CCDV-F
Claude Certified Developer, Foundations (CCDV-F)
Claude Certified Developer, Foundations (exam code CCDV-F) is the build-focused exam in Anthropic's Claude certification program. It is for engineers who write the code that calls Claude. It is the only one of the four exams that publishes a weight for every single skill, not just for each domain, which makes it the easiest of the four to plan for.
Its domain sizes are also the most uneven in the program. One domain is a third of the exam, while two others are worth about one question each. All facts below come from the official exam guide, version 1.0 (July 2026), and from the Anthropic Partner Academy certification FAQ.
Exam at a glance
| Exam code | CCDV-F |
|---|---|
| Questions | 53, across eight domains. Multiple choice and multiple response. Each question says how many answers to pick. |
| Time limit | 120 minutes. Plan for about 135 minutes in the seat, including check-in and a short survey. |
| Passing score | 720 on a scale of 100 to 1,000 |
| Fee | $125 USD per attempt, before any partner discount |
| Valid for | 12 months |
| How it is delivered | Proctored. Online with a webcam, or at a Pearson VUE test center. |
| Prerequisites | None. The guide suggests 1 to 5 years of software engineering plus 6+ months with Claude. |
| Language | English only. Browser translation tools are not allowed during the exam. |
53 questions in 120 minutes gives more than two minutes per question, the most time of any of the four exams. The exam is closed book: no notes, no documentation, no AI assistants.
Who it is for
The guide describes AI and machine learning engineers, tech leads, and senior software engineers who ship real applications built on Claude. It suggests 1 to 5 years of software engineering and at least six months of hands-on work with Claude or a similar system. It also expects good Python and/or TypeScript, comfort with REST APIs and command line tools, and a working understanding of how language models, agents, context and MCP fit together.
It rules out non-technical users, people with no hands-on development experience, and jobs that only involve writing prompts without building the wider application.
What the exam covers
| # | Domain | Weight | ≈ questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Applications and Integration | 33.1% | ~18 |
| 5 | Model Selection and Optimization | 16.8% | ~9 |
| 1 | Agents and Workflows | 14.7% | ~8 |
| 6 | Prompt and Context Engineering | 11.0% | ~6 |
| 8 | Tools and MCPs | 10.6% | ~6 |
| 7 | Security and Safety | 8.1% | ~4 |
| 3 | Claude Code | 3.1% | ~2 |
| 4 | Eval, Testing, and Debugging | 2.6% | ~1 |
Read that table twice before planning anything. "Claude Code" is 3.1% and "Eval, Testing and Debugging" is 2.6%. Together that is about three questions out of 53. They look like major subjects because they have their own names in the list. They are not. Applications and Integration on its own is worth about eighteen questions.
Weights for each skill
This is the only one of the four exams that publishes a size for each skill inside each domain. The biggest single skills are:
| Skill | Domain | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Claude Application Design | 2 | 8.6% |
| Software Engineering Foundations | 2 | 7.4% |
| Claude API Mechanics | 2 | 6.8% |
| Technical Fundamentals | 5 | 6.1% |
| Agent Construction with Claude | 1 | 5.3% |
| LLM Fundamentals | 5 | 5.2% |
| Agent Patterns and Frameworks | 1 | 4.9% |
| Prompt Engineering | 6 | 4.6% |
| Agent Architecture | 1 | 4.5% |
| Tool Implementation | 8 | 4.4% |
Two of those have nothing to do with Claude. Software Engineering Foundations (7.4%) is REST, JSON, async code, version control, code review and refactoring. Technical Fundamentals (6.1%) is similar: SDKs that wrap REST APIs, and websockets. So close to 14% of this exam is plain software engineering skill.
A few details in the objectives are easy to miss. Agent frameworks are named directly: Strands, LangGraph and PydanticAI. Configuration management includes pinning model versions and versioning prompts. Claude Hooks appear under Security as their own 1.0% skill, described as a way to block destructive actions.
Does it count for your employer?
Yes. Anthropic's certification FAQ lists Developer Foundations as one of the three exams that count toward Claude Partner Network eligibility, together with Architect Foundations and Architect Professional. Claude Certified Associate is the one exam that does not count.
Certification adds to your company's standing in the Claude Partner Network and signals to customers that the team has built a real Claude practice. Companies can see their total number of certifications in the Partner Portal, updated weekly.
One practical rule. You must register with a work email on a domain that is recognized on your company's partner record. A certification earned on an unrecognized domain, including a subsidiary or regional domain, will not be credited to the partner account. Domain changes are made by partner-support@anthropic.com and take 7 to 10 days, so ask before you book.
Preparation checklist
1. Start here
- Create your Anthropic Partner Academy account (needs a work email at a partner company)
- Read the official CCDV-F exam guide in full: 53 questions, 120 min, pass 720/1000, $125, valid 12 months, retakes after 14/30/90 days
2. Study the 8 exam domains, the sizes are very uneven
- Domain 2 - Applications and Integration (33.1%, ~18 questions, a third of the exam)
- Domain 5 - Model Selection and Optimization (16.8%, ~9 questions)
- Domain 1 - Agents and Workflows (14.7%, ~8 questions)
- Domain 6 - Prompt and Context Engineering (11.0%, ~6 questions)
- Domain 8 - Tools and MCPs (10.6%, ~6 questions)
- Domain 7 - Security and Safety (8.1%, ~4 questions)
- Domain 3 - Claude Code (3.1%, ~2 questions, do not overstudy this)
- Domain 4 - Eval, Testing and Debugging (2.6%, ~1 question, do not overstudy this)
- About 14% is plain software engineering: REST, JSON, async, version control, code review
3. Hands-on practice
- Ship one Claude app that uses the API, one tool, and real error handling
- Compare real-time calls against the Message Batches API on the same job
- Turn on prompt caching and measure what it saves
- Write an MCP server that exposes one internal capability as a tool
- Force valid output with JSON schemas instead of parsing free text
- Block a destructive action with a hook instead of asking nicely in the prompt
- Feed untrusted web text to your app and try to make it misbehave
4. Practice tests
- Domain quizzes, quick checks and the full 53-question timed simulator
- Score a consistent pass before you book the real exam
Note on official practice material: the practice exam that ran on the old platform was retired when the program moved to Pearson VUE. The exam guide's sample questions are now the only official example of question style. One of the three samples turns on the choice between real-time calls and the Message Batches API, which is worth reading closely.
Registration, retakes and rules
Who can register. Certification is open only to people at Claude Partner Network organizations. Registration needs a partner work email on a recognized company domain. Personal email addresses do not work, and there is no public registration route.
Booking. Register and pay on the Partner Academy first, then use the emailed link to schedule with Pearson VUE, either online or at a test center. A registration stays valid for 5 years, so you can pay now and sit the exam later.
Price and discounts. Discounts follow your company's partner tier. Registered-tier partners pay full price. Select, Preferred and Global Premier partners get 50% off automatically at checkout. Through 31 August 2026, Global Premier partners get 100% off; after that date the standard 50% applies. Discounts also apply to retakes.
Cancelling. You can reschedule or cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before your appointment, with a full refund. Inside 24 hours, or if you do not show up, you lose the fee. Cancelling in Pearson VUE only frees the time slot; it does not issue a refund. To get money back, email certifications-support@anthropic.com.
Retake rules.
- Fail once, wait 14 days
- Fail twice, wait 30 days
- Fail three times, wait 90 days
- Up to 4 attempts per exam per rolling 12 months
- You pay the full fee every time, minus your partner discount
- Limits are per exam. Failing this one does not block a different one.
On exam day. Bring a valid, unexpired, government-issued photo ID. The name must match your registration exactly. To fix a name, email certifications-support@anthropic.com before you book. Your desk must be clear: no phone, watch, headphones, notes or second screen. Run Pearson's system test on the computer you will use. If a managed work device blocks the exam, take it at a test center instead. Ask for accommodations at least 10 days ahead. Full rules are in the certification policies.
Results and badge. You see your score on screen at the end. If you pass, Credly emails you an invitation to claim the badge, usually within minutes for online exams. Adding a personal email to your Credly profile keeps your badges if you change jobs.
Renewal. The credential lasts 12 months. Renewing on time means a short free assessment on the Partner Academy, with no proctor and no fee. If you let it lapse, you sit the full exam again at full price.
Appeals. You can appeal within 14 days of being told about a decision, or within 14 days of your exam date for a concern about a result. Appeals go to Pearson VUE. Reporting a problem with a question never counts against you, but one disputed question does not by itself change a pass or fail.
References
- Claude Certified Developer, Foundations Exam Guide, version 1.0, July 2026 (exam code CCDV-F)
- Anthropic Partner Academy, certification FAQ
- Anthropic Partner Academy, certification policies
- CCDV-F certification page and exam guide
- Pearson VUE, Anthropic exam support
- Anthropic product documentation: models, SDK, Messages and Message Batches APIs
This page is written from the official exam guide and the Anthropic Partner Academy FAQ, with input from people who have taken the exam. Corrections are welcome.