How to Book a Microsoft AI Certification Exam: Pearson VUE Step by Step (2026)

Last updated: September 2026. Researched against Microsoft Learn's official certification support pages and the Pearson VUE scheduling flow.

TL;DR To book a Microsoft AI certification exam in 2026, sign in to your Microsoft Learn profile, open the exam's certification page, select Schedule with Pearson VUE, then choose online or test centre delivery, pick a date within the 90-day window, and pay. You can hold two exams at once.

Booking a Microsoft AI certification exam is simple once you know the route, but the process runs across two systems: Microsoft Learn, where your certification profile lives, and Pearson VUE, where you actually choose a delivery method, date and time, and pay. Getting a small detail wrong, such as a legal name that does not match your ID, can stop you sitting the exam on the day. This guide walks through every step in order, so you can book AB-730, AB-731, AI-901, AI-103 or any other Microsoft AI exam with confidence.

How to book a Microsoft AI certification exam: the steps

Booking a Microsoft exam follows one consistent path regardless of which AI certification you are sitting. Microsoft Learn hands you off to Pearson VUE, its exam delivery provider, to complete scheduling and payment [1]. Here is the full sequence.

1. Find the exam. Start on the certification overview or the browse-all-certifications page on Microsoft Learn, then open the certification you want, for example AI Business Professional (AB-730) or AI Transformation Leader (AB-731) [1].
2. Locate Schedule exam. On the certification detail page, scroll to the Schedule exam area and select the exam provider button [1].
3. Choose the provider. For the Microsoft AI certification family, select Schedule with Pearson VUE. Certiport is only offered for students, academic institutions, or Microsoft Office Specialist exams, so it does not apply here [1].
4. Sign in to or create your Learn profile. When you select the schedule button you may be prompted to sign in to or create your Learn profile. Microsoft recommends using a personal Microsoft account rather than a work or school account [1].
5. Add your legal name. If your Learn profile has no legal name, you will be redirected to add one. It must match your legal ID exactly, or you will not be able to take the exam [1].
6. Provide contact details. You will enter an address, phone number and contact email in the Transfer to Pearson VUE dialog. Microsoft collects this only because Pearson VUE requires it and does not store it [1].
7. Transfer to Pearson VUE. Select Submit to move to Pearson VUE, where you complete the rest of scheduling: delivery option, date and time, and payment [1].
8. Manage the booking from Learn. Afterwards, you can reschedule, cancel, or launch a scheduled online exam from your Learn profile in one place [1].

Use a personal Microsoft account, not a work or school one. Microsoft states plainly that if you register with an organisational (work or school) account, "your exam records will be lost if you leave your organisation and they will be unrecoverable" [9]. A personal Microsoft account keeps your certification history under your control for life, which matters because a Microsoft certification is yours, not your employer's.

Before you book: three things to get right

Three details are set before or during booking and are easy to overlook. Fixing any of them after you have paid is far harder than getting them right first time.

Your legal name must match your ID. The name on the government-issued ID you present must exactly match the name on your Microsoft certification profile [1][2]. If you are mid-way through a name change, note that legal name-change forms and ID renewal forms are not accepted for online proctored exams [2]. Sort your profile name out before you schedule.

Accommodations must be requested first. If you need extra time or any other testing accommodation, request it before you schedule the exam. Microsoft is explicit: "Request accommodations before you schedule an exam. It can take up to 20 days to process and schedule an accommodation request" [6]. Commonly approved adjustments include extra time for learning disabilities, ADHD, PTSD or test anxiety, assistive technology, and a reader or scribe [6]. You register the request through Pearson VUE's reasonable adjustments system, submit supporting documents, and wait for approval before booking [6].

Decide online or test centre. You choose your delivery method inside the Pearson VUE flow, not on Microsoft Learn [2]. The two options suit different people, and you can even mix methods across a multi-exam certification [8].

Online (OnVUE) vs test centre: which to choose at booking

The delivery choice is made during scheduling and shapes your whole exam-day experience. Neither option is easier: Microsoft confirms the exams "are of equal difficulty no matter which method you choose" [8]. The difference is environment and responsibility.

Run the system pre-check before you book online. Microsoft advises that if you plan to take the exam online, "you'll run a system pre-check to see if the computer you'll be using meets the requirements before registering" [2]. This avoids booking an online slot only to discover your machine or network cannot support it. If your exam does not show an online option, it is simply not available from the provider for your exam and region combination [2].

Choose a test centre if you would rather not test at home. Microsoft describes test centres as "a great choice if you prefer a quiet, pre-configured environment without the worry of testing your computer and downloading software" [2]. A test centre is also the route if you do not want facial comparison technology used to verify your identity, since that check applies to online proctored exams [2]. For a full walkthrough of what online proctoring involves on the day, see our Microsoft online proctored exam guide.

Scheduling limits: the 90-day and two-exam rules

Two scheduling rules catch candidates out, and both are worth planning around. Knowing them helps you book a sensible sequence rather than hitting a wall at checkout.

You can book no more than 90 days in advance. Microsoft states you "can schedule certification exams no more than 90 days in advance" [1]. If you are planning a study timeline, this means you cannot lock in a date more than three months out, so build your revision plan around a bookable window.

You can hold a maximum of two exams at once. Since 16 January 2023, you "can have a maximum of two Microsoft Certification exams scheduled at a time, either on the same day or on separate days through Pearson VUE" [1]. After you take or cancel one, you can register for another [1]. This matters if you are stacking certifications, for example sitting AB-730 and AB-731 close together. There is no blanket rule forcing a gap between two scheduled exams, so the two can even fall on the same day [1].

Failed an exam? You wait 24 hours to retake. If you fail, you can retake the exam 24 hours after the first attempt, and the wait grows for subsequent retakes [9]. For the full policy and a recovery plan, read our Microsoft exam retake policy guide.

Paying and applying a voucher at checkout

Payment happens on the Pearson VUE side of the booking, after you transfer across from Microsoft Learn [1]. This is also where any discount is applied, so it pays to have your voucher or promo code ready before you reach the payment screen.

Apply a voucher on the Pearson VUE payment screen. Microsoft's instructions are specific: "On the screen where you enter payment and billing information, select Add Voucher or Promo Code and follow the on-screen instructions to redeem your voucher" [4]. Employer-purchased vouchers, event codes and beta discount codes all go through this same field [4][7].

Student discounts are automatic once verified. Microsoft offers academic pricing "in most countries/regions (except India and China)" [5]. To qualify, identify yourself as a student in your certification profile and verify your academic status; once verified, the discount is applied when you register [5].

Exam price is shown at checkout, not on the exam page. Every Microsoft AI exam page states only that price is "based on the country or region in which the exam is proctored," so the exact figure appears at the Pearson VUE checkout, before tax [9]. Fundamentals-level exams such as AI-901 are widely reported at around US$99 and associate-level exams such as AI-103 at around US$165, but these are third-party estimates rather than Microsoft-published figures, and prices vary by region [9]. Always confirm the price shown at checkout. To bring that cost down, see our guide to Microsoft exam vouchers and discounts.

Rescheduling or cancelling your exam

Plans change, and Microsoft lets you reschedule or cancel, but only up to a point without losing your fee. The single number to remember is 24 hours.

Give at least 24 hours' notice. The official policy is direct: "Be sure to reschedule or cancel exam appointments at least 24 hours before your scheduled exam or your fee will be forfeited. If you used a company-purchased voucher, the voucher will be forfeited" [3]. A no-show can also mean your company is charged a no-show fee [3].

To reschedule or cancel, you start from your Learn profile [3]:

1. Sign in and choose Profile from your avatar dropdown.
2. Go to Credentials, then select Certifications.
3. Scroll to the exam appointment and choose Cancel or Reschedule.
4. You are redirected to Pearson VUE to complete the change.

Booking a beta exam

Beta exams, such as the current AB-650 (Administering Microsoft 365 and AI Services), use the same booking mechanism, but the discounts and timing differ [7]. If you are eyeing a beta, the booking step itself is familiar; the planning around it is not.

The route is identical, the discount is time-limited. You book a beta exam through the same Learn-to-Pearson-VUE flow [7]. Microsoft offers "a limited number of discounted seats during a 3-4 week window" with an eighty percent discount code posted on the Microsoft Learn blog, on a first-come, first-served basis [7]. Miss the window and you can still sit the beta at full price [7].

Beta results are delayed and some regions are excluded. You will not get a score immediately; scoring can take roughly 10 to 14 weeks after the beta period begins [7]. Candidates located in China, India, Pakistan or Türkiye are not eligible to sit beta exams for security reasons [7]. For the wider picture, read our Microsoft beta exam guide.

A quick language and region note

Microsoft AI exams are sold worldwide with a consistent skills outline, and most are localised into several languages. AB-730, AB-731 and AI-901 are each available in English plus a dozen or so other languages, though there is no separate English (UK) variant, so UK candidates sit the standard English version [9]. One practical point for non-native English speakers: even when your exam is in another language, "greeter support, proctor support, and proctoring software will be communicated in English" [2].

Ready to book? Prepare first

Booking takes minutes; passing takes preparation. Once your date is locked in, the best use of your 90-day window is structured practice against realistic questions. Browse Examinotion's Microsoft AI exam preparation courses to find your exam, or go straight to a popular one such as AB-730 practice, AB-731 practice or AI-901 practice. Not sure which certification to sit yet? Our Microsoft AI certification roadmap maps the paths for business professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Microsoft account to book a certification exam?

You need a Microsoft Learn profile, and Microsoft recommends signing in with a personal Microsoft account rather than a work or school account. If you register with an organisational account, your exam records are lost if you leave that organisation and cannot be recovered, so a personal account keeps your certification history yours for life.

How far in advance can I book a Microsoft certification exam?

You can schedule a Microsoft certification exam no more than 90 days in advance. This applies to every exam booked through Pearson VUE, so plan your revision timeline around a date that falls inside that three-month window rather than trying to lock in a slot further out.

Can I book more than one Microsoft exam at a time?

Yes, up to two. Since January 2023 you can have a maximum of two Microsoft Certification exams scheduled at once, either on the same day or on separate days. Once you take or cancel one of them, you can then register for another, which suits candidates stacking certifications.

How much does a Microsoft AI certification exam cost?

Microsoft does not publish a fixed figure; every exam page says price is based on the country or region where the exam is proctored, with the exact amount shown at Pearson VUE checkout before tax. Fundamentals exams are commonly reported around US$99 and associate exams around US$165, but confirm the price at checkout.

Can I take my Microsoft exam online instead of at a test centre?

In most cases yes, and you choose during the Pearson VUE booking step. Online and test centre exams are of equal difficulty. Availability depends on your exam and region, and for an online exam you should run the system pre-check before you register to confirm your computer meets the requirements.

What happens if I need to cancel or reschedule at short notice?

You must reschedule or cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment, or your fee is forfeited, and a company-purchased voucher is forfeited under the same condition. A no-show may also incur a fee. You start the change from your Microsoft Learn profile, which redirects you to Pearson VUE to confirm.

Sources

1. Register and schedule an exam - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
2. About online exams with Pearson VUE - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
3. Reschedule and cancellation policies - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
4. Vouchers and redeeming discounts - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
5. Student discounts - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
6. Request exam accommodations - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
7. About beta Certification exams - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
8. FAQs about online proctored exams - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16
9. Microsoft Certified: AI Business Professional (AB-730) - Microsoft Learn, accessed 2026-09-16