A+ exam format: Core 1, Core 2, and the passing scores

Every figure below was read off CompTIA’s own certification, testing policy, and support pages on November 5, 2026, and each is linked to the page it came from.

The two exams at a glance

The detail most people miss is that the two passing scores are different. Core 2 asks for 700, a higher bar than Core 1’s 675. Both are scaled scores, so neither is a percentage, but the difference is worth knowing when you decide which exam to take first and how much margin you want going in.

The time math is the same on both: 90 questions in 90 minutes is about one minute per question on average. CompTIA’s wording is “maximum of 90 per exam,” so do not assume you will see exactly that many.

Two exams, any order, one version

CompTIA’s A+ page says you need to pass two exams, Core 1 (hardware and networking) and Core 2 (operating systems and security), and that you can take them in any order. Passing one gets you nothing on its own: the certification comes when both are done.

The one rule that catches people is on the V15 exam page: Core 1 and Core 2 must be taken from the same version, with no mixing allowed. The current version is V15, launched March 25, 2025, with exam codes 220-1201 and 220-1202. CompTIA lists its retirement as usually three years after launch (estimated 2028). If you passed an older Core 1, check that the matching Core 2 is still available before you plan around it, because a V15 Core 2 will not pair with it.

On order, CompTIA does not recommend one over the other. A common approach is to start with whichever half matches the work you already do: Core 1 if you build and fix hardware and networks, Core 2 if you spend your day in operating systems and user support.

What each exam covers

The domains are not weighted equally, and on both exams troubleshooting carries a large share. These are CompTIA’s published weights for V15.

On Core 1, hardware and network troubleshooting is the single largest domain at 28%. On Core 2, operating systems and security tie at 28% each. If your study time is short, those are the domains that move your score the most. Our A+ certification page breaks both exams down further.

Performance-based questions on A+

CompTIA’s performance-based questions page lists A+ among the certifications with simulation PBQs. A simulation asks you to work through a task in an approximation of a tool or environment rather than pick an answer from a list. From the same page:

• You can skip a simulation PBQ and come back to it. Your work is saved as you go and when you move to another item.
• Simulation PBQs have a reset button if you want to start the item over.
• There can be more than one way to solve it. CompTIA says scoring addresses different possible approaches.
• Partial credit may be given, so a half finished answer beats a blank one.

CompTIA does not say how many PBQs appear on either A+ exam or how many points each is worth. You will see confident numbers online. None come from CompTIA, so we do not repeat them. A practical approach that follows from the rules: if a PBQ looks long, skip it, finish the multiple-choice questions, and come back with the time you have left.

What 675 and 700 mean

CompTIA’s scoring article explains that it uses a mathematical algorithm to calculate a scaled score, derived from what would otherwise be a percentage, with passing scores set through statistical analysis. It also says CompTIA does not disclose the number of questions required to pass. So 675 out of 900 is not a percentage you can convert, and any figure you read that claims to do it is an estimate.

Your score report will not list the questions you missed. Per the same article, it lists the exam objectives tied to the questions you answered incorrectly, which makes it a ready-made study plan if you need a second attempt.

Who can take it

Anyone. CompTIA’s prerequisites article says its exams have no educational, training, or certification prerequisites, and no age restriction, though it recommends candidates be at least 13. The recommended experience for A+ is 12 months of hands-on experience in an IT support specialist job role. That is guidance, not a gate, but it tells you who the questions are written for.

If you do not pass

CompTIA’s retake policy applies to each exam on its own. There is no waiting period between a first and second attempt. Before a third or any later attempt, you wait at least 14 calendar days from your last one. You pay the exam price each time, and CompTIA offers no free retests or retake discounts, so the bundles on the V15 page that include a voucher with Retake Assurance are the one way to buy a second try up front.

After you pass

A+ renews on a three year cycle, and CompTIA’s CE fees page lists a total CE fee of $75 for the three year period. You may not need to pay it at all: per CompTIA’s higher-level certification page, earning Network+ or Security+ fully renews A+. If A+ is the first step toward a Level I requirement on a contract, our IAT Level I guide compares it with the other options, and the Network+ vs Security+ guide covers what to take next.

FAQ

Want to see the material before you book? The first module of our A+ and Network+ course, Mobile devices from Core 1, is free to start.