Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate (Exam AZ-104) Exam Guide
At a glance
- Time limit
- 1h 40m
- Passing score
- 700/1000
- Governing body
- Microsoft
The Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator Associate credential validates your ability to manage and maintain Azure infrastructure. This exam is designed for IT professionals who deploy, manage, and monitor cloud resources on the Microsoft Azure platform.
Earning the AZ-104 demonstrates your expertise in implementing and managing core Azure services, making you a valuable asset for organizations relying on cloud infrastructure.
Exam AZ-104 measures skills across five functional domains: deploying and managing compute resources, managing identities and governance, implementing virtual networking, implementing storage solutions, and monitoring Azure resources. Each domain represents a key area of Azure administration responsibility.
Exam pricing is based on your country or region and is determined at the time of scheduling through Pearson VUE. Certification renewals are free, allowing you to maintain your credential without additional exam fees once you've initially passed.
Candidates have 100 minutes to complete the exam, which is proctored and may include interactive components. The exam is scored on a scale of 1 to 1,000, with a passing score of 700 or greater required to earn the certification. No points are deducted for incorrect answers.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the AZ-104 exam, and what score do I need to pass?
<p>You have 100 minutes to complete Exam AZ-104. The exam is proctored and may include interactive components, so expect more than plain multiple-choice questions. Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 1,000, and you need 700 or greater to pass.</p><p>There is no penalty for guessing — no points are deducted for incorrect answers — so you should answer every question, even when you are unsure. If your preferred exam language is not available, you can request an additional 30 minutes of testing time.</p>
What topics does the AZ-104 exam cover, and how is it weighted?
<p>AZ-104 measures skills across five functional groups, each with a published weighting range:</p><ul><li>Manage Azure identities and governance (20–25%)</li><li>Deploy and manage Azure compute resources (20–25%)</li><li>Implement and manage storage (15–20%)</li><li>Implement and manage virtual networking (15–20%)</li><li>Monitor and maintain Azure resources (10–15%)</li></ul><p>Identities/governance and compute carry the heaviest weight ranges, so together they can account for up to half the exam — a sensible place to concentrate your study time. Monitoring is the lightest domain, but at 10–15% it is still too large to skip.</p>
How do I schedule AZ-104, what does it cost, and what if I fail?
<p>The exam is scheduled through Pearson VUE, and the price is based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored — so check the fee shown for your location when you register rather than relying on a single global figure.</p><p>AZ-104 is offered in English, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Japanese, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Traditional), and Italian.</p><p>If you fail, you can retake the exam 24 hours after your first attempt. Your score report includes an overall numeric score, your pass/fail status, and a bar chart of performance on each skill area — use that bar chart to target your weakest domains before rebooking.</p>
How often do I have to renew the Azure Administrator Associate certification?
<p>This role-based certification has a renewal frequency of 12 months, but renewing is far easier than the original exam: there is no cost to renew, and the renewal assessment is shorter than the original exam, unproctored, and open book.</p><p>You have a six-month renewal window in which to take the assessment, and passing it extends your certification one year from the expiration date. Because renewal is free and open book, the main risk is simply missing your window — set a reminder when your renewal period opens so an otherwise easy assessment doesn't lapse into retaking the full exam experience.</p>