To become a Microsoft Azure Administrator, you earn the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification by passing a single exam, AZ-104. The path involves building core cloud and networking knowledge, gaining hands-on experience in the Azure portal, mastering the five AZ-104 skill areas, and passing the exam with a score of 700 or higher out of 1000. No formal prerequisites are required, and the certification is valid for one year, renewed free online.
Azure Administrator is one of the most in-demand entry credentials into a cloud career, and it sits at the practical core of Microsoft’s role-based certification program. Whether you are switching careers into IT or you already manage on-premises infrastructure and want to move into the cloud, this guide walks you through exactly what the role involves, what the AZ-104 exam tests, and the step-by-step route to getting certified in 2026.
What Does a Microsoft Azure Administrator Do?
An Azure Administrator implements, manages, and monitors an organization’s Microsoft Azure environment. Day to day, that means working across identity, governance, storage, compute, virtual networking, and monitoring. You provision and size resources, control who has access to what, keep workloads secure and available, and step in when something needs to be optimized or recovered.
Azure Administrators rarely work in isolation. You typically operate as part of a wider cloud team and coordinate with networking, security, database, development, and DevOps roles to deliver and maintain infrastructure. It is a hands-on, operational role, which is why the certification rewards real-world Azure experience rather than memorization alone.
What Is the AZ-104 Certification?
The official credential is the Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate, and you earn it by passing one exam: AZ-104. It is an associate-level, role-based certification, which makes it the natural next step after foundational cloud training and the recommended launchpad toward expert-level Azure credentials.
The exam was last refreshed on April 17, 2026, so any preparation you do should be aligned to the current skills outline rather than older study material. The five skill areas and their approximate exam weightings are shown below.
| Skill Area | Exam Weight | What It Covers |
|---|---|---|
| Manage Azure identities and governance | 20-25% | Microsoft Entra ID users and groups, role-based access control (RBAC), subscriptions, Azure Policy, resource locks, tags, and cost management. |
| Implement and manage storage | 15-20% | Storage accounts, access control and SAS tokens, redundancy, Azure Files, Blob Storage, tiers, and lifecycle management. |
| Deploy and manage Azure compute resources | 20-25% | Virtual machines, ARM templates and Bicep files, containers (Azure Container Instances and Container Apps), and Azure App Service. |
| Implement and manage virtual networking | 15-20% | Virtual networks and subnets, peering, network security groups, Azure Bastion, private endpoints, DNS, and load balancing. |
| Monitor and maintain Azure resources | 10-15% | Azure Monitor metrics and logs, alerts, Network Watcher, Azure Backup, and Azure Site Recovery. |
The Path to Becoming a Certified Azure Administrator
Here is the route from beginner to certified, broken into six clear steps. Newcomers and working IT professionals follow the same path, just starting at different points.
1
Build foundational cloud knowledge
If cloud computing is new to you, start with the fundamentals: what the cloud is, how Azure services are organized, and basic pricing and governance concepts. Many candidates begin with Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), which is an optional but valuable starting point that builds confidence before the more technical AZ-104 material. You can fast-track this foundation with an Azure Fundamentals boot camp.
2
Gain hands-on Azure experience
The AZ-104 exam is built around practical tasks, so time inside the Azure portal matters. Microsoft recommends roughly six months of hands-on experience managing Azure resources. Get comfortable creating virtual machines, configuring storage, setting up virtual networks, and assigning access. Familiarity with the Azure CLI and PowerShell will also pay off, both on the exam and on the job. If scripting is a gap for you, a focused Microsoft PowerShell training boot camp is a smart complement.
3
Master the five AZ-104 skill areas
Work through each domain in the skills table above. Do not just read about identity, storage, compute, networking, and monitoring; build them. The strongest candidates can perform the listed tasks, such as configuring a network security group or restoring a resource from Azure Backup, without referring to a guide.
4
Choose your training approach
You can self-study with Microsoft Learn paths and practice assessments, or you can compress months of preparation into a focused, instructor-led program. For learners who want a structured, exam-aligned route, an accelerated AZ-104 Azure Administrator boot camp covers every skill area with hands-on labs and built-in exam preparation.
5
Pass Exam AZ-104
Schedule the exam through Microsoft once you can consistently score well on practice assessments. You need 700 out of 1000 to pass. Take advantage of Microsoft’s free official practice assessment beforehand so the question formats feel familiar on test day.
6
Maintain your certification
Microsoft associate certifications are valid for one year. You renew at no cost by passing a short online assessment on Microsoft Learn during the six months before your certification expires, so keeping the credential current is straightforward.
Key exam facts at a glanceOne exam required: AZ-104. Passing score: 700 out of 1000. No formal prerequisites. Valid for one year, renewed free online. You can review the official skills outline on the Microsoft Learn AZ-104 study guide.
Do You Need Experience or Prerequisites?
There are no mandatory prerequisites for AZ-104, so you can sit the exam whenever you feel ready. That said, Microsoft recommends about six months of hands-on Azure experience, and you will find the material far more approachable if you are comfortable with a few core IT concepts first.
Before tackling AZ-104, it helps to be familiar with operating systems, networking, servers, and virtualization. On the Azure side, you should have some exposure to:
- PowerShell and the Azure CLI
- The Azure portal
- Azure Resource Manager (ARM) templates or Bicep files
- Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory)
New to the cloud?You do not have to pass AZ-900 before AZ-104, but Azure Fundamentals is an excellent confidence builder if you are early in your cloud journey. Working IT professionals with hands-on infrastructure experience often skip straight to AZ-104.
How to Prepare: Self-Study vs. Accelerated Boot Camp
Both routes can get you certified. The right choice comes down to your timeline, your learning style, and how much structure you want.
Self-study is flexible and low-cost. Microsoft Learn offers free, role-aligned learning paths and a practice assessment, and there are plenty of labs and practice questions available. The trade-off is time and discipline: most self-study candidates spend two to three months preparing, and it is easy to lose momentum without a fixed schedule.
An accelerated boot camp compresses that preparation into a focused, all-inclusive program led by an expert instructor. You move through every AZ-104 skill area with guided labs, get your questions answered in real time, and prepare for the exam itself, often in about five days. For career changers who want a clear runway and for busy professionals who cannot string together months of evenings, the Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator boot camp delivers the full path in one concentrated program, available both in-person and live online.
Where the Azure Administrator Certification Leads
AZ-104 is widely treated as the hub of the Azure certification map. Once you hold it, several specialized and expert-level paths open up, depending on the direction you want your cloud career to take:
- Cloud architecture: Advance to expert level with the Azure Solutions Architect Expert certification (AZ-305), the most common next step after AZ-104. If you want to combine both, the Azure Administrator and Solutions Architect combo boot camp takes you from associate to expert in one path.
- Security: Move into cloud security with the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification (AZ-500).
- Development: Shift toward building cloud applications with the Azure Developer Associate certification (AZ-204).
- DevOps: Bridge development and operations with the Azure DevOps Engineer Expert certification (AZ-400).
- Databases: Specialize in data platforms with the Azure Database Administrator Associate certification (DP-300).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to pass AZ-900 before AZ-104?
No. Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) is optional. It is a helpful confidence builder for newcomers, but it is not a prerequisite for AZ-104.
How much experience do I need?
There is no formal requirement, but Microsoft recommends roughly six months of hands-on experience managing Azure resources, along with familiarity with networking, virtualization, PowerShell, and the Azure CLI.
How many exams do I have to pass?
Just one. The Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate certification requires passing only Exam AZ-104.
What score do I need to pass AZ-104?
You need a score of 700 or higher on a scale of 1000.
How many questions are on the exam?
Microsoft does not publish a fixed number, but candidates typically see between 40 and 60 questions in a mix of formats, including multiple choice, case studies, and drag-and-drop. Plan for roughly two hours of seat time.
Does the certification expire?
It is valid for one year. You renew it free of charge by passing a short online assessment on Microsoft Learn before it expires.
How long does it take to become certified?
It depends on your starting point. Self-study commonly takes two to three months, while an accelerated boot camp can prepare you in about five days.