AZ-104 Passing Score: What 700 Means and How Microsoft Scores It

The passing score for AZ-104 (Microsoft Azure Administrator) is 700 on a scaled range that goes up to 1000. Microsoft uses the same 700 mark across its role-based exams. Like other vendors, it doesn't publish how many questions you need right to reach it.

Why 700 isn't 70%

The score is scaled: Microsoft converts your raw result onto the 1000-point range in a way that keeps the pass standard equal across exam forms, and questions can carry different weights. A form with harder questions needs fewer raw points to reach 700. So "70% correct" is a rough guide at best. The safer approach is to aim well above it in practice.

What's on the exam

You get 100 minutes. Microsoft doesn't publish a fixed question count; expect roughly 40–60 items. Formats include multiple choice, multiple response, drag-and-drop, and case studies, where several questions refer to one longer scenario. Some forms have included hands-on lab sections. Not every question carries the same weight, and some questions may be unscored items Microsoft is testing.

Each domain's weight comes from Microsoft's skills outline: identities and governance (about 25%), compute (24%), storage (18%), networking (18%) and monitoring (15%). Microsoft revises the outline from time to time, so check it before your exam.

The score report

You see a pass or fail result at the end, and the score report shows your performance by skill area as bars. It doesn't give per-domain numbers, but it shows clearly where you were weakest, which is the useful part if you need to retake.

Retakes

Microsoft's retake policy has historically been: wait 24 hours after a first failed attempt, then 14 days between later attempts, with a limit on attempts per 12 months. Each attempt is paid. Policies change, so check Microsoft's current exam retake policy before booking.

Keeping it once you pass

The Azure Administrator Associate certification is valid for 12 months. You renew it for free by passing a short, unproctored online assessment on Microsoft Learn in the months before it expires.

How to aim for a safe margin

• Do the tasks, not just the reading: create a VNet peering, assign an RBAC role at a management group, restore a VM from backup.
• Practise under time pressure; case studies eat minutes.
• Target steady scores around 80% on full practice exams, and look at your weakest domain each time.

Free practice: the 10-question AZ-104 diagnostic and 15 practice questions with answers. Related: is AZ-104 hard? and AZ-104 vs AZ-900.

Frequently asked questions