Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark: exam, cost and domains
The Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark is Databricks’ proctored exam for developers who build Spark DataFrame applications in Python. It costs US$200, has 45 scored multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, allows no test aids and is valid for two years. There are no prerequisites; Databricks recommends six months of hands-on experience and does not publish a passing score.
- Certification
- Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark, issued by DatabricksDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Registration fee
- US$200 per attempt, including retakesDatabricks certification page and FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Questions
- 45 scored multiple-choice questions; unscored items may be addedDatabricks certification page and exam guide, checked 10 October 2026
- Duration
- 90 minutesDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Passing score
- Not published by DatabricksDatabricks FAQ: “Because they can change, we do not publish them.”, checked 10 October 2026
- Delivery
- Online proctored or at a test center, via Kryterion; English; no test aidsDatabricks certification page and FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- None; 6+ months of hands-on experience and related training recommendedDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Retakes
- Unlimited, 14 days apart, each at the full exam priceDatabricks FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Validity
- 2 years; recertify by passing the current live examDatabricks certification page and FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
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What is the Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark certification?
The Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark certification is Databricks’ credential for people who write Spark applications. Databricks’ exam guide says that someone who passes can be expected to complete basic Spark DataFrame tasks using Python, so the exam is about using the DataFrame API, Spark SQL and Structured Streaming correctly rather than about administering a cluster.
Most people search for it simply as the Databricks Spark certification, or as the Databricks Spark developer certification. Those are the same exam: Databricks issues one developer-level Apache Spark credential, and it is the one described on this page. Holders often call themselves a Databricks certified Spark developer, but the official title is the full name above.
It is an associate-level exam. There are no formal prerequisites, but Databricks recommends at least six months of hands-on experience with the tasks in the exam guide, and it says related training is highly recommended.
Source: Databricks — Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark. Checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the Databricks Spark certification cost?
The registration fee is US$200. Databricks’ certification FAQ states that all Databricks certification exams cost 200 USD, so the Spark developer exam is priced the same as the other associate and professional exams.
Retakes are not discounted. The FAQ says each attempt is charged at the same price as the original exam and that Databricks will not issue free retake vouchers for any exam. If you need two attempts, budget US$400.
There is one more cost to avoid: rescheduling late. Online proctored exams must be rescheduled more than 24 hours before the appointment and test center exams more than 72 hours before, or a rescheduling fee applies. Databricks does not print that fee on the FAQ.
Source: Databricks — Certification FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark exam format
The Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark exam has 45 scored multiple-choice questions and a 90-minute time limit — two minutes per question. The exam guide adds that exams may include unscored questions used to gather statistics for future versions, so the number of items you see can be higher than 45, and you cannot tell which ones are unscored.
The exam is proctored and delivered through Kryterion, either online with a remote proctor or at a test center. The certification page lists English as the language. No test aids are allowed, which matters for an exam full of API questions: you cannot look up a function signature, so you need to know the DataFrame API well enough to read code and predict what it does.
Databricks states that unofficial results are shown immediately at the end of the exam. For a pass, Databricks then reviews the proctor recording before issuing the digital badge.
Source: Databricks — Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark. Checked 10 October 2026.
Passing score
Databricks does not publish a passing score for this exam. Its FAQ gives the reason directly: passing scores can change, so they are not published. Any percentage quoted elsewhere is not an official Databricks figure.
In practice that means preparing for steady performance across all seven domains. The weighting below shows that DataFrame and Dataset API development alone carries 30% of the exam, so it is the domain where a gap costs the most.
Source: Databricks — Certification FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
What is on the Databricks Apache Spark certification exam?
Databricks publishes seven domains for the Databricks Apache Spark certification, with weights on the certification page. Seventy percent of the exam sits in three areas: Spark architecture, Spark SQL and DataFrame/Dataset API development. The remaining 30% covers troubleshooting and tuning, Structured Streaming, Spark Connect and the Pandas API on Spark.
Spark Connect and the Pandas API on Spark are only 5% each, but they are newer topics that older study material may not cover at all. Check every resource you use against the current domain list.
- Developing Apache Spark DataFrame/DataSet API Applications — 30%
- Apache Spark Architecture and Components — 20%
- Using Spark SQL — 20%
- Troubleshooting and Tuning Apache Spark DataFrame API Applications — 10%
- Structured Streaming — 10%
- Using Spark Connect to deploy applications — 5%
- Using Pandas API on Apache Spark — 5%
Source: Databricks — Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark. Checked 10 October 2026.
Which exam version is live? A note on 2022 study material
Many people still search for the Databricks Certified Associate Developer Apache Spark 2022 exam, usually because they found a guide or course from that period. Databricks’ current exam guide states that it covers the version live as of 30 October 2025, and the domain list above — including Spark Connect and the Pandas API on Spark — comes from that version.
Databricks does not publish the content of earlier versions on the current certification page, so this page does not describe them. The safe rule is simple: prepare from the exam guide dated October 2025 or later, and treat anything older as possibly out of scope.
Source: Databricks — Exam guide (October 2025). Checked 10 October 2026.
Prerequisites and recommended experience
There are no prerequisites for the Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark certification. You do not need another Databricks credential first, and there is no application or experience check.
Databricks recommends six or more months of hands-on experience performing the tasks in the exam guide. Because the guide frames the expected skill as Spark DataFrame work in Python, comfort with Python and with reading PySpark code is the practical starting point.
Source: Databricks — Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark. Checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the certification valid, and how do retakes work?
A Databricks certification is valid for two years from the date it is awarded. To recertify, you take the full current live exam again; there is no credit-based renewal, and the recertification attempt costs the same US$200.
If you do not pass, you can retake the exam as many times as you like, but you have to wait 14 days between attempts and each attempt is charged at the full price.
Source: Databricks — Certification FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark prep: official training
The exam guide names the training Databricks recommends for this exam. There is one instructor-led course, Apache Spark Programming with Databricks, and four self-paced courses in Databricks Academy: Introduction to Apache Spark, Developing Applications with Apache Spark, Stream Processing and Analysis with Apache Spark, and Monitoring and Optimizing Apache Spark Workloads on Databricks.
The exam guide also contains sample questions that Databricks describes as similar to actual question items. Use them to learn the question style — most are short code snippets followed by a question about the result or the right method — and use the domain weights to decide where your preparation time goes.
Databricks does not publish course prices in the exam guide, so check the cost in Databricks Academy before you book.
Source: Databricks — Exam guide (October 2025). Checked 10 October 2026.
Spark developer vs Data Engineer Associate: which Databricks certification?
Both are Databricks associate exams with 45 scored questions, 90 minutes and a US$200 fee, so the choice is about content, not effort or price. The Spark developer exam tests the Apache Spark APIs themselves: DataFrames, Spark SQL, Structured Streaming and tuning.
The Data Engineer Associate tests foundational data engineering on the Databricks platform, with domains such as data ingestion and loading, working with Lakeflow Jobs, CI/CD and governance. If your work is writing Spark code, the Spark certification from Databricks fits; if it is building pipelines on the Databricks platform, the Data Engineer Associate fits better.
Source: Databricks — Certified Data Engineer Associate. Checked 10 October 2026.
Practice questions for the Spark certification from Databricks
Certsqill’s practice questions for this exam are expert-developed: every question explains each answer option, and a readiness score for each of the seven domains shows whether DataFrame API development, at 30% of the exam, is ready before you pay for an attempt.
Databricks Spark Developer questions people ask
What is the Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark certification?
Databricks’ proctored exam for developers who use the Spark DataFrame API, Spark SQL and Structured Streaming, with code in Python. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
Is there more than one Spark Databricks certification?
No. Databricks’ certification overview lists one Apache Spark exam: the Associate Developer for Apache Spark. Its other exams cover data engineering, data analysis, machine learning and generative AI. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the Databricks Spark certification cost?
US$200 per attempt. Retakes cost the same, and Databricks does not issue free retake vouchers. Source: Databricks FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
How many questions are on the Databricks Certified Associate Developer for Apache Spark exam?
45 scored multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes; unscored questions may be added. Source: Databricks certification page and exam guide, checked 10 October 2026.
What is the passing score?
Databricks does not publish it, because passing scores can change. Source: Databricks FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
Is the exam in Python or Scala?
The current exam guide says a successful candidate can complete basic Spark DataFrame tasks using Python. It does not mention Scala. Source: Databricks exam guide, checked 10 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites?
No. Databricks recommends six or more months of hands-on experience with the tasks in the exam guide and related training. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
How often can I retake it?
As often as you like, with 14 days between attempts and the full fee each time. Source: Databricks FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the certification valid?
Two years from the date it is awarded. To recertify, you pass the current live exam again. Source: Databricks FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
