in the last 30 minutes is real, and it’s better to feel it in practice.

For what to expect on the day itself, see AWS exam day: what actually happens. And if you’re deciding between locations, our post on online versus test center will help.