Frequently Asked Questions

Google Cloud Certifications

Google Cloud's certification program gives Google Cloud users, customers and partners a way to demonstrate their technical skills in a particular job role or technology. Individuals are assessed using a variety of rigorously developed industry standard methods to determine whether they meet Google Cloud's proficiency standards.
Google Cloud certifications give you benchmarks for your professional development. They help you gauge your skill set against your peers and demonstrate your value to hiring managers.
The cost of certification exams varies. Please refer to the individual exam pages for cost information.
Unless explicitly stated in the detailed exam descriptions, all Google Cloud certifications are valid for 2 years from the date certified. Candidates must recertify in order to maintain their certification status.
If you don't pass an exam, you can take it again after 14 days. If you don't pass a second time, you must wait 60 days before you can take it a third time. If you don't pass the third time, you must wait a year before taking it again. You may attempt the exam in multiple languages, but each attempt regardless of language counts toward the total permissible attempts and the waiting period between attempts still applies. Payment is required each time you take an exam. Circumventing this retake policy by registering under a different name or any other means is a violation of the exam terms and conditions and will result in a denied or revoked certification.
Our exams are designed to determine only whether or not an individual meets a minimum passing standard. They are not designed to be diagnostic or spread people out on a scale of ability. For this reason numerical scores are not meaningful for the examinee and can be misinterpreted.
We recognize that some other exam providers provide section feedback on their exams. We do not because it is not meaningful and could be misleading. Our exams are not designed to diagnose strengths and weaknesses. Our exam sections are very broad topic categories, and the range of specific questions you may receive for each section in a single exam sitting is extremely narrow by comparison. Based on such a small amount of data, there is no meaningful feedback at the section level that we can responsibly provide.
No. At any given time, a small number of questions on our exams may be unscored. These are newly developed questions that are being evaluated for their effectiveness. This is a standard practice in the testing industry.
The certification is what an individual candidate earns. It is defined by a list of requirements that must be met. Usually, an exam is included in this list of requirements.
We follow industry accepted procedures to ensure our exams are valid and accurate. Our exam development process includes the following steps:

  • Job Task Analysis

    A Job Task Analysis (JTA) is a formal study that begins with identifying job role representatives, technology experts, and stakeholders. These experts are surveyed and interviewed in a workshop to elicit information about what people do in a specific job or role and what skills distinguish competence. These skills are described in our exam guides that we publish on the web.

  • Question development

    Our question writers are subject matter experts who have worked in the certified role. Question writers are trained in the testing standards and conventions that we apply to our exams.

    All questions are reviewed to determine that they adhere to standards and are technically accurate.

  • Beta and final exams

    Once the questions have passed all reviews and approvals, they are published in a beta exam.

    The purpose of the beta exam is to gather performance statistics on the exam questions to determine those that are most effective. We review the question statistics and comments and remove questions that do not meet our standards.

  • Passing score

    The passing score for each exam is confidential. It is determined by a panel of internal and external subject matter experts, following an industry-accepted standard setting process. The passing score is applied equally to all examinees. It is re-evaluated when changes are made to the exam content.
Exam content can be updated at any time.
The delivery method for an exam depends on its format. Please refer to the individual exam pages for exam format and delivery information.
Exams vary in length. Please refer to the individual exam pages for exam format and time limits.
Please refer to the individual exam pages for prerequisites.
Real-world, hands-on experience is the best preparation. Our certification exams are designed to identify individuals who demonstrate skills using Google technology to perform critical job tasks. We list these tasks in our exam guides. Please refer to the individual exam pages to review the relevant exam guide and learning resources that we believe can help you build the foundation you need to get started.
No. Per our exam terms and conditions, the exam must be taken independently and without collaboration with other people. If you are caught cheating or working with another person during your exam, your results will be voided and you will be banned from taking another Google Cloud certification exam for a year.
No, these are not open-book exams. You cannot use any notes or any other unauthorized items while taking any of our exams. Your work area should be clear of all items except for your computer. If you are caught using any unauthorized items, this will be flagged for misconduct and you may risk having your results voided and being barred from taking any Google Cloud certification exams.
Yes, there may be technical system requirements you need to meet before you can begin your remotely proctored exam. Please refer to the individual exam pages for the G Suite certification and the G Suite Administrator certification for more details.
Yes, all test-takers must be older than 13 years of age in order to qualify to take our certification exams.
No. Certification exams can be taken by anyone who is interested.
Testing accommodations will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis and may require supporting documentation. To request an accommodation, please contact us (Professional Cloud Architect & Professional Data Engineer | G Suite & G Suite Administrator).
We may be able to offer extended time for those with medical conditions who require a testing accommodation. Testing accommodations will be taken into consideration on a case-by-case basis and may require supporting documentation. To request an accommodation, please contact us (Professional Cloud Architect & Professional Data Engineer | G Suite & G Suite Administrator).
Our remote proctoring partner, ProctorU, has indicated that its services comply with the standards of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which were enacted to eliminate barriers for people with disabilities. They also note that remote proctoring services have been developed using accessibility best practice guidelines and tested with various assistive technology products to ensure the best possible experience for all users.
If Google discovers that you're in breach of the exam terms and conditions which are presented to you during your exam, your certification(s) will be revoked, you'll be permanently barred from retaking the exam and any other Google Cloud exams. Additionally, Google, in its sole discretion, may choose to terminate any applicable business relationship with you and take necessary legal actions.
Some online exams require third-party proctoring by our certification partner, ProctorU. All exam information collected is subject to Google’s Privacy Policy and ProctorU's Privacy Policy, as applicable.
You will receive a dynamic electronic badge so you can share your certification status on your personal professional networks with others, if you choose to do so. Google Cloud certification logos can only be used by the individual person who passes the exam. It cannot be used to represent a company. Your use of the Google Cloud certification logo is subject to Google's then-current Brand Feature Guidelines.
Google complies with the U.S. government's list of restricted countries maintained by The Office of Foreign Assets Control of the US Department of the Treasury. For online exams, you must present approved identification showing residence in a non-embargoed country.
Acceptable forms of primary identification must be issued by the government and include your name, photograph, and signature. Examples include:
  • Government-issued Driver’s License
  • U.S. Department of State Driver’s License
  • National/State/Country Identification Card
  • Passport
  • Passport cards
  • Military ID
  • Alien Registration Card (Green Card, Permanent Resident Visa)
Acceptable forms of secondary identification must include your name and signature. Examples include:
  • U.S. Social Security Card
  • Debit/(ATM) card
  • Credit card
  • School ID
  • Forms of primary identification
Acceptable forms of primary identification must be issued by the government and include your name, photograph, and signature. Examples include:
  • Government-issued Driver’s License
  • U.S. Department of State Driver’s License
  • National/State/Country Identification Card
  • Passport
  • Passport cards
  • Military ID
  • Alien Registration Card (Green Card, Permanent Resident Visa)
If you are under 18 years of age and do not have government issued photo identification, a school photo identification will be accepted.
  • If you do not show up for your exam, your exam fee is forfeited and you will not receive a refund.
  • If you cancel your exam less than 72 hours before your exam time, your exam fee is forfeited and you will not receive a refund.
  • If you reschedule your exam within 72 hours of your exam time, you will be charged a rescheduling fee. This is because the test vendor will charge Google twice. The amount of the fee will vary for different exams, but is less than the full price of an exam.
At times, certain circumstances are beyond your control and can impact your ability to meet the terms of registration. Exceptional circumstances may be available for full or partial refund. If the test taker has extenuating circumstances, you may contact us (Professional Cloud Architect & Professional Data Engineer | G Suite & G Suite Administrator). Valid supporting documentation is required. Requests are reviewed and full or partial refunds are granted at Google's discretion.
  • A medical emergency for you or a family member.
  • Natural disasters or severe weather incidents impacting the testing location.
  • Urgent travel restrictions or severe security advisories issued 72 hours before your scheduled exam, by an appropriate national or international authority (such as a government office or department).
When handling the information that we collect and process during participation in the exam, Google follows strict guidelines that can be found in our Data Sharing Policy for Google Cloud Certifications and Google’s Privacy Policy. In addition, please note Proctor U’s privacy policies as applicable.
Beta certification exams are newly developed assessments. We gather performance statistics on the questions and use these statistics to create the certification standards for the final exams.
  • Beta exams cost less than final exams.
  • Beta exams are only available for a short window of time.
  • The beta exam is longer than the final exam. This is because we are evaluating a large number of questions.
  • You won't receive your exam results right away. Beta exams are scored after the beta exam period closes. All beta candidates are notified of their results at the same time.
The beta exam registration fee is discounted from retail. Please refer to the individual exam pages for exam-specific beta registration cost details.
Yes. If you pass, you are Google Cloud Certified.
Beta exams are scored after the beta period ends. We aim to deliver your score for the G Suite Administrator certification exam in April 2018. We will notify all beta participants at once.
You will be able to take the final version of the exam once it is released. Our retake policy will apply.
You will be allocated 3-4 hours to complete the exam.
No. All individuals meeting the specific requirements for an exam are allowed to attempt the exam. For more details, please refer to the exam guide webpages for each certification.
The beta exams are available globally in English. They are not currently available in other languages.
We deprecated our old G Suite Administrator certification exam in January 2018 and have been developing a new G Suite Administrator exam, to reflect updates and changes to the G Suite Admin Console. This new exam was available as a beta exam in early 2018 to a limited audience. We will update the exam page for the G Suite Administrator certification later this year when the exam is made available to everyone.
Yes, if you received the G Suite Administrator Certification, this is still valid until its expiry date (2 years from the date of achieving the certification).
The new G Suite Administrator exam will be offered in English only. We may choose to offer this exam in other languages at a later date.
The G Suite Administrator exam will be offered online and remotely proctored. This exam will be hosted on a new exam platform. You will no longer need to create an account with Kryterion in order to take the exam. We will include detailed instructions on the new registration process later this year.
If your certification expires between September 1, 2017 and April 2018, Google will extend your expiration date until the new G Suite Administrator exam is released to the general public.
We aim to deliver your score for the G Suite Administrator certification exam in April 2018. We will notify all beta participants at once.
No, currently we only provide a practice exam for the Professional Cloud Architect and Professional Data Engineer exams. We are looking into developing practice exams for our other certifications in the future.
No, there is no registration fee for the practice exams.
No, there is no time limit for the practice exams, but we recommend completion in 45 minutes or less.
No, you may take the practice exams as many times as you like.
No, the Professional Cloud Architect and Professional Data Engineer practice exams each contain 20 questions that will familiarize you with question types and content that you may encounter on the certification exams. The certification exams are longer and will cover a wider range of topics. For a full list of the topics you could be tested on, see the Exam Guide.
No. However, some of the practice exam questions may have appeared on previous versions of the exams.
There is no guarantee that you will pass the certification exam if you do well on the practice exam. However, if you find the content of the practice exam easy, it is a good indication that you are ready to attempt the certification exam.
You can’t save your progress. If you close the practice exam window, you must start from the beginning. If you would like to save your results, you can print or save the summary page after you have submitted your answers.
Yes, once you submit your answers you will be able to see an accuracy report that lists each question, your answers, and the correct answers.
You don’t need a candidate ID in order to take a practice exam. If you don’t have one you will need to complete the exam registration.
If you completed a Google Cloud certification exam, you received a notification email with your candidate ID.
Go to the practice exam page for Cloud Architect or Data Engineer and click ‘Launch the Exam’.
When handling the information that we collect and process during participation in the practice exam, Google follows strict guidelines that can be found in Google’s Privacy Policy.
The Cloud Architect and Data Engineer practice exams are available in English and Japanese.
Unless explicitly stated in the detailed exam descriptions, all Google cloud certifications are valid for 2 years from the date certified. Candidates must recertify in order to maintain their certification status and certificate number.
Google technology changes frequently. We require recertification to ensure you're maintaining your skills.
Yes. You should receive two reminder emails, 60 and 30 days prior to your expiration date. Reminder emails will be sent to the email address used during exam registration.
Once your certification has expired, you will have to retake the certification to reinstate your certification status. Please contact us if you have any changes to your email address for notification purposes (Professional Cloud Architect & Professional Data Engineer | G Suite & G Suite Administrator).
If you want to continue to receive the certification benefits, you will need to take the exam again.
For questions regarding the Professional Cloud Architect or Professional Data Engineer exams, contact us via this form.
For questions regarding the G Suite or G Suite Administrator exams, contact us via this form.
If you are having difficulties finding one of our Kryterion Testing Network (KTN) centers within a 100-mile radius, and/or a KTN center with available dates and times, please contact the KTN Support Team at 800-403-6199 or 602-281-3591 or send an email to ktnsupport@kryteriononline.com. Support is available between 7:00 AM Monday through 7:00 AM Saturday (Mountain Standard Time).