Failing AZ-104 triggers Microsoft's unique retake policy: a 24-hour wait after your first failure, then 14-day waits for attempts 2-5, with a hard cap of 5 attempts per year before you must wait 12 months. At $165 per attempt, this is more restrictive than AWS's unlimited retake policy. The AZ-104 covers Azure identity management, governance, storage, compute, and virtual networking with 40-60 questions in 120 minutes, requiring 700/1000 to pass.
Microsoft's retake policy is notably different from other certification providers. The 24-hour wait after a first failure is actually the fastest initial retake window in the industry—faster than AWS's 14 days or (ISC)²'s 30 days. However, the 5-attempt annual limit means you can't rely on brute-force retaking. Each attempt needs to be well-prepared to avoid exhausting your yearly allocation.
AZ-104 is Microsoft's most popular associate-level certification, and it validates the skills needed to manage Azure subscriptions, configure virtual networks, manage identities, and implement storage solutions. The exam is heavily scenario-based, presenting real-world Azure administration challenges that require you to choose the most efficient and cost-effective solutions. This practical focus means that hands-on Azure Portal experience is far more valuable than textbook memorization.
Microsoft's retake policy escalates: 24 hours after your first failure, 14 days for attempts 2 through 5. After 5 failed attempts on the same exam within a 12-month period, you must wait a full year before trying again. This makes each attempt more consequential than with providers like AWS or CompTIA that allow unlimited retakes.
Each retake costs $165 USD. Microsoft doesn't offer discounted retake vouchers, but free exam vouchers are available through Microsoft Learn Enterprise Skills Initiative (ESI), Microsoft Virtual Training Days (free events that often include exam vouchers), and certain Microsoft Partner programs. Check microsoft.com/learn for upcoming free training events—these are one of the best-kept secrets in Azure certification.
An important consideration: Microsoft frequently updates exam content. AZ-104 is periodically refreshed with new topics and questions. If you wait several months between attempts, review the exam skills outline on Microsoft Learn for any changes to the domain weights or topic coverage. Microsoft publishes a "change document" whenever significant updates are made to the exam.
Unlike AWS or CompTIA score reports that provide detailed domain-level percentages, Microsoft's score report shows whether you were "above passing" or "below passing" in each domain, without precise percentages. This makes it harder to quantify exactly how much improvement you need, but the directional guidance (which domains were below passing) is still valuable for targeting your study.
| Domain | Weight | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|
| Manage Azure Identities & Governance | 20-25% | Entra ID (Azure AD), RBAC, Azure Policy, management groups, subscriptions |
| Implement & Manage Storage | 15-20% | Storage accounts, blob/file/table/queue, Azure Files, AzCopy, access tiers |
| Deploy & Manage Compute | 20-25% | VMs, VMSS, App Service, containers, Azure Kubernetes Service |
| Implement & Manage Networking | 15-20% | VNets, NSGs, Azure Firewall, VPN Gateway, ExpressRoute, Load Balancer |
| Monitor & Maintain Resources | 10-15% | Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, alerts, backup, Azure Site Recovery |
Since Microsoft allows a 24-hour first retake, you could theoretically retake the next day. However, this is almost never advisable unless you scored very close to 700. Use at least 14 days for targeted preparation:
| Days | Focus | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Score analysis | Review score report, identify "below passing" domains, sign up for Azure free account |
| 3-5 | Identity & Governance | Complete Microsoft Learn modules on Entra ID, RBAC, Azure Policy, management groups |
| 6-8 | Compute & Storage | Create VMs, configure VMSS, manage storage accounts with different access tiers, practice AzCopy |
| 9-11 | Networking deep-dive | Build VNet peering, configure NSGs, set up Application Gateway and Load Balancer |
| 12-13 | Full practice exams | Take 2-3 timed practice exams, target 85%+, review every wrong answer |
| 14 | Light review + retake | Review key concepts, rest your mind, retake with confidence |
Microsoft provides exceptional free resources that many candidates overlook:
| Certification | 1st Retake Wait | Cost | Max Attempts |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azure AZ-104 | 24 hours | $165 | 5/year |
| AWS SAA (Solutions Architect) | 14 days | $150 | Unlimited |
| GCP Cloud Architect | 14 days | $200 | Unlimited |
| Azure AZ-900 | 24 hours | $99 | 5/year |
| CompTIA Cloud+ | 14 days | $369 | Unlimited |
24 hours after your first failure. 14 days for attempts 2-5. After 5 failures within 12 months, you must wait a full year before trying again.
$165 USD per attempt. Free vouchers available through Microsoft Virtual Training Days, ESI programs, and Microsoft Partner programs.
700 out of 1000. The exam has 40-60 questions in 120 minutes including multiple choice, case studies, and drag-and-drop questions.
Case studies and scenario-based question sets, but not hands-on console labs. Questions are heavily practical and require real Azure administration knowledge and experience.
Not required, but recommended if you lack Azure fundamentals. If you failed AZ-104 with a very low score, AZ-900 study materials can strengthen your cloud computing foundation before retaking AZ-104.
Yes, but only after your first failure (24-hour wait). For subsequent failures, you must wait 14 days. While quick retaking is possible, use at least a few days to study your weak domains.
Yes. Microsoft role-based certifications require annual renewal through a free online assessment on Microsoft Learn. If you miss the renewal window, the certification expires but can be renewed later by completing the assessment.
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