What is the SAP-C02 Exam?

The SAP-C02 is the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam, the highest-level architect certification offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS). It validates a candidate’s expertise in designing, deploying, and managing complex, scalable, highly available, and fault-tolerant systems on AWS. This exam focuses on advanced architecture design patterns, hybrid and multi-account setups, cost optimization, security, and governance at scale.

In simple terms, SAP-C02 proves you are capable of building enterprise-grade cloud solutions on AWS.

Who should take this exam?

The AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional exam certification is designed for:

• Experienced Cloud Architects who design and implement solutions on AWS at scale.
• Senior Developers, DevOps Engineers, and Cloud Engineers aiming to move into solution architecture roles.
• Enterprise Architects and Technical Leads who oversee migration, modernization, or large-scale cloud deployments.

Typical candidates usually have 2+ years of hands-on AWS experience in architecting and managing cloud solutions.

Prerequisites and recommendations

Official Prerequisites:

• No mandatory prerequisites. Anyone can register.

Practical Recommendations:

• Knowledge of automation (CloudFormation, Terraform, CDK).
• Experience: At least 2+ years of designing and deploying on AWS at scale.
• Prior Certification: It’s highly recommended to earn the AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03) first.

Skills to Have:

• Designing hybrid and multi-account architectures.
• Migrating complex workloads to AWS.
• Cost optimization and governance strategies.
• Advanced networking and security on AWS.

Exam objectives and domains

The SAP-C02 exam is divided into four key domains:

• Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity – 26%
• Design for New Solutions – 29%
• Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions – 25%
• Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization – 20%

Objective details by domain

1. Design Solutions for Organizational Complexity (26%)

• Designing cross-account and cross-region architectures.
• Governance and compliance management.
• Hybrid connectivity with on-premises systems.
• Scaling multi-account billing and security.

2. Design for New Solutions (29%)

• Translating business needs into AWS architectures.
• Designing for high availability, scalability, and performance.
• Data management, analytics, and AI/ML integration.
• Security, encryption, and compliance controls.

3. Continuous Improvement for Existing Solutions (25%)

• Optimizing cost and performance.
• Enhancing operational excellence through monitoring and automation.
• Improving resilience and disaster recovery.
• Modernizing legacy workloads.

4. Accelerate Workload Migration and Modernization (20%)

• Automating migration and deployment processes.
• Planning large-scale migrations.
• Designing strategies for re-platforming or refactoring.
• Integrating cloud-native services for modernization.

What changed in this version

New Topics Added: Modernization, cloud-native services, AI/ML, containerization (EKS/ECS), governance at scale.

Greater Emphasis: Migration, multi-account strategy, and automation.

Removed/Reduced: Some older legacy service-focused content.

Weight Shift: “Migration and modernization” is now a core domain (20%).

Registration and scheduling

• Register via AWS Training and Certification Portal or Pearson VUE.
• Choose online proctoring (at home) or test center (on-site).
• Available in English, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese.

Pricing and vouchers

Standard Price: $300 USD

Practice Exam: $40 USD

Discounts:

• Promotions: AWS sometimes offers free exam vouchers after training.
• Students: 50% discount (via AWS Educate/AWS Academy).
• AWS Training Credits: Some companies provide vouchers.

Policies you should know

• 24-hour cancellation and reschedule policy.
• Must present valid government ID.
• Retake policy: 14-day waiting period if you fail.
• No open books or external devices allowed.

Scoring and results

• Scoring Scale: 100–1000 points.
• Passing Score: 750.
• Partial Credit: Yes, for multiple-response questions.
• Results: Preliminary result shown immediately. Official score report is available within 5 business days.

Exam day and test experience

• Format: Multiple-choice and multiple-response.
• Time: 180 minutes (3 hours).
• Check-in: Verify ID, scan environment (for online exams).
• Allowed Items: None (pen/paper provided on-site, whiteboard tool online).
• Breaks: Unscheduled breaks allowed, but clock continues.
• Tips:
  • Read carefully, questions are scenario-heavy.
  • Flag tough questions and return later.
  • Manage time, average 2 minutes per question.

Study plan and resources

Beginner (12 Weeks Plan)

• Weeks 1–4: Study AWS Well-Architected Framework and key services.
• Weeks 5–8: Take AWS official courses + hands-on labs.
• Weeks 9–10: Do migration and modernization labs.
• Week 11: Solve 4–5 full-length practice exams.
• Week 12: Revise weak areas + attempt final mock exam.

Experienced Candidate (6 Weeks Plan)

• Weeks 1–2: Focus on gaps, security, governance, multi-account design.
• Weeks 3–4: Work on migration, modernization, and optimization scenarios.
• Week 5: Take multiple timed practice exams.
• Week 6: Revise with dumps, whitepapers, and exam guides.

Certification validity and renewal

• Validity: 3 years.
• Renewal Options:
  • Earn a higher-level AWS certification.
  • Retake the latest SAP exam.
  • Earn CE credits via AWS Skill Builder.

Career outcomes after AWS SAP-C02

• Common Job Titles: Cloud Solutions Architect, Enterprise Architect, Senior Cloud Engineer, DevOps Lead.
• How It’s Used: Designing enterprise-level cloud systems, leading migrations, and managing governance/security.
• Salary Ranges: According to Payscale and Glassdoor, AWS Certified Solutions Architects – Professional earn $130,000–$165,000 per year in the U.S.

Related or next-step certifications

• AWS Certified Security – Specialty (for deep security knowledge).
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty (for complex networking).
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer – Professional (for CI/CD, automation, DevOps paths).

How does the SAP-C02 exam compare to similar certifications

• AWS SAA-C03 (Associate): Easier, focused on fundamentals; SAP-C02 is advanced, for experienced professionals.
• Google Professional Cloud Architect: Similar scope but multi-cloud; AWS SAP is deeper in AWS-specific services.

Ready to Start Your Journey for SAP-C02?

Crack the AWS SAP-C02 exam with the right preparation tools. Start with free practice and then move to full dumps for real exam scenarios:

• Free Practice Questions
• SAP-C02 PDF Dumps

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How hard is the SAP-C02 exam?

It’s considered one of the toughest AWS certifications due to scenario-heavy, multi-step questions. Preparation and hands-on practice are crucial.

2. Can I take SAP-C02 without AWS Associate-level certifications?

Yes, there are no official prerequisites, but having the Associate certification makes preparation easier and smoother.

3. What’s the best way to prepare for SAP-C02?

A mix of AWS whitepapers, hands-on labs, and realistic practice exams is the most effective strategy.

4. How many questions are on the SAP-C02 exam?

The exam has 75 questions, all multiple-choice or multiple-response, to be completed in 180 minutes.

5. Is online proctored exam safe and reliable?

Yes, AWS works with Pearson VUE/PSI for secure remote exams. Just ensure a quiet environment, good internet, and a working webcam.

6. Does the exam provide partial credit?

Yes, for multi-response questions, partial credit is awarded if some correct answers are selected.

7. How soon can I retake if I fail?

You can retake after a 14-day waiting period. There’s no limit on attempts, but you must pay the exam fee each time.