Blog Post
Understand the upcoming AWS DVA-C03 changes, including new AI topics and domain updates. Learn how to decide whether to take the DVA-C02 now or wait.
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You've been studying for the AWS Certified Developer Associate exam for weeks. Your practice scores are climbing. Then you see the announcement: AWS is replacing DVA-C02 with DVA-C03. Registration opens October 27. The last day to take the current exam is November 30, 2026.
Your first question is probably whether everything you've studied is about to become irrelevant. It isn't. But the timeline matters, and making the wrong call here costs you either $150 and months of restudying, or an opportunity to take a cleaner, more current version of the exam.
AWS has confirmed DVA-C03 adds AI-assisted development, AI security, and container management to the exam scope. The four-domain structure is unchanged. The services you've studied still matter. The context in which you're tested is what's shifting.
Related: AWS DevOps Engineer Career Roadmap ↗
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | DVA-C03 registration opens; exam guide published |
| November 30, 2026 | Last day to take DVA-C02 |
| December 1, 2026 | DVA-C03 general availability begins |
Until October 27, the full DVA-C03 exam guide is not public. Everything below about specific content changes is based on AWS's official September 2026 announcement and public reporting.
Related: Spot Fake AWS Practice Exams ↗
AWS has explicitly named the new content areas for DVA-C03. The update positions AI-assisted development as a core competency, not an optional add-on.
This is the most significant addition. Today's developer uses AI tools to generate, review, and optimize code. Expect questions on:
A complete new task within the Security domain adds five skills:
This is not a prompt engineering or RAG design test. It focuses on how a developer integrates and secures AI capabilities within an application lifecycle.
The exam now requires building and managing container images with Amazon ECR and deploying containerized applications with Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, and AWS Fargate.
AWS explicitly states that prompt engineering, RAG design, model selection, Amazon SageMaker AI, and AI governance framework design are out of scope. You are not being asked to design AI solutions from scratch.
The four-domain structure is preserved. Two weights shifted.
| Domain | DVA-C02 Weight | DVA-C03 Weight | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development with AWS Services | 32% | 30% | −2 |
| Security | 26% | 26% | Unchanged |
| Testing and Deployment | 24% | 22% | −2 |
| Troubleshooting and Optimization | 18% | 22% | +4 |
Troubleshooting and Optimization gained four points, reflecting the growing importance of debugging distributed and AI-integrated applications.
The format is unchanged from DVA-C02:
| Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Duration | 130 minutes |
| Questions | 65 (50 scored + 15 unscored) |
| Passing score | 720/1000 |
| Cost | $150 USD |
| Delivery | Pearson VUE |
| Languages | English, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Simplified Chinese, Spanish (Latin America) |
You're within four weeks of being exam-ready. A certification earned today is valid for three years. Employers see "AWS Certified Developer – Associate" on your resume, not the exam code.
You've already booked. Don't cancel a scheduled exam to wait for a version that doesn't have a published exam guide yet.
Your employer needs the credential now. DVA-C03 registration doesn't open until October 27.
You're early in your study plan. If you've been studying for less than three weeks, there isn't enough time to be ready before December 1 without rushing.
You're 4-8 weeks from ready. You're in the gap. The core services and development patterns overlap substantially between versions. Use the extra time to fill gaps the new exam guide introduces.
You want the most current credential. Holding the latest version signals you're current on AI-assisted development and container workflows.
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Exam-ready within 4 weeks | Take DVA-C02 on or before Nov 30 |
| 4-8 weeks from ready | Wait for DVA-C03 |
| Just starting | Wait for DVA-C03 |
| Employer needs it now | Take DVA-C02 |
The overlap between DVA-C02 and DVA-C03 is substantial. These topics anchor both versions:
Core development patterns:
Add for DVA-C03:
Related: Why Cramming Fails Cloud Exams ↗
The Developer Associate exam tests applied judgment in scenario-based questions. DVA-C03 will intensify this by adding AI-integrated application scenarios to existing question types.
On ExamOS, you can practice daily with the Daily Sprint: 7 questions in 7 minutes, free, every day. Your Readiness Score tracks your progress and indicates when you are ready to book the real exam. Consistent performance in Legend mode helps you build confidence before test day.
No. Employers see "AWS Certified Developer – Associate" on your resume, not the exam code. Your credential remains valid for three years.
Technically, yes, but there's no reason to. Once you hold the Developer Associate certification, it's valid regardless of which version you passed. Save the $150.
AWS has confirmed AI-assisted development, AI security (Task 2.3 with five skills), and container management as new content areas. The four-domain structure is preserved, with Troubleshooting and Optimization gaining four points.
For foundational topics, yes. The core services and development patterns are still relevant. For AI-specific content, wait for the October 27 exam guide before investing in specialized materials. Third-party providers will update their content once the exam guide publishes.
No. DVA-C01 launched in 2019, DVA-C02 in 2023, and DVA-C03 follows in 2026. AWS maintains a roughly three-year update cycle for Associate-level exams.
ExamOS offers scenario-based practice designed to build the development judgment the Developer Associate exam demands. Start with Challenger mode on the AWS track to see where your decision-making needs work.