--- title: "Claude Certification 2026: The 4 Anthropic Certification Exams" url: "https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification" description: "Anthropic certification guide: all four Claude AI certifications (CCAO-F, CCDV-F, CCAR-F, CCAR-P), fees $99 to $175, who can register, free practice." --- # Claude certifications: _the four Anthropic certification exams, who can take them, and what they cost_ The Claude Certification Program has four Anthropic certification exams at two levels. Foundations has three: Associate (CCAO-F), Developer (CCDV-F) and Architect (CCAR-F). Professional has one: Architect Professional (CCAR-P). Each is a proctored exam, and only people at Claude Partner Network companies can register. ![](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/authors/craig-li.jpg) By [Craig Li, Ph.D](https://www.linkedin.com/in/guanyi-li-91662016) Claude Certified Architect – Professional Updated October 2026 CCAO-F Associate – Foundations [Claude Certified Associate – Foundations Exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-associate) [Free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccao-f) CCDV-F Developer – Foundations [Claude Certified Developer – Foundations Exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-developer) [Free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccdv-f) CCAR-F Architect – Foundations [Claude Certified Architect – Foundations Exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect) [Free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccar-f) CCAR-P Architect – Professional [Claude Certified Architect – Professional Exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect-professional) [Free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccar-p) ## The four Claude certifications _at a glance_ | Exam | Who it’s for | Questions | Anthropic fee | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | CCAO-F Associate – Foundations | Knowledge workers, no coding | 60 | $99 | | CCDV-F Developer – Foundations | Engineers who ship Claude apps | 53 | $125 | | CCAR-F Architect – Foundations | Solution architects building with Claude | 60 | $125 | | CCAR-P Architect – Professional | Mid- to senior-level architects and engineers | 63 | $175 | All four: 120 minutes, 720 of 1,000 to pass, valid for 12 months, proctored by Pearson VUE online or at a test centre, in English or Japanese. As of July 2026, more than 36,000 consultants had received a Claude certification across more than 1,300 organizations, and more than 400,000 people had completed Claude training that year through Anthropic Partner Academy ([Claude blog, 23 July 2026](https://claude.com/blog/four-role-based-claude-certifications)). ### What changed on 30 June 2026 - Credential validity ~6 months~12 months Credentials earned before then were extended automatically. - CCAR-F fee ~$99~$125 Anything quoting $99 for the Architect exam is out of date; $99 is now the Associate fee. - Delivery and badge Pearson VUE + Credly Exams moved to Pearson VUE, and passing earns a Credly badge. ### What changes on 7 December 2026 - Updated exam content CCAO-F, CCDV-F, CCAR-P The Associate, Developer and Architect Professional exams change from 7 December 2026 ([Pearson VUE](https://home.pearsonvue.com/anthropic)). - New exam guides 17 November 2026 Domains and weights may change; we will update these pages when the guides are out. - Architect – Foundations No change announced Pearson’s notice covers the other three exams, not this one. [Not an engineer? Claude Certified Associate (CCAO-F): no coding needed CCAO-F guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-associate) ## Who can take a Claude _certification exam_ To take a Claude exam, all three must be true - Your company is a member of the Claude Partner Network. - You have an email on a company domain listed in its partner record. Personal email addresses do not work. - You are 18 or older, with a government-issued photo ID. Without the first two, Anthropic's [eligibility page](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/certification-eligibility) says you can't register; age and ID are checked when you sit the exam. Where you test also matters: IDs issued by Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Syria or restricted regions of Ukraine can't be used for online testing, so those candidates go to a test centre, and exams for residents of Iran are suspended from 8 September 2026 ([Anthropic's FAQ](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/faq-certifications)). Your company is a partner Register through the Partner Academy: [how to register](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification#register). A partner company can add a domain to its partner record through partner support, which Anthropic says takes 7 to 10 days. It isn't There is no way around the rule. The free [Claude Academy](https://academy.claude.com) courses are open to everyone, and your company can apply to the partner network at [claude.com/partners](https://claude.com/partners). ## Which Claude certification _should you take?_ Pick by the work you do. None requires another, so you can sit CCAR-P without holding CCAR-F. What Professional adds over Foundations: CCAR-F tests whether you can design a Claude system, and CCAR-P whether you can carry one from discovery to production, with the integration, evaluation and governance that takes. ### Associate – Foundations (CCAO-F) No coding needed: it is the Claude certification for non-technical roles. It suits people who work with Claude every day and set up Claude Projects, in operations, marketing, project management, teaching, communications or other knowledge work. Anthropic recommends: Regular hands-on use of Claude at work, and a practical grasp of its limits, such as hallucinations, context limits and data sensitivity. [Claude Certified Associate – Foundations Exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-associate) [Start free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccao-f) ## Is there a Claude Code _certification?_ No exam has that name. Three of the four name Claude Code in their objectives. It is a whole domain of the Claude Certified Architect – Foundations (CCAR-F), at 20%. It is a 3.1% domain of the Developer exam, and the Architect Professional covers configuring it for teams. The Associate's objectives never mention it, though its skills, such as prompting well and checking Claude's output, apply in any Claude tool. If Claude Code itself is your focus, the [Claude Certified Architect exam](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect) tests it most. Three other things get called a Claude Code certification online: Not a certification ### Free course certificates Claude Code 101 and [Claude Code in Action](https://academy.claude.com/courses/claude-code-in-action) end in a quiz and give a certificate of completion, not a certification. Not a certification ### The Claude Partner Badge A free [badge path](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/path/partner-badge-claude-code) of courses and an assessment, for people at partner firms. Not a certification. Not a certification ### Third-party courses Courses with "certification" in the title. Anthropic does not issue them. [Where Claude Code is tested most Claude Certified Architect – Foundations (CCAR-F): 20% of the exam CCAR-F guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect) ## Free Claude certificates _vs_ Claude certifications The four exams ### Claude certification - $99 to $175 per attempt - Proctored by Pearson VUE, online or at a test centre - Scored from 100 to 1,000, 720 to pass - Credly badge, valid for 12 months - Claude Partner Network companies only Claude Academy ### Course certificate - Free - Ends in a quiz, taken online - A record that you finished the course - Open to anyone Anthropic itself says the two are easy to mix up. The public [Claude Academy](https://academy.claude.com) (formerly Anthropic Academy) has free courses that end in a quiz; pass it and you get a certificate of completion, a record that you finished the course. So a "Claude 101 certification" or a "Claude Code in Action certification" is a course certificate, not one of the four exams. A Claude certification is one of the four proctored exams above, scored out of 1,000, with a Credly badge valid for 12 months. Looking for a Claude certification course? These free Claude Academy courses cover the exams' topics: - [ Claude 101](https://academy.claude.com/courses/claude-101) - [ AI Fluency: Framework and Foundations](https://academy.claude.com/courses/ai-fluency-framework-foundations) - [ Building with the Claude API](https://academy.claude.com/courses/building-with-the-claude-api) - [ Claude Code in Action](https://academy.claude.com/courses/claude-code-in-action) - [ Introduction to Model Context Protocol](https://academy.claude.com/courses/introduction-to-model-context-protocol) Partners also get free prep courses for each exam, linked from the [Partner Academy certifications page](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/partner-certifications). ## How much Claude certifications _cost_ A Claude certification costs $99 to $175 per attempt at list price, depending on the exam. Select and Preferred partners get 50% off at checkout, Global Premier partners get 100% off until 31 December 2026, and on-time renewal is free. CCAO-F $99 Anthropic fee, per attempt CCDV-F $125 Anthropic fee, per attempt CCAR-F $125 Anthropic fee, per attempt CCAR-P $175 Anthropic fee, per attempt ### Retakes, renewal and limits, for all four | Rule | What it means | | --- | --- | | Retake | The full exam fee again. Your partner discount still applies. | | Waits after a fail | 14 days after the 1st, 30 after the 2nd, 90 after the 3rd | | Attempt limit | 4 attempts per exam in a rolling 12 months, counted per exam | | Renewal | Free if you renew on time, every 12 months. After a major content change, Anthropic can require the full exam instead. | | Lapsed credential | Sit the full exam again at the full fee | ### Partner discounts Your discount depends on your company's tier in the Claude Partner Network: Registered Full price Select and Preferred 50% off Applied at checkout Global Premier 100% off Until 31 December 2026, then 50% For the firm, the Developer, Architect and Architect Professional exams count toward its Claude Partner Network tier. The Associate exam does not ([Anthropic's certifications page](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/partner-certifications)). ## How to register for a Claude _certification exam_ 1. **Sign in.** Open the [Anthropic Partner Academy](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/) with your partner email and find your exam. 2. **Read the rules.** Download the exam guide and read the certification terms and the exam policy. 3. **Pay.** Register and pay. Your partner tier discount shows at checkout. 4. **Pearson VUE account.** Follow the confirmation email to create a Pearson VUE account. 5. **Book a date.** Pick a slot, online with a remote proctor or at a test centre. Cancel or reschedule at least 48 hours before your appointment, through Pearson VUE. Inside 48 hours you can't change it, and a no-show loses the fee ([Anthropic's certification FAQ](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/faq-certifications)). On the day, bring a government-issued photo ID whose name matches your registration exactly. ## Should you _sit one?_ If you can, yes. Craig Li passed the Professional exam and explains [why Claude certification is worth it](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/is-claude-certified-architect-worth-it). ## Free practice for _every Claude exam_ Exam-style questions for every domain, each with an explanation for every option. Each exam starts free, the first 5 questions with no signup, and the full set adds timed mock exams. Anthropic has no official practice exam: the old one was retired in the move to Pearson VUE, so the sample questions in each exam guide are its only official practice. [CCAO-F practice exam Claude Certified Associate – Foundations Start with 20 free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccao-f) [CCDV-F practice exam Claude Certified Developer – Foundations Start with 10 free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccdv-f) [CCAR-F practice exam Claude Certified Architect – Foundations Start with 20 free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccar-f) [CCAR-P practice exam Claude Certified Architect – Professional Start with 20 free questions](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/set-anthropic-ccar-p) **Prefer paper? Get a free PDF of practice questions** - [CCAO-F practice questions (PDF)](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-associate/dumps): Claude Certified Associate – Foundations - [CCDV-F practice questions (PDF)](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-developer/dumps): Claude Certified Developer – Foundations - [CCAR-F practice questions (PDF)](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect/dumps): Claude Certified Architect – Foundations - [CCAR-P practice questions (PDF)](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect-professional/dumps): Claude Certified Architect – Professional ## Claude certification _FAQ_ ### Which Claude certification should I take first? The one that matches your work: Associate (CCAO-F) if you use Claude without coding, Developer (CCDV-F) if you build on the API, Architect (CCAR-F) if you design agent systems. None is a prerequisite for another, including Architect Professional (CCAR-P). See [how to choose between them](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification#which). ### Are Claude certifications free? No. The exams cost $99 to $175 per attempt at list price. Select and Preferred partners get 50% off, and Global Premier partners 100% off until 31 December 2026. On-time renewal is free. The Claude Academy courses are free too, but they give a certificate of completion, not a certification. ### Can I take a Claude certification if my company is not a partner? No. Registration is open only to people at Claude Partner Network companies, who sign in with a partner email on their company’s domain. A personal email will not work. ### What does CCA-F (or CCAF) mean? Usually the Claude Certified Architect – Foundations exam: many courses and forums call it CCA-F, while Anthropic’s official code is CCAR-F. A few course sellers use CCA-F for the Associate – Foundations exam instead, whose official code is CCAO-F. See the [Claude Certified Architect exam guide](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification/certified-architect). ### Is there a free Claude AI certification? Not a certification. All four Claude certifications are paid, proctored exams, though Global Premier partners take them free until 31 December 2026. The free Claude Academy courses (formerly Anthropic Academy), such as Claude 101, end in a quiz and give a certificate of completion, which is a different thing. See [free Claude certificates vs Claude certifications](https://certmadeeasy.com/claude-certification#free). ### Can I take a Claude certification online? Usually. Every exam is proctored by Pearson VUE, either online with a remote proctor or at a Pearson VUE test centre, and you need to be 18 or older with a government-issued photo ID. Online testing is not open to IDs issued by Belarus, Cuba, North Korea, Russia, Syria or restricted regions of Ukraine; those candidates test at a centre. Exams for residents of Iran are suspended from 8 September 2026. ### Is there an Anthropic MCP certification? No. MCP is tested inside the Architect and Developer exams, and Introduction to Model Context Protocol is a free Academy course with a certificate of completion. ### How long is a Claude certification valid? 12 months from the award date, for all four. Renewing on time is free: a non-proctored assessment on the Anthropic Partner Academy. If the credential lapses, you sit the full exam again. ### What score do you need to pass a Claude certification? 720 on a scale of 100 to 1,000, on every exam. You are measured against a fixed standard, not against other candidates. [Browse all Claude practice exams](https://certmadeeasy.com/catalog/anthropic) Exam facts from Anthropic's [certifications page](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/partner-certifications), [certification FAQ](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/faq-certifications) and [policies](https://anthropic-partners.skilljar.com/page/policies-certifications), and the four official exam guides, checked October 2026. Cert Made Easy is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by Anthropic. Claude and Claude Code are trademarks of Anthropic, PBC. Our practice questions are exam-style questions we write against the official exam guides; they are not questions from the real exam.