Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate: exam format, cost and outline
The Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate tests whether you can use Databricks for basic machine learning tasks — AutoML, Unity Catalog feature tables, MLflow, model development and deployment. The exam has 48 scored multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes, costs US$200, has no prerequisites and is valid for two years. Databricks does not publish the passing score.
- Certification
- Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate, issued by DatabricksDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Exam cost
- US$200 per attemptDatabricks certification page and Certification FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Questions
- 48 scored multiple-choice or multiple-selection questions, plus possible unscored itemsDatabricks Exam Guide (1 March 2025), checked 10 October 2026
- Duration
- 90 minutesDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Passing score
- Not published by DatabricksDatabricks Certification FAQ: set through statistical analysis, subject to change; checked 10 October 2026
- Delivery
- Proctored, online or at a test center (Kryterion); no test aids allowedDatabricks certification page and Certification FAQ, checked 10 October 2026
- Languages
- English, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, KoreanDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- None; training and 6+ months of hands-on ML experience recommendedDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
- Validity
- 2 years; recertify by taking the current version of the examDatabricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026
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What is the Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate?
The Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate is Databricks’ entry-level machine learning credential. Databricks says the exam assesses an individual’s ability to use Databricks to perform basic machine learning tasks: using AutoML, Unity Catalog and selected MLflow features, exploring data and engineering features, training, tuning and evaluating models, and deploying them.
The keyword is “on Databricks”. The exam is not a general machine learning theory test; it checks whether you can do standard ML work with the platform’s own tools — feature tables in Unity Catalog, MLflow tracking and the model registry, AutoML, and Databricks model serving.
Databricks recommends at least six months of hands-on experience with the tasks in the exam guide. Above it sits the Machine Learning Professional, which is aimed at people with a year or more of that experience.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the Databricks machine learning associate certification cost?
The registration fee is US$200. The Databricks Certification FAQ adds two rules that matter for budgeting: each attempt is charged at the same price as the original exam, and Databricks will not issue free retake vouchers for any exam.
So a second attempt costs another US$200, and you have to wait 14 days after a failed attempt before you can reregister. Plan the first attempt for when you are ready rather than using it as a trial run.
Source: Databricks — Certification FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks ML Associate exam format
The exam has 48 scored questions in 90 minutes. The exam guide describes them as multiple-choice or multiple-selection, so some questions ask for more than one correct answer. No test aids are allowed.
Databricks may add unscored items to gather statistical information for future use. They are not marked on the form and do not affect your score, and Databricks adds extra time to the exam to account for them — so the 90 minutes covers the 48 scored questions.
The exam is proctored and can be taken online or at a test center; Databricks exams are delivered via Kryterion. It is offered in English, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese and Korean. If you need to reschedule, the FAQ requires more than 24 hours’ notice for an online exam and 72 hours for a test center. Unofficial results are shown immediately at the end of the exam.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks ML Associate passing score
Databricks does not publish a passing score. The Certification FAQ says only that passing scores are set through statistical analysis and are subject to change. Any specific percentage quoted elsewhere is not from Databricks.
Without a published target, the safer plan is to be solid across all four sections rather than counting on a strong area to carry a weak one. The section weights below show where the 48 scored questions are concentrated.
Source: Databricks — Certification FAQ. Checked 10 October 2026.
What is on the Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate exam?
Databricks publishes four sections with fixed weights on the certification page. The first section — Databricks’ own ML tooling — carries the most weight, which tells you how platform-specific the exam is.
One naming detail: the certification page calls section 2 “ML Workflows”, while the 1 March 2025 exam guide calls it “Data Processing”. The objectives in the guide for that section are about data work: summary statistics on Spark DataFrames, removing outliers by standard deviation or IQR, imputing missing values, one-hot encoding and log transformations.
- Databricks Machine Learning — 38%: MLOps best practices, ML runtimes, AutoML, feature store tables in Unity Catalog, MLflow tracking, model registration in Unity Catalog, champion and challenger aliases
- ML Workflows (exam guide: Data Processing) — 19%: summary statistics, outliers, missing-value imputation, one-hot encoding, log scale transformation
- Model Development — 31%: algorithm selection, data imbalance, estimators and transformers, training pipelines, Hyperopt tuning, cross-validation, classification and regression metrics, bias-variance trade-off
- Model Deployment — 12%: batch, real-time and streaming serving, custom models on endpoints, batch inference with pandas, streaming inference with Delta Live Tables, splitting traffic between endpoints
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate Exam Guide (1 March 2025). Checked 10 October 2026.
Prerequisites and recommended experience
There is no formal prerequisite: the exam guide states “Prerequisite: None required.” Databricks does recommend related training and more than six months of hands-on experience performing the machine learning tasks outlined in the exam guide.
In practice that means being comfortable in a Databricks workspace with Spark DataFrames, MLflow and Unity Catalog before you book. The exam assumes you know general ML concepts such as cross-validation, metrics and the bias-variance trade-off, and asks you to apply them on the platform.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the Databricks ML Associate certification valid?
The certification is valid for two years. Databricks requires recertification every two years to keep your certified status, and to recertify you take the current version of the exam — there is no shorter renewal test.
The FAQ adds that there will only ever be one version of each exam going forward, so the recertification exam is simply whatever version is live at the time. Re-read the exam guide before you recertify, because the platform features it covers change.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
Official Databricks training for the ML Associate exam
The exam guide names the official preparation. Instructor-led, it recommends the Machine Learning with Databricks course. Self-paced in Databricks Academy, it lists four courses: Data Preparation for Machine Learning, Machine Learning Model Development, Machine Learning Model Deployment and Machine Learning Ops.
The certification page also points to an AI Prep Guide from Databricks. The exam guide itself remains the authoritative scope, because it lists every objective under each section.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Associate Exam Guide (1 March 2025). Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks ML Associate practice exam and dumps
Databricks does not list an official practice exam on the certification page. Exam dumps are not a substitute: Databricks’ Certification Terms and Conditions name using unauthorized materials, including brain-dump material, and disseminating actual exam content as misconduct.
The stated consequences are serious — you lose all Databricks certifications and may be barred from taking or retaking the exam. Prepare from the exam guide objectives and the official courses, and practise on a real workspace.
Source: Databricks — Certification Terms and Conditions. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks ML Associate vs ML Professional
Both certifications cost US$200 and are valid for two years. The Machine Learning Professional is longer — 59 scored questions in 120 minutes — and Databricks recommends one or more years of hands-on experience for it, against six months for the Associate.
Start with the Associate if you are new to ML on Databricks. Neither exam requires the other, but the Associate covers the platform basics the Professional builds on.
Source: Databricks — Machine Learning Professional certification. Checked 10 October 2026.
Databricks ML Associate questions people ask
How many questions are on the Databricks Certified Machine Learning Associate exam?
48 scored multiple-choice or multiple-selection questions; unscored items may be added with extra time. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the exam?
90 minutes. Source: Databricks certification page, checked 10 October 2026.
How much does the Databricks ML Associate certification cost?
US$200 per attempt; retakes cost the same and Databricks issues no free retake vouchers. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
What is the passing score?
Databricks does not publish it; passing scores are set through statistical analysis and may change. Source: Databricks Certification FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
Can I take the exam online?
Yes. It is proctored online or at a test center, delivered via Kryterion. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites?
None required. Databricks recommends related training and 6+ months of hands-on ML experience on Databricks. Checked 10 October 2026.
How soon can I retake the exam?
After 14 days, at the full exam price. Source: Databricks Certification FAQ, checked 10 October 2026.
How long is the certification valid?
Two years. You recertify by taking the current version of the exam. Source: Databricks, checked 10 October 2026.
