CCAO-F · Cost & registration
Claude Certified Associate — Foundations exam cost: $99
The fee
$99 per attempt, in US dollars, paid when you register on Anthropic's certification portal. Partner discounts, where they apply to your tier, come off automatically at checkout — you don't need a code.
That buys one sitting:
- 60 multiple-choice questions in 120 minutes.
- Proctored by Pearson VUE — online from your own room, or at a test centre. Same exam either way.
- A scaled score out of 1,000 with a per-domain breakdown; 720 passes.
It does not include a retake. A second attempt is a second $99. Anthropic sets the waiting period between attempts — check the portal before you book, since it has changed as the program has grown.
All four exams, priced
The four certifications aren't priced as a ladder, because they aren't one. Fees track scope, not difficulty:
| Exam | Items | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Certified Associate — Foundations CCAO-F | 60 | $99 |
| Claude Certified Developer — Foundations CCDV-F | 53 | $125 |
| Claude Certified Architect — Foundations CCAR-F | 60 | $125 |
| Claude Certified Architect — Professional CCAR-P | 63 | $175 |
All four run 120 minutes, pass at 720/1,000, and stay valid for 12 months.
Who can register
There are no exam prerequisites — no degree, no prior certification, no required course, and for the Associate exam no coding experience. The credential is awarded on exam performance alone.
What you do need is access to the Partner Academy, which means joining the Claude Partner Network. It's free, and companies of any size qualify — including solo-owner companies. Anthropic has been widening access, so if this reads as a barrier, check the portal rather than assuming.
How to register, step by step
- Join the Claude Partner Network if you're not already in it, at claude.com/partners.
- Register and pay on the Claude Certified Associate — Foundations certification page in the Partner Academy. The $99 is charged here, discounted to your tier.
- Book your seat with Pearson VUE, using the credentials they email you. Pick online-proctored or a test centre and choose a date. You can move it up to 24 hours beforehand; closer than that, check Pearson VUE's policy for the exam.
Before you pay the $99
The fee is per attempt, so the cheapest exam is the one you pass first time. Practice here is free — questions for this exam and a full-length timed mock, with a cited explanation on every answer. If you're still choosing between the four, compare them first; the prep strategy is on how to pass.