SAP-C03 renewal, validity and retake rules
Solutions Architect – Professional stays valid for three years from the day it is earned. AWS offers two ways to extend it, passing the latest exam or maintaining it through Skill Builder, and sets one rule for everybody who fails: a fortnight’s pause and the full fee again. The details sit on AWS’s recertification page and after-testing policy.
Extending the certification
| Route | What it adds | What AWS asks |
|---|---|---|
| Pass the latest exam version | 3 years | An active certification; a 50% voucher is listed for the next attempt |
| Maintain through Skill Builder | 1 year | An active certification, a paid Skill Builder subscription (monthly, annual or team) and a start no earlier than 90 days before expiry |
AWS counts the new period from the day the renewal action is completed, so renewing early does not bank leftover months. The recertification page names no grace period after expiry, which makes the date in your AWS Certification account the working deadline. The Skill Builder price is not on that page and is not quoted here. AWS lists the Generative AI Developer – Professional certification as exam-only, but Solutions Architect – Professional does have the maintenance route.
Holders of SAP-C02
SAP-C03 replaces SAP-C02. AWS lists registration from October 27, 2026, delivery of SAP-C03 from November 17, 2026 and November 16, 2026 as the last day for SAP-C02. A SAP-C02 credential stays active until its own expiry date. From then on, “the latest version” in a renewal means SAP-C03 or whatever follows it, so the new domains in SAP-C03 vs SAP-C02 matter to long-term holders as well.
If an attempt fails
- A failed attempt means waiting 14 calendar days before the next one.
- The number of attempts is unlimited, and each one costs the full fee (300 USD for this exam). No retake discount appears in the policy.
- Once passed, the same exam cannot be taken again for two years. A revised exam guide with a new series code opens the new version. Anyone who passed SAP-C02 and wants SAP-C03 should confirm with AWS Certification at booking how that rule applies to them.
Results and booking rules
Results are posted to the AWS Certification account within five business days unless a security or technical review holds them. The SAP-C03 exam guide gives a minimum passing score of 720 on a 100 to 1,000 scale (SAP-C02 used 750; AWS’s general policy page lists 750 for Professional exams, so rely on the exam guide for SAP-C03). The PDF score report is under Exam History, and section feedback should be read with caution. No appeals process is described.
Non-native English speakers can request 30 extra minutes once, and disability accommodations are requested before each booking. Cancelling late or not turning up can cost the fee, so read the Pearson VUE terms and the exam day guide.
A simple renewal plan
Put the expiry date and a reminder six months ahead in your calendar, pick the route (maintenance is cheaper in effort but only opens in the last 90 days), refresh what changed since you passed, and use a failure’s 14 days to sort errors by topic. Exam changes shows how AWS announces new versions, and certification costs compares fees across vendors.