AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty: exam, cost and retirement

Is the AWS Advanced Networking certification being retired?

Yes. AWS states on the certification page that the exam is being retired and that the last day to take it is December 31, 2026. New AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty certifications will not be issued after the retirement.

If you already hold the certification, or pass before the deadline, it stays active for the standard three-year period. AWS has not announced a successor exam; for further networking learning it points to its digital training on AWS Skill Builder.

For planning, that means two things. If you want this credential, book a date well before the end of 2026 and leave room for a retake: a failed attempt means a 14-day wait. And if your goal is a current AWS credential for the long term, weigh that this one can no longer be earned or renewed by exam after the deadline.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. Checked 10 October 2026.

What is the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty certification?

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty certification validates the ability to design, implement, manage and secure networks on AWS and between AWS and on-premises environments. It is one of AWS’s Specialty-category certifications, and the exam code of the current version is ANS-C01.

AWS aims it at senior people: the exam guide describes the ideal candidate as someone with five or more years of networking experience, including two or more years of cloud and hybrid networking. The certification page adds the profile of a senior technical role with 6+ years in IT and 2–5 years of exposure to the AWS Cloud, and suggests earning an AWS Associate and/or Professional certification first.

This is not an entry-level AWS cert. It assumes you already know routing, DNS and hybrid connectivity well and tests how you apply them to AWS architectures.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. Checked 10 October 2026.

How much does the AWS Advanced Networking exam cost?

The exam costs US$300. AWS refers to its exam pricing page for further cost information, including foreign exchange rates, so the amount you pay in another currency can differ.

Each attempt is charged in full. AWS’s retake policy says you must pay the full registration fee for each exam attempt, and there is no limit on the number of attempts — so budget US$300 per sitting, not per certification.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. Checked 10 October 2026.

ANS-C01 exam format: questions, time and passing score

The AWS Certified Advanced Networking exam has 65 questions in 170 minutes. According to the exam guide, 50 questions affect your score and 15 are unscored items AWS is trialling; you cannot tell which is which, so treat every question as scored.

Questions are multiple choice or multiple response. The exam guide also describes matching items, where you pair a list of responses with 3–7 prompts and must match every pair correctly to get credit. On multiple response items you must select all correct options to receive credit.

Results are reported as a scaled score from 100 to 1,000, and the minimum passing score is 750. AWS uses a compensatory scoring model: you do not need to pass each domain separately, only the exam as a whole.

You can take the exam at a Pearson VUE testing center or as an online proctored exam, in English, Japanese, Korean or Simplified Chinese.

Source: AWS — ANS-C01 Exam Guide. Checked 10 October 2026.

AWS Advanced Networking syllabus: the four exam domains

The ANS-C01 exam guide is the official syllabus. It splits the scored content into four domains. Network design is the largest single block at 30%, and security, compliance and governance together with implementation make up half of the exam.

The design domain alone covers edge network services for global architectures, DNS for public, private and hybrid requirements, load balancing, logging and monitoring requirements, routing and connectivity between on-premises networks and AWS, and connectivity across multiple AWS accounts, Regions and VPCs.

• Network Design — 30%
• Network Implementation — 26%
• Network Security, Compliance, and Governance — 24%
• Network Management and Operation — 20%

Source: AWS — ANS-C01 Exam Guide, Domain 1: Network Design. Checked 10 October 2026.

Prerequisites and recommended experience

AWS sets no formal prerequisite: you do not need another certification to book the exam. What AWS publishes is a recommendation — five or more years of networking experience with two or more years of cloud and hybrid networking — and the suggestion to hold an AWS Associate and/or Professional certification first.

Take the recommendation seriously. The domains expect hands-on familiarity with hybrid routing, DNS resolution across environments and multi-account network designs, which is hard to build from reading alone.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. Checked 10 October 2026.

How to study for the AWS Advanced Networking exam: official training and courses

AWS publishes an Exam Prep Plan on AWS Skill Builder for this certification. It is a three-step plan with digital courses, AWS Builder Labs, AWS Cloud Quest, AWS Jam, flashcards, instructor-led walkthroughs, AWS SimuLearn and exam-style questions.

Use the exam guide as your study checklist: work through each task statement in the four domains and check that you can explain and build the design it describes. Whatever course or training you choose, map it against the ANS-C01 domains before you rely on it.

Because the exam retires at the end of 2026, plan your study backwards from a booked date rather than from an open-ended timeline.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty. Checked 10 October 2026.

Exam dumps and the AWS Certification Program Agreement

AWS addresses brain dumps directly. Its training and certification blog describes unauthorized content that contains actual exam items that have been improperly disclosed, and states that accessing these materials, even unintentionally, violates the AWS Certification Program Agreement you accept when you register.

The consequences AWS names range from warnings to program suspension, and AWS can invalidate exam results even after a certification has been issued. An exam dump is therefore no shortcut to pass — it puts the certification itself at risk. Sharing exam questions or answers with others is prohibited as well.

Source: AWS Training and Certification Blog — Protecting AWS Certification value. Checked 10 October 2026.

Validity, retakes and recertification

The certification is valid for three years. AWS states that certifications earned before the retirement remain active for that standard three-year period.

If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days before you can retake the exam, and each attempt costs the full fee. AWS normally lets holders recertify by passing the latest version of the exam; for this certification AWS has not published how recertification works once the exam is retired.

Source: AWS Certification — After testing policy. Checked 10 October 2026.

AWS Advanced Networking vs Solutions Architect – Professional

Both cost US$300, but they differ in scope and status. The Solutions Architect – Professional exam has 75 questions in 180 minutes and covers broad solution design on AWS; AWS recommends two or more years of experience designing and implementing cloud solutions. Advanced Networking has 65 questions in 170 minutes and focuses entirely on network design, implementation, operation and security.

Status matters too. Solutions Architect – Professional is being updated rather than retired: AWS states that registration for the updated version, SAP-C03, opens October 27, 2026, and the last day for the current SAP-C02 exam is November 16, 2026. Advanced Networking ends on December 31, 2026 without an announced successor.

AWS does not publish salary data for either certification, so this page does not quote any.

Source: AWS — AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional. Checked 10 October 2026.

AWS Advanced Networking practice questions

Certsqill’s practice questions for this exam are expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and a readiness score for each of the four domains shows whether network design, at 30% of the scored content, is ready before you book one of the remaining exam dates.

AWS Advanced Networking questions people ask

Is the AWS Advanced Networking Specialty exam being retired?

Yes. AWS states that the last day to take the exam is December 31, 2026 and that no new certifications will be issued after the retirement. Source: AWS, checked 10 October 2026.

What happens to my certification after the retirement?

Certifications earned before the retirement remain active for the standard three-year period. Source: AWS certification page, checked 10 October 2026.

How much does the AWS Advanced Networking exam cost?

US$300 per attempt. Source: AWS certification page, checked 10 October 2026.

How many questions are on the ANS-C01 exam?

65 questions, of which 50 are scored and 15 are unscored, in 170 minutes. Source: AWS ANS-C01 Exam Guide, checked 10 October 2026.

What is the passing score?

750 on a scaled score of 100–1,000, using a compensatory scoring model. Source: AWS ANS-C01 Exam Guide, checked 10 October 2026.

Can I take the exam online?

Yes. It is offered at a Pearson VUE testing center or as an online proctored exam. Source: AWS certification page, checked 10 October 2026.

What experience does AWS recommend?

Five or more years of networking experience, including two or more years of cloud and hybrid networking. There is no formal prerequisite. Source: AWS, checked 10 October 2026.

How soon can I retake the exam if I fail?

After 14 calendar days, paying the full fee again. There is no limit on attempts. Source: AWS After testing policy, checked 10 October 2026.

Does AWS publish a salary for this certification?

No. AWS does not publish salary figures on the certification page, so this page does not quote any.