Can I Reschedule AWS Certification Exam​​?

The answer is a definitive yes. AWS provides a flexible but structured policy for rescheduling and cancelling exams. Understanding these rules is crucial to avoiding forfeited fees and unnecessary stress. This comprehensive guide breaks down every aspect of the AWS exam rescheduling process, from the official policies and step-by-step instructions to handling special cases and leveraging community wisdom for a smooth experience.

For those in a hurry, this section provides a high-level overview of the most critical rules governing AWS certification exam changes. As of January 1, 2023, all AWS exams are exclusively administered by Pearson VUE, which is the single point of contact for all scheduling and support needs.¹

The table below summarizes the core policies. It is designed to be a quick reference for making informed decisions about your exam appointment.

AWS Exam Rescheduling & Cancellation Policy Summary

The Official Policy: A Deep Dive into AWS and Pearson VUE’s Rules

To effectively manage your certification journey, a detailed understanding of the official policies is essential. These rules are designed to provide flexibility while maintaining the integrity and availability of the testing schedule.

The 24-Hour Rule

The cornerstone of the AWS exam rescheduling policy is the 24-hour rule. Candidates can reschedule or cancel their exam without any financial penalty, provided the change is made at least 24 hours before the scheduled appointment time.³ This window provides a reasonable amount of time to adjust plans without impacting the testing center’s schedule.

The consequences of missing this deadline are strict and clear: if an attempt is made to cancel or reschedule within the 24-hour window, the action will not be permitted, and the full exam fee will be forfeited and is non-refundable.³ This also applies to a “no-show,” where a candidate simply fails to appear for their appointment. In the event of a missed exam, the candidate must wait 24 hours after the missed appointment time before they are eligible to register for a new one.³ It is important to note that a missed exam does not result in a “fail” status on your record; it is simply a forfeiture of that specific attempt.³

The Two-Reschedule Limit

For any single exam appointment, AWS policy permits a maximum of two reschedules.⁴ This limit is an important factor to track as you adjust your preparation timeline.

However, this is not a hard stop that prevents further changes. Instead, it functions as a procedural checkpoint. If a candidate needs to change their appointment a third time, the official process is to first cancel the existing exam and then schedule a completely new one.⁶ This new appointment is treated as a fresh booking and comes with its own two-reschedule limit.⁶ This policy structure appears designed not to be punitive, but rather to encourage commitment. The act of cancelling is more significant than rescheduling, prompting candidates to seriously evaluate their readiness and select a new date with greater intention. This helps manage appointment inventory and discourages endless procrastination, while still offering a path forward for those who genuinely need more time.

Pearson VUE is the Sole Exam Provider

To avoid confusion from outdated information online, it is crucial to know that as of January 1, 2023, AWS consolidated its exam delivery with a single partner: Pearson VUE.¹ Previously, exams were also offered through PSI, but this is no longer the case.¹⁰

This change means that the entire exam experience—from scheduling and rescheduling to customer support and taking the test (either online or at a test center)—is managed through the Pearson VUE platform.¹⁴ AWS cited reasons for this consolidation as enhancing the candidate experience, improving customer service, and expanding global access to testing through Pearson VUE’s extensive network of over 5,000 test centers in more than 180 countries.¹ This centralization simplifies the process for candidates by creating a single source of truth for all logistical matters. At the same time, it places significant importance on the stability and usability of the Pearson VUE system, as any platform-wide issue now affects the entire global community of AWS test-takers.

A Practical Walkthrough: How to Reschedule Your AWS Exam Step-by-Step

Knowing the rules is one thing; navigating the system is another. The process of rescheduling involves moving between the AWS Training and Certification portal and the Pearson VUE dashboard. Following these steps carefully will ensure your changes are processed correctly.

Step 1: Start at the Source – Your AWS Certification Account

Your journey always begins at the official AWS Training and Certification portal. The system is designed to authenticate you first through the AWS ecosystem before handing you off to the exam delivery partner.

1. Log in to your account at aws.training/Certification.⁴
2. In the top navigation, select “Certification.”
3. Click the “Go to your Account” button to access your certification dashboard.⁴
4. From your dashboard, click the “Manage Pearson VUE Exams” button.³

This final action will redirect you from the AWS website to your personalized Pearson VUE dashboard, where your scheduled appointments are managed.

Step 2: Navigate the Pearson VUE Dashboard

Once you land on the Pearson VUE site, you are in the exam logistics environment. Here, you can see and manage all your upcoming appointments.

1. On the Pearson VUE dashboard, locate the “Upcoming Appointments” section.⁴
2. Select the specific exam appointment you wish to change.
3. The interface will display details of your appointment and provide several action links, including “Reschedule” and “Cancel”.¹⁸
4. Click “Reschedule.”
5. The system will then guide you through the process of selecting a new appointment. You can search for a new date and time, and if you are taking the exam at a test center, you can also search for different locations to compare availability.¹⁸

Step 3: The Final, Crucial Step – Confirmation and Verification

This is the most critical phase of the process and where mistakes are most often made. A reschedule is not complete until you have explicitly confirmed it and received verification.

1. After selecting your new date, time, and location, you will be presented with a review screen. Carefully check all the details of your new appointment.¹⁹
2. Proceed through the final screens until you see a button labeled “Confirm Reschedule” or a similar final submission command. You must click this button to save your changes.¹⁷
3. Immediately after confirming, check the inbox of the email address associated with your account. You should receive a confirmation email from Pearson VUE that explicitly states your exam has been rescheduled and provides the new appointment details.¹⁹

The importance of this final step cannot be overstated. Community forums contain cautionary tales of candidates who believed they had completed the process, only to find they had stopped at the review screen without hitting the final confirmation. One user reported missing their exam because the reschedule did not go through, despite being certain they had done it correctly.²¹ The confirmation email is not just a notification; it is your transactional proof. It serves as your only official record and recourse in the event of a system error or dispute. It is a best practice to save this email, add the event to your calendar directly from the email, and double-check your Pearson VUE dashboard to see the updated appointment time reflected.¹⁹

Navigating Special Scenarios and Complex Cases

While the standard rescheduling process covers most situations, several special cases require additional attention and strategic thinking.

Rescheduling an Exam Booked with a Voucher

Using an exam voucher introduces an important variable: the expiration date. The official AWS policy advises candidates to check their voucher’s expiration date before modifying their registration, as these dates cannot be extended.⁴

However, there is a key distinction in how the voucher is handled depending on your action:

• Rescheduling: Once a voucher has been successfully applied to book an exam, its value is considered “redeemed” for that appointment. User experience suggests that you can then reschedule this specific appointment to a new date, even if that new date is after the voucher’s original expiration date.⁷
• Cancelling: If you choose to cancel the exam (for instance, as part of the “cancel and rebook” strategy), the voucher is returned to your account. In this case, the original expiration date is strictly enforced. The voucher can only be reused for a new booking if it is still within its validity period.⁷

This distinction creates a high-stakes scenario for a candidate who has used their two reschedules and is holding a voucher that is close to expiring. Choosing to “cancel and rebook” could cause the voucher to expire before a new appointment can be scheduled. In such a case, using the second and final reschedule to push the date as far out as possible may be a safer strategy than cancelling and risking the loss of the voucher’s value.

The “Third Reschedule”: A Detailed Guide to the Cancel and Rebook Strategy

For candidates who have already used their two allotted reschedules and still find themselves unprepared, the “cancel and rebook” method is the official, AWS-sanctioned path forward.⁴

The process is straightforward but must be executed carefully:

1. Cancel the Appointment: Log in to your Pearson VUE dashboard and select the option to “Cancel” your exam. This must be done more than 24 hours before the appointment to be eligible for a full refund of the fee paid or to have your voucher returned to your account.¹⁶
2. Wait for Processing: Allow the system time to process the cancellation. Your refund will be issued, or the voucher will become available for reuse.

Schedule a New Exam: Go through the standard exam scheduling process to book a brand-new appointment.
This new appointment is a completely separate transaction and therefore comes with a fresh allowance of two reschedules, effectively resetting the limit.12

Please follow and like us: