LPI Linux Essentials (010-160): exam, passing score and practice test
Linux Essentials is the Linux Professional Institute’s entry-level certificate, and 010-160 is the code of its current exam, version 1.6. LPI states 40 questions in 60 minutes, a passing score of 500 on a scale of 200 to 800, no prerequisites and lifetime validity.
- Exam code
- 010-160 (Exam 010, version 1.6)LPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Questions
- 40LPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Length
- 60 minutesLPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Passing score
- 500 on a scale of 200–800LPI FAQ (applies to every LPI exam), checked 6 October 2026
- Validity
- LifetimeLPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Prerequisites
- NoneLPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Exam fee (United States)
- $120 — LPI prices vary by countryLPI exam pricing page, United States selected, checked 6 October 2026
- Delivery and languages
- Pearson VUE test centers and OnVUE online; English, French, German, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, SpanishLPI Linux Essentials page, checked 6 October 2026
- Topics
- Finding Your Way on a Linux System 9 · The Power of the Command Line 9 · The Linux Operating System 8 · Security and File Permissions 7 · The Linux Community and a Career in Open Source 7 (weights, total 40)LPI Exam 010 objectives, checked 6 October 2026
- Practice questions here
- 890 across the 5 topicsCertsqill question bank
Know if you're ready for LPI Linux Essentials (010-160) — before you book.
Certsqill measures your (010-160) readiness across every official exam domain — one 0–100 score from coverage, accuracy and consistency that tells you whether to book, keep studying, or sit.
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One number from three signals — coverage, accuracy, and consistency — tells you whether to book the exam or keep studying.
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Why you can trust these (010-160) questions
What is LPI Linux Essentials?
LPI Linux Essentials is issued by the Linux Professional Institute (LPI). It is one credential with one exam: Exam 010, currently version 1.6, exam code 010-160.
LPI sets no prerequisites, and the certificate does not expire. Results come straight after the exam, and the certificate is a PDF you download from your LPI account — LPI does not issue physical certificates for Linux Essentials.
A Cisco Networking Academy / NDG course has the same name and its own chapter quizzes. This page is about the LPI exam only.
Source: LPI — Linux Essentials. Checked 6 October 2026.
Linux Essentials exam: questions, time and passing score
The Linux Essentials exam has 40 questions and must be completed within 60 minutes. You can take it at a Pearson VUE test center or online through OnVUE, in English, French, German, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese or Spanish.
The LPI Linux Essentials passing score is 500. LPI ranks every exam on a scale from 200 to 800 with 500 as the pass mark — a scaled score, so it does not translate into a fixed number of correct answers.
Source: LPI — Frequently Asked Questions. Checked 6 October 2026.
010-160 exam objectives: the five topics
LPI groups the 010-160 objectives into five topics, each with a weight. The weights add up to 40, the same as the number of questions. Finding your way on a Linux system and the power of the command line weigh the most, at 9 each.
- Topic 2: Finding Your Way on a Linux System — weight 9 (command line basics, getting help, directories and files)
- Topic 3: The Power of the Command Line — weight 9 (archiving, searching and extracting data, turning commands into a script)
- Topic 4: The Linux Operating System — weight 8 (choosing an OS, hardware, where data is stored, networking)
- Topic 5: Security and File Permissions — weight 7 (user types, users and groups, permissions and ownership, special files)
- Topic 1: The Linux Community and a Career in Open Source — weight 7 (Linux evolution, open source applications and licensing, ICT skills)
Source: LPI — Linux Essentials Exam 010 Objectives. Checked 6 October 2026.
Linux Essentials practice test and practice exam
This site holds 890 Linux Essentials practice questions for 010-160, split across the five topics in the same proportions as LPI’s weights — 200 each on finding your way and on the command line. Every question shows which option is correct and why each of the others is wrong.
You can start free: the first 20 questions here need no signup.
What you will not find here are 010-160 dumps. These questions are written against LPI’s published objectives, not copied from the live exam.
Linux Essentials certification cost
The LPI Linux Essentials exam cost in the United States is $120. LPI sets prices by country, so check the LPI pricing page for yours; we only publish the US figure we checked.
Because the certificate is valid for life, there is no renewal fee to plan for.
Source: LPI — Exam Pricing (United States). Checked 6 October 2026.
LPI Linux Essentials study guide
Any LPI Linux Essentials study guide should match Exam 010 version 1.6 — the 010-160 objectives above. LPI publishes a summary of what changed from version 1.5 to 1.6, so material written for the older version may not cover everything.
Use the weights to plan: half the exam sits in topics 2 and 3, the hands-on command line work. Practise those on a real Linux shell, not just on paper.
Source: LPI — Linux Essentials Exam 010 Objectives. Checked 6 October 2026.
Linux Essentials questions people ask
How many questions are on the Linux Essentials exam?
40 questions in 60 minutes. Source: LPI, checked 6 October 2026.
What is the LPI Linux Essentials passing score?
500 on a scale of 200 to 800. LPI uses this scale for every exam. Source: LPI FAQ, checked 6 October 2026.
How much does the Linux Essentials exam cost?
$120 in the United States. LPI prices vary by country. Source: LPI exam pricing, checked 6 October 2026.
Does Linux Essentials expire?
No. LPI lists the validity as lifetime. Source: LPI, checked 6 October 2026.
What is 010-160?
The exam code of LPI Linux Essentials Exam 010, version 1.6 — the current version. Source: LPI, checked 6 October 2026.
Are there prerequisites?
No. LPI states there are no prerequisites for Linux Essentials. Source: LPI, checked 6 October 2026.
How many Linux Essentials practice questions does Certsqill have?
890 questions for 010-160 across the five topics, each with an explanation for every option. The first 20 are free with no signup.
Exam fee: $120 — what the Linux Essentials exam costs, retakes included →
