Blog Post
AWS is replacing its Solutions Architect Professional (SAP-C02) with new SAP-C03 on November 17, 2026. Here's what's confirmed, what's changing, and whether you should wait or take the current exam.
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You've been studying for the AWS Solutions Architect Professional exam for weeks. Your practice scores are climbing. Then you see the announcement: AWS is replacing SAP-C02 with SAP-C03. Registration opens October 27. The last day to take the current exam is November 17, 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 $300 and months of restudying, or an opportunity to take a cleaner, more current version of the exam.
AWS has confirmed SAP-C03 adds generative AI, agentic AI, resilience engineering, and post-quantum cryptography. The domain structure is changing from four domains to five. The services you've studied still matter. The context in which you're tested is what's shifting.
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| October 27, 2026 | SAP-C03 registration opens; exam guide published |
| November 17, 2026 | Last day to take SAP-C02; SAP-C03 general availability begins |
Until October 27, the full SAP-C03 exam guide is not public. Everything below about specific content changes is based on AWS's official September 2026 announcement and public reporting.
AWS has explicitly named the new content areas for SAP-C03:
This is the largest addition. Expect questions on:
New coverage of AWS Fault Injection Service, AWS Resilience Hub, Application Recovery Controller, and automated runbooks with Systems Manager.
Serverless data pipelines, durable workflows with Step Functions, service mesh with VPC Lattice and ECS Service Connect, container image security, and multi-tenant architectures.
ML-DSA and ML-KEM support in AWS KMS. This is a new topic with no equivalent in SAP-C02.
The current four domains are being reorganized into five:
| New Domain | Focus |
|---|---|
| 1. Design and implement cloud-native architectures | Serverless, containers, modern application patterns |
| 2. Security, compliance, and governance | IAM, encryption, compliance frameworks |
| 3. Design cost-optimized architectures | Cost management across complex environments |
| 4. Resilience, migration, and business continuity | DR, migration, fault tolerance |
| 5. Operational excellence and automation | Observability, DevOps, monitoring |
Domain weightings have not been published yet. Check the exam guide on October 27.
👉 AWS Solutions Architect Professional SAP-C02 Study Plan
Unchanged: 180 minutes, 75 questions, $300 USD, Pearson VUE delivery. The exam now uses short names for some AWS services, with a reference list available through the Help button during the exam.
You're within four weeks of being exam-ready. A certification earned today is valid for three years. Employers see "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional" 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. SAP-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 November 17 without rushing.
You're 4-8 weeks from ready. You're in the gap. The core services and architectural principles 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 modern service additions.
👉 AWS Solutions Architect roadmap
| Your Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Exam-ready within 4 weeks | Take SAP-C02 before Nov 17 |
| 4-8 weeks from ready | Wait for SAP-C03 |
| Just starting | Wait for SAP-C03 |
| Employer needs it now | Take SAP-C02 |
👉 AWS Solution Architect vs Associate
The overlap between SAP-C02 and SAP-C03 will be substantial. These topics anchor both versions:
Core architecture patterns:
Add for SAP-C03:
SAP-C02 is one of the hardest cloud certifications available. Questions are long, multi-constraint scenarios where two answers seem correct. SAP-C03 will intensify this by adding AI-related constraints to existing scenario types.
On ExamOS, you can practice daily with Daily Sprint: 7 questions in 7 minutes, free, every day. You start in Rookie mode and rotate through every domain once, then your sprints switch to Challenger mode to test how concepts connect. Once your rolling average for a domain hits 80%, the system suggests Legend mode as your final readiness check. Consistent scores above 80% on Legend mode across a few sessions is a more reliable signal than just "feeling" ready.
No. Employers see "AWS Certified Solutions Architect Professional" 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 Professional certification, it's valid regardless of which version you passed. Save the $300.
We won't know the exact scope until October 27. AWS has confirmed GenAI/agentic AI, resilience engineering, cloud-native patterns, and post-quantum cryptography as new content areas. The domain structure is changing from four to five.
For foundational topics, yes. 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. SAP-00 launched in May 2014, SAP-C01 in February 2019, and SAP-C02 in November 2022. SAP-C03 follows the roughly three-to-four-year update cycle AWS has maintained.
ExamOS offers scenario-based practice designed to build the architectural judgment the Solutions Architect Professional exam demands. Start with Challenger mode on the AWS track to see where your decision-making needs work.
👉 Related Exams