AWS CloudOps Engineer Associate (formerly SysOps Administrator): is the operations exam right for you?

By Alexander Shick · Updated November 5, 2026

The operations role SOA-C03 describes

AWS says the exam "validates a candidate's ability to deploy, manage, and operate workloads on AWS." The guide's candidate works from the console and the CLI, sets up monitoring and logging, troubleshoots, runs backup and recovery, applies security controls and handles incidents. Designing distributed architectures, designing CI/CD pipelines, writing software and cost analysis are listed as out of scope. If you already hold SysOps Administrator Associate, AWS says you keep that title for its 3 years and do not need to take this exam.

Eligibility, experience and the SOA-C03 format

Eligibility: AWS lists no prerequisite certification. Recommended experience: about one year deploying, managing and operating workloads on AWS, and the exam guide adds at least a year in a related operations role. Format: 65 multiple-choice and multiple-response questions in 130 minutes, at a Pearson VUE test center or online. Of the 65, 50 are scored and 15 are unscored trial questions you cannot tell apart. Scores run from 100 to 1,000; 720 passes, and only the overall score counts.

Version: SOA-C03 has been the only version since September 30, 2025. AWS dropped the separate cost and performance domain from SOA-C02 and folded performance work into monitoring, and added CloudWatch agent setup, AWS CDK stacks and CloudWatch network monitoring. No further version change is announced on the exam guide list as of November 5, 2026. This month's AWS changes are to other exams: Solutions Architect Professional moves to SAP-C03 on November 17 and Developer Associate's DVA-C02 ends November 30.

Study routes for an operations exam

• AWS Skill Builder exam prep, free. The 19-hour SOA-C03 Exam Prep Plan bundles AWS's four preparation steps (get to know the exam, refresh skills, review and practice, assess readiness), with domain reviews and an official practice question set. The official pretest and full practice exam are marked Subscription. Skill Builder also lists an 85-hour CloudOps Engineer learning plan with labs. Suits self-directed learners already working in AWS.
• Your own sandbox account. Set up CloudWatch alarms and the agent, Systems Manager patching, AWS Backup plans and a CloudFormation stack, then break and fix them. The scenarios assume you have done this.
• Independent practice exams. Tutorials Dojo sells a SOA-C03 set of 330 questions with one year of access at $14.99 list. Suits anyone who wants timed practice beyond AWS's free question set.
• Cloud Operations on AWS. AWS's official three-day operations course, formerly Systems Operations on AWS, taught by AWS training partners. Suits people who want instructor-led labs or whose employer funds training.

CloudOps Associate preparation prices

Costs people miss: a retake is another $150 after a 14-day wait, and AWS sets no limit on attempts. Skill Builder items marked Subscription need a paid plan. Practice in your own account bills for anything you leave running, so delete stacks after each session.

Questions before you book a Cloud Operations class

• Does the class follow SOA-C03? The New Horizons page still names the certification SysOps Administrator Associate. Ask whether the labs cover the CloudWatch agent, CDK and network monitoring additions.
• Is the $150 voucher in the price? New Horizons sells it as a $150 add-on; the Global Knowledge listing does not state a voucher.
• How long do the labs stay open? Ask whether lab access ends with day three or continues while you study.
• Will your date run? Ask whether the session is confirmed before you arrange time off.

Staying certified after SOA-C03

The certification is valid for 3 years. To renew, pass the latest CloudOps Engineer Associate exam, using the 50% discount voucher in your AWS Certification Account, or pass DevOps Engineer Professional, which renews this associate certification too. AWS also offers a maintenance route on Skill Builder that adds 1 year and needs a paid subscription and an active certification within 90 days of expiry.

For operations teams

A team that already runs production on AWS can cover most of the domains with the free plan and a shared sandbox account. Fund the class for people who are newer to AWS operations, and let current SysOps holders renew on their own schedule; their title does not change unless they pass SOA-C03.

CloudOps Engineer questions

Is CloudOps Engineer Associate the same as SysOps Administrator Associate?

Yes, it is the renamed certification. The new name applies only to people who pass SOA-C03.

Can I still take SOA-C02?

No. SOA-C02 was used until September 29, 2025.

Does the exam still have hands-on labs?

The SOA-C03 guide lists only multiple-choice and multiple-response questions.

What does it cost?

$150 in the US as of November 2026, and each retake costs the same.

Next step

Send your current AWS operations work and target date, and we will suggest a SOA-C03 plan and whether a class is worth funding.

Ask for help choosing AWS CloudOps Engineer Associate training