No. Microsoft's fundamentals certifications do not expire, unlike role-based certifications such as AZ-104, which require annual renewal.

AZ-900 Azure Fundamentals 2026: Exam, Cost + Best Prep

Q: How hard is the AZ-900?

It is one of the more approachable IT certifications: beginner-level, no prerequisites, and conceptual rather than hands-on. Most people pass with a few weeks of part-time study using Microsoft Learn plus practice exams.

Q: How much does the AZ-900 exam cost?

Around 99 US dollars, though Microsoft prices the exam by country or region. Microsoft occasionally offers exam-replay deals that bundle a retake.

Q: Will AZ-900 get me a job?

On its own, no. It is a foundational credential that demonstrates cloud literacy and initiative, most valuable as the first step toward a role-based certification or for non-engineering roles that need cloud fluency.

Q: Should I take AZ-900 or AWS Cloud Practitioner?

Pick the cloud your target employers use. They are equivalent entry-level certifications: AZ-900 for Microsoft and enterprise-heavy markets, AWS Cloud Practitioner for AWS-heavy ones.

Last updated: May 2026. Written by Josh Hutcheson. See our review methodology.

The AZ-900 (Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals) is the most common entry point into a Microsoft Azure career — and the most over-bought. It’s genuinely useful for career-switchers, salespeople, managers, and anyone who needs to speak cloud credibly, but it is not a job-getting certification on its own. Here’s exactly what it covers, what it costs, whether it’s worth it for you, and the most efficient way to pass — including the free official path most people overlook.

QUICK VERDICT

Bottom line: AZ-900 is worth it as a foundational credential — for non-engineers who need cloud literacy, or as a confidence-builder before a role-based cert like AZ-104. It won’t land you an Azure job by itself. Microsoft Learn’s free path is enough to pass; a paid Udemy course plus practice exams just gets you there faster.

Best for: career-switchers, sales/PM/leadership roles, pre-AZ-104 foundation
Skip if: you already work in cloud — go straight to a role-based cert (AZ-104, AZ-305)
Cheapest path: Microsoft Learn (free) + the free practice assessment

See AZ-900 Courses on Udemy →

What Is the AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals)?

Before you spend money on the wrong online course, read this.

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AZ-900 earns the Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals badge. It’s a beginner-level certification that validates foundational knowledge of cloud concepts and core Microsoft Azure services — compute, networking, storage — plus how Azure is secured, governed, and managed. Microsoft positions it as “a common starting point in a journey towards a career in Azure.” There are no prerequisites, and it’s designed to be approachable for non-technical roles, not just engineers.

Crucially, it’s a fundamentals cert: it proves you understand the concepts and vocabulary, not that you can build or administer Azure environments. That distinction drives the rest of this guide.

Who Should Take AZ-900 (and Who Should Skip It)?

Take it if you’re:

Switching careers into tech or cloud and want a credible first credential
In a sales, marketing, project-management, or leadership role that touches Azure
About to study for a role-based cert (AZ-104, AZ-305) and want to build confidence first
A student or new grad establishing a baseline for your resume

Skip it if you already work in cloud or IT. If you can already navigate the Azure portal and understand cloud basics, AZ-900 won’t move your resume — go straight to a role-based certification like the Azure Solutions Architect (AZ-305) or Azure Administrator (AZ-104). Fundamentals certs are foundational signals, not differentiators for experienced practitioners.

Exam Format, Cost, and Logistics

Detail	What to expect
Exam code	AZ-900
Duration	45 minutes
Questions	Microsoft doesn’t publish a fixed count; expect roughly 40–60
Passing score	700 on a 1,000-point scale
Cost	~$99 USD (Microsoft prices by country/region)
Prerequisites	None
Retake	24 hours after a first fail; longer waits after that
Expiry	Fundamentals certifications don’t expire (unlike role-based certs, which renew annually)

The exam is proctored (online or at a test center via Pearson VUE), and Microsoft offers a free practice assessment and an exam sandbox so you can see the question style before exam day.

The Three Exam Domains

AZ-900 measures three areas. Microsoft’s official study guide lists the current weightings; the largest section is consistently Azure architecture and services, so weight your study time accordingly:

Describe cloud concepts — what the cloud is, the shared-responsibility model, IaaS/PaaS/SaaS, public/private/hybrid, and the benefits (scalability, elasticity, cost models).
Describe Azure architecture and services (the largest section) — core architectural components (regions, availability zones, resource groups) and core services across compute, networking, and storage.
Describe Azure management and governance — cost management, SLAs, governance tools (Azure Policy, locks, tags), and monitoring.

For the exact percentage weightings and any recent updates, always check Microsoft’s official AZ-900 page and study guide before your exam.

Is AZ-900 Worth It?

Honestly: it depends on where you’re starting. For a complete beginner or a non-technical professional, AZ-900 is worth it — it’s affordable, it builds real cloud vocabulary, and it signals initiative on a resume. It’s also a low-stress way to learn whether a cloud career interests you before committing to a harder, pricier role-based cert.

What it is not: a hiring credential. Recruiters don’t hire Azure engineers off an AZ-900. Its value is foundational and motivational, not a job guarantee. If you treat it as step one of a path — AZ-900 → AZ-104 (Administrator) or a developer/architect track — it earns its place. If you expect it to land a cloud role on its own, you’ll be disappointed.

Best Ways to Prepare for AZ-900

1. Microsoft Learn (free, official) — the honest starting point. Microsoft’s own learning paths cover the full AZ-900 syllabus for free, and there’s a free practice assessment to gauge readiness. For a fundamentals exam, this is genuinely enough to pass if you’re disciplined. Don’t skip it just because it’s free. For every other legitimate free route, including the free Essentials certificates and current exam vouchers, see our guide to what Microsoft offers free.

2. A paid video course + practice exams — the faster path. If you’d rather follow a structured instructor and drill realistic questions, a Udemy AZ-900 course paired with a practice-exam pack is the best value. Instructors like Scott Duffy and Alan Rodrigues run popular, regularly-updated AZ-900 courses; pair the course with full-length practice exams and treat anything under ~85% as “not ready yet.” Coursera also offers structured Azure Fundamentals content if you prefer its format or already subscribe.

3. Practice exams are non-negotiable. The AZ-900 rewards familiarity with Microsoft’s phrasing. Whichever course you pick, do multiple full-length practice tests — they’re the best predictor of passing.

Browse AZ-900 Prep Courses on Udemy →

A 4-Week AZ-900 Study Plan

Week 1 — Cloud concepts. Work through Microsoft Learn’s cloud-concepts path; understand IaaS/PaaS/SaaS, the shared-responsibility model, and cloud benefits.
Week 2 — Azure architecture and services. The biggest section. Learn regions, availability zones, resource groups, and core compute/networking/storage services. Click around a free Azure account as you go.
Week 3 — Management and governance. Cost management, SLAs, Azure Policy, tags, locks, and monitoring tools.
Week 4 — Practice exams. Take full-length practice tests, review every wrong answer, and re-study weak domains until you’re consistently above ~85%. Then book the exam.

After AZ-900: What’s Next?

AZ-900 is step one. The natural next move depends on your goal: aspiring administrators go to AZ-104 (Azure Administrator); architects head toward AZ-305; data professionals to the Azure Data Engineer track; and DevOps engineers to AZ-400. For a guided, project-based route into Azure administration, the Udacity Azure Administrator Nanodegree maps closely to the AZ-104 path. If you’re still deciding between cloud platforms, our AWS vs Azure comparison helps — and the AWS equivalent of AZ-900 is the AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How hard is the AZ-900?
It’s one of the more approachable IT certifications — beginner-level, no prerequisites, and conceptual rather than hands-on. Most people pass with a few weeks of part-time study using Microsoft Learn plus practice exams.

How much does the AZ-900 exam cost?
Around $99 USD, though Microsoft prices the exam by country/region. Microsoft occasionally offers exam-replay deals that bundle a retake.

Can I pass AZ-900 with only free resources?
Yes. Microsoft Learn’s official learning paths plus the free practice assessment cover everything on the exam. A paid course is about speed and structure, not access to information you can’t get for free.

Does AZ-900 expire?
No. Microsoft’s fundamentals certifications don’t expire, unlike role-based certifications (such as AZ-104), which require annual renewal.

Will AZ-900 get me a job?
On its own, no. It’s a foundational credential that demonstrates cloud literacy and initiative. It’s most valuable as the first step toward a role-based certification or for non-engineering roles that need cloud fluency.

Should I take AZ-900 or AWS Cloud Practitioner?
Pick the cloud your target employers use. They’re equivalent entry-level certs; AZ-900 for Microsoft/enterprise-heavy markets, AWS Cloud Practitioner for AWS-heavy ones. See our AWS vs Azure comparison to decide.

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