How Many Times Can You Retake a Certification Exam?

Failing a Certification Exam Is More Common Than You Think

Most certification candidates fail at least once. AWS reports first-attempt pass rates in the 60-70% range for popular exams. CISSP has historically had pass rates below 50% for first-time candidates. Even the PMP, for all its preparation resources, sees a significant percentage of candidates requiring a second attempt.

Failing is not a signal to quit. It is a data point. The question is: what do the retake rules look like, how much will it cost, and how do you avoid needing a third attempt? This guide covers retake policies for every major certification vendor so you know exactly where you stand.

Retake Policies by Vendor

CompTIA (A+, Network+, Security+, CySA+, CASP+)

CompTIA allows up to 3 attempts within a 12-month period. If you fail a third time, you must wait 9 months before attempting again. The waiting period between any two attempts is 3 business days. Retakes are charged at full exam price, which ranges from $253 to $466 depending on the exam. CompTIA does not publish a maximum total attempt count.

AWS (Cloud Practitioner, Solutions Architect, Developer, etc.)

AWS requires a 14-day waiting period between any two exam attempts. There is no stated maximum number of attempts. AWS exams cost between $100 (Cloud Practitioner) and $300 (specialty exams), and every retake is charged at full price. AWS does not offer free retake vouchers.

Microsoft Azure (AZ-900, AZ-104, AZ-305, etc.)

Microsoft allows retakes after 24 hours following a first failure. After a second failure, you must wait 14 days before each subsequent attempt. You may not attempt the same exam more than 5 times in any 12-month period. Retakes are charged at full exam price. Microsoft occasionally includes a free retake with exam vouchers purchased during promotional periods.

PMI (PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP)

PMI allows 3 attempts per eligibility period (1 year for PMP). Waiting time between attempts is 90 days. Retake fees are $150 for PMI members and $200 for non-members. If you exhaust all 3 attempts in a cycle, you must reapply for a new eligibility period.

Cisco (CCNA, CCNP, CCIE)

Cisco requires a 5 calendar day wait between any two attempts. There is no stated maximum number of attempts per year. However, Cisco enforces a strict policy: if you are found using brain dumps or unauthorized materials, you face a 180-day suspension from all Cisco exams. Retakes are charged at full exam price, ranging from $330 to $450 depending on the exam level.

(ISC)2 CISSP and SSCP

(ISC)2 requires a 30-day waiting period between any two exam attempts. There is no maximum number of attempts. Each attempt costs $699 for CISSP. The cost of failing CISSP repeatedly adds up quickly, making thorough preparation especially important before sitting this exam.

Salesforce

Salesforce allows retakes after just 24 hours. There is no stated maximum number of attempts. Retakes cost full exam price ($200 for most exams). Salesforce is one of the most forgiving vendors in terms of retake speed, but the cost per attempt makes failing expensive.

Why Retakes Are Expensive and How to Avoid Needing One

A single failed CISSP attempt costs you $699. Two failed AWS Solutions Architect Professional exams cost $600. These are not trivial amounts. The smarter investment is spending more time on preparation before the first attempt.

The single most effective way to reduce retake risk is understanding why you are getting practice questions wrong before the exam, not after. Most candidates review their wrong answers by rereading the same study material they already read. This does not fix the underlying conceptual gap.

• Track your wrong answers by topic: Group errors by domain. A pattern of failures in one area tells you exactly where to focus remediation.
• Understand the WHY, not just the WHAT: Most wrong answers come from not understanding the concept deeply enough to apply it in a novel scenario.
• Use AI-assisted review: After each wrong answer, use an AI tool to get a clear explanation of the concept and why the right answer is right and the wrong answers are wrong.
• Do not sit the exam until your practice scores are consistently above 80%: Sitting before you are ready is the most common and most expensive mistake.

The Real Reason Most Candidates Fail

Survey data from certification communities consistently shows that knowledge gaps are less often the cause of failure than exam-taking strategy failures. Specifically:

• Misreading the question: Certification exams often ask for the "best" or "most appropriate" answer, not the "correct" answer. All four options may be technically valid, but only one is the ideal response for the given scenario.
• Time management: Running out of time and rushing the final 20 questions consistently lowers scores by 10-15 points on scaled exams.
• Overthinking: Candidates with too much real-world experience sometimes over-complicate exam questions by applying edge-case thinking to what the exam intends as a straightforward scenario.
• Poor PBQ strategy: For exams with performance-based questions, skipping all PBQs and running out of time at the end is a common failure pattern.

If you have already failed an exam, read our detailed analysis on why candidates keep failing certification exams. Before your retake, use Certify Copilot AI to identify exactly which question types and topics are causing your failures, so you target your remediation precisely.

How Certify Copilot AI Helps Before a Retake

Most candidates approaching a retake have no clear data on why they failed. Exam score reports give high-level domain percentages, but they do not tell you which types of questions or which specific concepts tripped you up.

Certify Copilot AI watches your screen during practice sessions and provides real-time explanations for any question you get wrong or flag for review. Over a retake preparation period of 2-4 weeks, you can build a clear picture of your specific conceptual gaps, address them directly, and sit the retake with genuine confidence rather than hoping the same weak areas do not appear again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you retake a certification exam the same day?

No. Every major certification vendor requires at least a 24-hour waiting period. Most require 3-30 days between attempts. Attempting to register for the same exam on the same day you failed will be blocked by the testing platform.

Does a failed exam attempt show on your record?

For most vendors, failed attempts are recorded internally but are not visible to employers or third parties. Your certification transcript only shows certifications you have earned, not failed attempts. The exception is that some vendors reference your attempt history when calculating eligibility for future retakes.

Do retake fees ever get waived?

Occasionally. Microsoft and CompTIA have both offered free retake guarantees as promotional programs. Some authorized training providers bundle a retake voucher with their courses. AWS rarely offers this. Check the vendor's current promotions at the time you register for your exam, and ask your training provider if they include a retake guarantee.