Pearson VUE Free Retake 2026: Which IT Certification Exams Qualify (and Which Don’t)
The Pearson VUE free retake offer gives you one free second attempt if you fail an eligible exam. You must opt in, use the promo code from the email, and pay for and take your first exam between September 29 and November 17, 2026. The retake must happen between January 4 and April 7, 2027. Microsoft and most AWS exams qualify. CompTIA, ISC2, HashiCorp and GitHub do not take part.
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Key dates and rules
- First attempt: scheduled, paid for and taken September 29 – November 17, 2026.
- Free retake: January 4 – April 7, 2027. No retakes between November 18, 2026 and January 3, 2027.
- One free retake per participating exam program.
- You must be 18 or older. Normal retake policies of each program still apply.
- It covers only exams you took and failed. Terminated or revoked sessions do not count.
Does your certification qualify?
| Certification (testimea practice exam) | Free retake? |
|---|---|
| AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Cloud Practitioner, AI Practitioner, CloudOps, Data Engineer, DevOps Pro, Security Specialty | Yes |
| AWS Solutions Architect Professional (SAP), Developer (DVA), Advanced Networking (ANS), ML Engineer (MLA), any beta exam | No |
| Azure Administrator (AZ-104), AZ-305, Windows Server Hybrid | Yes (ESI excluded) |
| Cisco CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, Security, Data Center | No – only CCST exams |
| CompTIA, ISC2, HashiCorp, GitHub, CNCF exams | No – not participating |
The AWS fine print
AWS adds its own terms. The offer cannot be combined with other offers or vouchers. The terms also say, word for word: “Participating AWS exams will receive 50% off their first scheduled exam”. Pearson VUE does not explain this sentence further, so check it with Pearson VUE before you book.
How to claim the free retake
- Open the official Pearson VUE offer page and find your program.
- Read its terms and opt in.
- Wait for the email with the promo code.
- Book and pay with the code. Take the exam by November 17, 2026.
- Check that the code shows on your order confirmation email.
- If you fail, book the same exam between January 4 and April 7, 2027.
Already booked for October or November? Opt in anyway. The confirmation email may ask you to cancel and rebook. Not sure where to sit the exam? Read our Pearson VUE test center vs online guide.
Prepare to pass the first time
A free retake is a safety net, not a plan. Practise with realistic questions first. Our $1 trial is deducted when you upgrade, and every plan has a 14-day money-back guarantee.
