AZ-400 certification: prerequisites, exam format and renewal
AZ-400 is the exam for Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert. To hold the certification you also need Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate. Microsoft scores AZ-400 from 1 to 1,000 with 700 to pass, gives build and release pipelines 50–55% of the exam, and lists no retirement date.
- Certification earned
- Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer ExpertMicrosoft Learn certification page, checked 8 October 2026
- Prerequisite
- Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate (at least one)Microsoft Learn certification page, checked 8 October 2026
- Passing score
- 700 on a scale of 1 to 1,000Microsoft Learn AZ-400 exam page and study guide, checked 8 October 2026
- Exam time
- 100 minutes, or 120 if the exam contains labs — shown at registrationMicrosoft Learn, exam duration rule for expert role-based exams; the AZ-400 page states no minutes, checked 8 October 2026
- Skills measured
- Processes 10–15% · Source control 10–15% · Build and release pipelines 50–55% · Security and compliance 10–15% · Instrumentation 5–10%Microsoft Learn AZ-400 exam page, checked 8 October 2026
- Exam last updated
- 27 July 2026 (English version)Microsoft Learn AZ-400 exam page, checked 8 October 2026
- Retirement date
- NoneMicrosoft Learn AZ-400 exam page, checked 8 October 2026
- Renewal
- Every year, free, via an online assessment on Microsoft LearnMicrosoft AZ-400 study guide and renewal page, checked 8 October 2026
- Price
- Not stated in USD — “price based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored”Microsoft Learn AZ-400 exam page, checked 8 October 2026
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Why you can trust these AZ-400 questions
What is the AZ-400 certification?
AZ-400, “Designing and Implementing Microsoft DevOps Solutions”, is the exam that leads to Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert. It sits at the expert tier of Microsoft’s certification path, above the associate certifications it requires.
Microsoft describes the DevOps engineer as a developer or infrastructure administrator who also has expertise in people, processes and products, delivering continuous security, integration, testing, delivery, deployment, monitoring and feedback. The role works across developers, site reliability engineers, Azure administrators and security engineers.
Passing AZ-400 alone is not enough to hold the certification: Microsoft requires an associate certification as well (see prerequisites below).
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AZ-400. Checked 8 October 2026.
How much does the AZ-400 certification cost?
Microsoft does not state a USD figure on the AZ-400 exam page or the certification page as checked today. It states that the price is based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored, that pricing does not include taxes, and that promotional or partner pricing is not reflected. The amount appears at registration.
Two cost points Microsoft does publish: renewal is free, and a retake is paid again if a fee applies. The retake policy allows a second attempt after 24 hours, later attempts after 14 days, and at most five attempts in 12 months.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AZ-400. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is the AZ-400 exam format?
The AZ-400 pages state no exam time. Microsoft’s general rule for associate and expert role-based exams is 100 minutes (120 minutes seat time) without labs and 120 minutes (140 seat time) for exams that may contain labs. Microsoft does not publish which exams contain labs and gives you the exam time when you register.
Microsoft publishes no AZ-400 question count. Its general statement is that most of its exams contain 40 to 60 questions, varying by exam. Question types are not announced per exam; the exam sandbox demonstrates the formats Microsoft uses, including case studies, drag and drop, hot area, build list and labs.
One feature of expert exams matters for planning: you can open Microsoft Learn inside the exam. Microsoft adds no extra time for it, and the exam clock keeps running while you search.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam duration and exam experience. Checked 8 October 2026.
AZ-400 passing score
The AZ-400 exam page and study guide both state 700: a score of 700 or greater is required to pass, on Microsoft’s scale of 1 to 1,000 for technical exams.
Microsoft notes that because it is a scaled score, 700 may not equal 70% of the points. The score report shows a bar per skill area, but Microsoft says those bars cannot be added up to work out a result — so a practice percentage is not a predictor of the 700.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam scoring and score reports. Checked 8 October 2026.
What is on the AZ-400 exam?
Microsoft publishes five skill areas. The English version of the exam was updated on 27 July 2026, and the study guide lists the skills measured as of that date, with a change log against the previous version.
The weighting is lopsided: build and release pipelines alone account for 50 to 55 per cent. Process and communication, source control, and security and compliance are 10 to 15 per cent each, and instrumentation 5 to 10 per cent.
- Design and implement processes and communications — 10–15%
- Design and implement a source control strategy — 10–15%
- Design and implement build and release pipelines — 50–55%
- Develop a security and compliance plan — 10–15%
- Implement an instrumentation strategy — 5–10%
Source: Microsoft Learn — Study guide for Exam AZ-400. Checked 8 October 2026.
AZ-400 prerequisites
Microsoft’s certification page states the rule: to become a DevOps Engineer Expert you must earn at least one of Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate or Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate. (The page’s summary line reads “2 certifications”, but the rule itself says at least one.)
Note the change in 2026: the AZ-204 exam behind Azure Developer Associate was retired on 31 July 2026. The DevOps page still lists Azure Developer Associate as an option as checked today; Azure Administrator Associate, earned with AZ-104, carries no retirement notice.
Microsoft also describes the expected experience: administering and developing in Azure, with strong skills in at least one of the two, plus experience implementing both GitHub and Azure DevOps solutions.
Source: Microsoft Learn — DevOps Engineer Expert certification. Checked 8 October 2026.
How long is AZ-400 valid?
One year at a time. Microsoft’s associate, expert and specialty certifications expire annually, and you renew by passing a free, unproctored online assessment on Microsoft Learn. The renewal window opens six months before expiry, and a pass extends the certification by one year from the expiry date.
Microsoft also states that an expert certification does not expire automatically when its associate prerequisite expires. DevOps Engineer Expert and your associate certification are renewed separately.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Microsoft Certification Renewal. Checked 8 October 2026.
AZ-400 study materials and training
Microsoft publishes the AZ-400 study guide, which defines scope and includes the July 2026 change log, and an instructor-led course, “Design and Implement Microsoft DevOps solutions” (AZ-400T00). The exam page also offers a free practice assessment, exam-prep videos and the exam sandbox.
Because the outline changed in July 2026, check any material against the study guide’s current skills list before relying on it.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam AZ-400. Checked 8 October 2026.
AZ-400 vs AZ-104 and AZ-204
These are not alternatives but steps. AZ-104 (Azure Administrator Associate) and AZ-204 (Azure Developer Associate) are associate certifications; AZ-400 is the expert exam, and the certification requires one of the two associates.
Since 31 July 2026 only one of the two can still be earned: AZ-204 is retired, while Azure Administrator Associate is live at Intermediate level with a 100-minute exam and renewal every 12 months. Microsoft lists AZ-204 on its retirement page.
Source: Microsoft Learn — Exam and assessment lab retirement. Checked 8 October 2026.
AZ-400 practice questions
Certsqill’s AZ-400 practice questions carry an explanation for every option and are weighted the way Microsoft weights the exam — which on AZ-400 means more than half of the practice on build and release pipelines.
AZ-400 questions people ask
What certification does AZ-400 earn?
Microsoft Certified: DevOps Engineer Expert, together with an Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate certification. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
What are the AZ-400 prerequisites?
At least one of Azure Administrator Associate or Azure Developer Associate. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
Is AZ-400 being retired?
No retirement date is listed for AZ-400. AZ-204, one of the two prerequisite routes, was retired on 31 July 2026. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
What is the AZ-400 passing score?
700 on a scale of 1 to 1,000, a scaled score rather than a percentage. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
How long is the AZ-400 exam?
The AZ-400 page states no minutes. Microsoft’s rule for expert exams is 100 minutes, or 120 if the exam may contain labs; the time is shown at registration. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
How many questions are on AZ-400?
Microsoft does not publish a count for AZ-400; it says most of its exams contain 40–60 questions. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
How much does AZ-400 cost?
Microsoft states no USD figure on the exam page; the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored, checked 8 October 2026.
Does AZ-400 expire?
Yes, after a year. Renewal is free through an online assessment on Microsoft Learn, in a six-month window before expiry. Source: Microsoft Learn, checked 8 October 2026.
