← Learn AWS SAA-C03
Lesson 1 of 6 · 7 min
What the exam actually asks
The format, the domain weighting, and the scoring rules that determine how to spend your time.
Format
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 65 (50 scored, 15 unscored pilot items) |
| Time | 130 minutes — about 2 minutes each |
| Types | Multiple choice (one answer) and multiple response (two or more) |
| Scoring | Scaled 100–1000, pass at 720 |
| Guessing | No penalty — never leave a question blank |
| Validity | 3 years |
Domain weighting
| Domain | Weight | What it is really about |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Design Secure Architectures | 30% | IAM, encryption, network isolation, least privilege |
| 2. Design Resilient Architectures | 26% | Multi-AZ, decoupling, backup and recovery, RTO/RPO |
| 3. Design High-Performing Architectures | 24% | Right service for the workload, caching, scaling |
| 4. Design Cost-Optimized Architectures | 20% | Purchasing options, storage classes, data transfer |
Time management
Two minutes per question is comfortable for recall and tight for a long scenario. The workable approach is a fast first pass — answer what you know, mark anything that needs thought, and never let one question eat five minutes.
Because the unscored items are indistinguishable and there is no guessing penalty, always commit an answer before flagging. A marked question with a plausible answer already selected costs nothing; a blank one is a guaranteed zero if you run out of time.
Worth remembering
- 65 questions in 130 minutes; 15 are unscored and indistinguishable from the rest.
- Scaled 100–1000, pass at 720, and there is no penalty for guessing.
- Design Secure and Design Resilient Architectures are 56% of the exam between them.
Test it now
Start with the easy bank to check your service recall before drilling scenarios.