AZ-104

Overview

AZ-104 is the exam behind the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate credential. It checks whether a candidate can configure, manage, secure and administer the core services of a Microsoft Azure cloud environment: identities and governance, storage, compute resources, virtual networking, and ongoing monitoring and backup of Azure resources. The certification is aimed at IT professionals already working as, or moving into, an Azure administrator role.

Who can apply

There is no mandatory prerequisite course or certification before booking AZ-104. Microsoft expects candidates to already have hands-on experience administering Azure: working with virtual networks, storage accounts, compute (VMs, containers, app hosting), Microsoft Entra ID (identity) and governance tools such as Azure Policy and role-based access control. Scripting familiarity with PowerShell or the Azure CLI is useful but not separately tested as a standalone skill area.

Exam pattern

The exam is delivered on computer at a Pearson VUE test centre, or online through Pearson's OnVUE remote proctoring. Candidates get 100 minutes to attempt the exam, with extra time added separately for the non-disclosure agreement and a short survey at the start.

Questions are drawn from several formats rather than only single-answer multiple choice: multiple choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop/build-list matching, and scenario-based case studies that present a short business situation followed by several related questions. The exact number of questions is not fixed by Microsoft and varies by exam form.

Results are reported on a scaled score of 1 to 1000. A score of 700 or higher is needed to pass. The scaled score is not a simple percentage of questions answered correctly — different questions can carry different weight, and some question formats award partial credit for partially correct answers.

The exam covers five broad skill areas: managing Azure identities and governance, implementing and managing storage, deploying and managing Azure compute resources, implementing and managing virtual networking, and monitoring and maintaining Azure resources. Microsoft periodically revises the exact weighting given to each area, so candidates should check the current study guide shortly before their exam date rather than rely on a fixed split.

Syllabus

• Identities and governance: Microsoft Entra ID users, groups and administrative units; role-based access control (RBAC); subscriptions and cost management; management groups, resource locks and Azure Policy.

• Storage: storage accounts, blob lifecycle and access tiers, Azure Files, and configuring storage security (shared access signatures, encryption, network access).

• Compute: virtual machines (creation, availability, scaling), containers (Azure Container Instances, Azure Container Apps), and app hosting through Azure App Service.

• Networking: virtual networks and peering, name resolution, network security groups, load balancing (Azure Load Balancer, Application Gateway) and network monitoring.

• Monitoring and backup: Azure Monitor (alerts, Log Analytics), and backing up and recovering virtual machines and files.

Marking and results

Pass/fail status and the scaled score (1–1000) are shown on screen immediately after finishing the exam at the test centre; an emailed score report follows afterwards. A pass earns the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate badge, issued digitally through the candidate's Microsoft Learn/Credentials profile.

Fees

For 2026, the standard exam fee reported by Microsoft for an Associate-level exam such as AZ-104 is USD 165, before any local taxes. Microsoft states that prices can vary by country or region and are subject to change, so candidates should confirm the exact amount shown at checkout on their own exam registration page before paying.

How to apply

Candidates create or sign in to a Microsoft account, then book the exam through Pearson VUE from the AZ-104 certification page on Microsoft Learn. Pearson VUE offers a choice of an in-person test centre or an online exam proctored remotely through OnVUE. Exams can be scheduled up to 90 days ahead, and a government-issued photo ID matching the registration name is required on exam day.

After the exam

The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification is valid for one year from the pass date. Renewal is free: in the six months before expiry, Microsoft opens an unproctored, open-book renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn that focuses on recent product changes rather than repeating the full original exam. Passing it before the expiry date extends the certification by another year; there is no limit on how many times the assessment can be attempted within that window. If an attempt at AZ-104 itself is unsuccessful, Microsoft allows a retake starting 24 hours after the first attempt.

Preparation tips

• Work through the official AZ-104 learning path and modules on Microsoft Learn — they are free and map directly to the skill areas listed on the current study guide.

• Practise in a real or trial Azure subscription rather than only reading: creating VMs, configuring NSGs, and setting up RBAC assignments builds the hands-on recall that case-study questions test.

• Re-check the official study guide a few days before the exam date, since Microsoft updates skill weightings and adds or retires topics periodically.

• For scenario/case-study questions, read the whole scenario once before answering any of its questions — later questions sometimes depend on details given earlier in the same case study.