On June 30, 2026, Anthropic moved Claude certification exam delivery to Pearson VUE and digital badges to Credly. The same day, the price of Claude Certified Architect: Foundations (CCAR-F) rose from $99 to $125, and the practice exam on the previous platform was retired. Registrations completed before June 30, 2026 were charged the old price.
Who this affects
- New candidates: you register and pay in Anthropic Partner Academy, then schedule with Pearson, online through OnVUE or at a Pearson test center. Certification is still open only to people at Claude Partner Network organizations.
- Anyone who passed before June 30: your certification was transferred to Credly (look for the email to accept your badge), and the old 6-month validity was extended automatically to 12 months from your original earned date. Score reports from the old ProctorFree platform are no longer available.
- Anyone who failed CCAR-F before June 30: that attempt is cleared, so you can register and retake on Pearson with no waiting period.
- Anyone registered before June 30: Anthropic moved registrations to Pearson in waves and emailed a Pearson link. Check your spam folder if you have not seen it.
What to do now
- Budget $125 for CCAR-F before any partner-tier discount. Select, Preferred and Global Premier partners get 50% off automatically, and Global Premier gets 100% off through December 31, 2026. Details in our Claude certification cost guide.
- Replace the retired practice exam with the sample questions in the official exam guide, then drill with our free CCAR-F practice questions (original questions written from the published guide) and CCAR-F study guide.
- Add a personal email to your Credly profile, as Anthropic recommends, so you keep your badge if you change jobs. Then set a reminder for the free 12-month renewal.
- Reschedule or cancel in Pearson at least 48 hours ahead, per the FAQ. Cancelling in Pearson does not refund you automatically; request the refund from Anthropic certification support.
Key dates
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Before June 30, 2026 | CCAR-F cost $99, certifications were valid for 6 months, and exams ran on ProctorFree |
| June 30, 2026 | Pearson VUE delivery and Credly badges begin; CCAR-F rises to $125; practice exam retired; validity becomes 12 months |
| December 31, 2026 | Last day of the 100% exam discount for Global Premier partners |
Source
- Anthropic Partner Academy certification FAQ
- Claude partner certifications page (current prices)
- Claude Certified Architect: Foundations registration page
- Claude blog: four role-based Claude certifications (July 23, 2026)
Checked against Anthropic Partner Academy’s certification FAQ and CCAR-F registration page on October 6, 2026.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does the Claude Certified Architect: Foundations exam cost now?
$125 USD before any partner-tier discount. Anthropic raised it from $99 effective June 30, 2026, and registrations completed before that date paid $99.
Is there still an official Claude certification practice exam?
No. Anthropic retired the practice exam from the previous platform when exams moved to Pearson on June 30, 2026. Each exam guide includes sample questions instead.
Where is my Claude certification badge after the move to Credly?
Anthropic transferred all existing certifications to Credly and emailed holders to accept their badge. If you cannot find the email, check your spam folder, then contact Anthropic certification support.
I failed CCAR-F before June 30, 2026. Do I have to wait to retake?
No. Anthropic cleared failed attempts taken before the move, so you can register and retake on Pearson with no waiting period. A retake is a new registration at the full exam fee, less any partner-tier discount.
