CLF-C02 Overview — Format, Domains & Who Should Take It

What to expect on AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02): exam format and timing, domain coverage and weights, question styles, recommended background, and a practical study plan.

Exam at a glance

  • Exam name: AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C02)
  • Questions: 65 total (multiple-choice and multiple-response)
  • Time: 90 minutes
  • Delivery: Pearson VUE testing center or online proctored exam
  • Result: Pass/fail (scaled score 100–1000; minimum passing score 700)
  • Cost: 100 USD

Tip: Budget ~1–1.5 minutes per question. Move fast, flag long scenarios, and use your review pass to confirm marked items.


Domain breakdown (weights)

  • Domain 1: Cloud Concepts (24%)
  • Domain 2: Security and Compliance (30%)
  • Domain 3: Cloud Technology and Services (34%)
  • Domain 4: Billing, Pricing, and Support (12%)

What the exam emphasizes (high level)

Expect high-level, scenario-lean questions that test whether you can:

  • Explain the value of cloud and basic cloud economics
  • Apply the AWS shared responsibility model
  • Recognize common security best practices (IAM, least privilege, encryption, logging)
  • Identify core AWS services by use case (compute, storage, networking, databases)
  • Understand billing, pricing models, and support plans well enough to choose best-fit options

Who should take CLF-C02

  • Candidates new to cloud who want a foundational AWS credential
  • Line-of-business roles (sales, marketing, product/project management, finance) who need cloud fluency
  • Early-career technologists building a baseline before Associate/Professional certifications

Recommended background: up to ~6 months of exposure to AWS cloud concepts is helpful, but not required. You’ll benefit from basic familiarity with networking, security, and databases at a conceptual level.


Study plan (efficient)

  1. Read the Overview and internalize the domain weights.
  2. Work the Syllabus domain-by-domain; drill targeted questions after each domain.
  3. Use the Cheatsheet as a “what service is for what job” refresher.
  4. Finish with timed mixed mocks in Practice to build pacing and confidence.