FAQ: Puppet Certification Program
General Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Puppet Certification Program?
Are there different levels of Puppet certification?
How do I prepare for the Puppet certification exam?
Are the Puppet certification exams based on the use of Puppet Open Source software or Puppet Enterprise?
Are there any requirements or prerequisites for taking the Puppet certification exams?
How difficult are the Puppet certification exams?
What credentials are awarded if I pass a Puppet certification exam?
Will my Puppet certification expire?
Do I have to renew my Puppet certification?
Where do I take my Puppet certification exam?
How do I register for a Puppet certification exam?
How much is a Puppet certification exam?
Do I have to pay to retake a Puppet certification exam?
What is the format for the exams?
What is a beta exam?
What happens if I fail a Puppet certification exam?
What languages are the certification exams offered in?
Are there accommodations for candidates with disabilities?
How are Puppet certification exam scores calculated?
When will I receive my Puppet certification exam results?
Why am I required to accept a Non-Disclosure Agreement before taking the exam?
Will my employer be notified of my Puppet certification exam results?
What happens after I pass a Puppet certification exam?
What is the certificate ID in the bottom right corner of my certificate used for?
How can I verify that a Puppet Certification is valid?
Answers to General FAQs
What Is the Puppet Certification Program?
Puppet certifications are designed to validate and recognize IT professionals who have the technical capabilities and real-world experience needed to manage their infrastructure proactively throughout its life-cycle, from provisioning and configuration to patch management and compliance, using Puppet IT automation software.
Are there different levels of Puppet certification?
The Puppet Certification Program consists of two separate certification tracks for individuals to follow: Puppet Professional or Puppet Developer. Each track contains a certification exam that aligns with Puppet training curriculum available for the specific track. Currently, there is only one level of certification for each track. Future plans for the Puppet Certification Program include offering a performance-based certification as a capstone to both certification tracks.
How do I prepare for the Puppet certification exam?
If you review the Puppet Professional or Puppet Developer overviews, there is a description under the Qualified Candidate section for each exam that outlines the required skill set each candidate should meet and the recommended preparation resources. These resources may include training curriculum, reference materials and practice exams.
Are the Puppet certification exams based on the use of Puppet Open Source software or Puppet Enterprise?
Both the Puppet Professional and Puppet Developer certification exams will test the knowledge of Puppet Open Source software and Puppet Enterprise; however, many of the Puppet Enterprise-specific questions are applicable to Puppet Open Source. Please review the Exam Objectives section on the Puppet Professional or Puppet Developer certification overview pages for further clarification on what to expect from the exams.
Are there any requirements or prerequisites for taking the Puppet certification exams?
Hands-on experience with Puppet as a systems administrator is a required prerequisite for both exams, and hands-on experience with Ruby is a required prerequisite for the Puppet Developer exam. There are no additional required exam or course prerequisites, though Puppet Education training is highly recommended.
How difficult are the Puppet certification exams?
Puppet certification exams are challenging, high-stakes exams designed to measure your proficiency with using Puppet. It’s best to review the Candidate Qualifications and Objectives sections on the Puppet Professional or Puppet Developer exam overview pages, as your level of knowledge and experience with Puppet will be the best indicator of how difficult the exam will be for you.
What credentials are awarded if I pass a Puppet certification exam?
- If you pass the current Puppet Professional exam (Puppet 201.1 exam – System Administration Using Puppet), you will be awarded the Puppet Professional 2013 Certification and be recognized as a Puppet Certified Professional.
- If you pass the current Puppet Developer exam (Puppet 301 exam – Developing for Puppet Using Ruby), you will be awarded the Puppet Developer 2013 Certification and be recognized as a Puppet Certified Developer.
Will my Puppet certification expire?
No, Puppet certifications will not expire. They will, however, become outdated with future revisions of the certification exam, as exams will be updated approximately every 18 months, or as new versions of the software warrant an exam update. To track the different versions of Puppet certifications, each certification is marked with the year the certification exam was developed.
Do I have to renew my Puppet certification?
Puppet certifications will not require renewal. They will, however, become outdated with future revisions of the certification exam, as exams will be updated approximately every 18 months or as new versions of the software warrant an exam update. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you maintain the most current version of the certification that is available. To verify which version of the certification you have, each Puppet certification is marked with the year the certification exam was developed.
Where do I take my Puppet certification exam?
Puppet certification exams will be offered through Pearson VUE testing centers worldwide. Click here to find a nearby Pearson VUE center and schedule a test today.
* The Puppet certification exams will be available at Pearson VUE testing centers in most countries, with the exception of China and India. As the Puppet Certification Program continues to grow, we will evaluate expanding our testing locations to serve those regions.
How do I register for a Puppet certification exam?
Exam registration is handled through Pearson VUE. Click here to schedule an exam today.
How much is a Puppet certification exam?
Each Puppet certification exam is $200 USD.
Do I have to pay to retake a Puppet certification exam?
Yes, you will need to pay to retake any Puppet certification exam as fees are incurred with each instance exam of delivery.
What is the format for the exams?
The exams are multiple choice, computer-based exams that are taken in a proctored environment. Questions will be based on the use of Puppet, but Puppet will not be available during testing.
What is a beta exam?
For select Puppet certifications, individuals may be invited to take beta examinations. Currently, the Puppet Developer certification exam is a beta exam. Puppet certifications will be awarded to individuals who successfully pass beta exams.
Beta exams are different than final certification exams in the following ways:
- They are comprised of up to 195 multiple choice questions, some of which may seem redundant to the candidate completing the exam
- Time limit to complete the exam is 4.5 hours
- You will be invited to share your feedback on each question during testing
- Exam results will be sent approximately 6-8 weeks after the close of the beta period
As with any Puppet certification exam, candidates must follow standard procedures including pre-registering, presenting two forms of identification at the testing center and prior to beginning the exam.
What happens if I fail a Puppet certification exam?
If you do not pass an exam, you may attempt to retake the exam in accordance with our retake policy. Our retake policy is as follows:
- If you do not pass a certification exam on your first attempt, you will be required to wait 14 days before a second attempt
- If a second attempt at the same exam is not passed, you will be required to wait 90 days before a third attempt
- If you do not pass after your third attempt, you must contact Puppet to request a fourth attempt within 6 months of the initial attempt
What languages are the certification exams offered in?
At this time, Puppet certification exams are offered in English only.
Are there accommodations for candidates with disabilities?
If you are unable to take a Puppet certification exam either using standard testing equipment or within the standard exam duration, please contact Puppet Lab’s certification team to discuss available accommodations. Please e-mail certification@puppetlabs.com. Be sure to include the following:
- “Accommodation Request” in the e-mail subject
- Your name
- Your Puppet ID provided by Pearson VUE
- Type of accommodation required
- Contact information including e-mail address and phone number
Please submit the e-mail to Puppet Labs at least three weeks before registering for an exam. Pearson VUE testing centers will work with you to accommodate your needs as best they can. If the testing center of your choice cannot accommodate your needs, please contact Pearson VUE for further assistance. The information requested in the e-mail, and any documentation regarding your need for accommodation in testing, will be held in strict confidence and will not be shared without your express written permission.
How are Puppet certification exam scores calculated?
- There is no penalty for providing incorrect answers. If you choose an incorrect answer, you simply do not earn credit for that item. No points are deducted for incorrect answers or answers left blank.
- If a question specifies that you must choose multiple correct answers, you must choose the exact number of correct answers specified in the question to earn the credit for a correct answer. Partial credit is not given.
- Scoring is calculated by totaling up the number of correct answers and determining if this is above or below the established passing score for that particular exam.
When will I receive my Puppet certification exam results?
Provisional score reports will be provided immediately after testing. For beta exams, score reports will be provided approximately 6-8 weeks after the close of beta testing.
Why am I required to accept the Confidentiality Terms before taking the exam?
By accepting the Confidentiality Terms, you are legally prohibited from disclosing information related to the exams, their questions, or any content that may be related to the Puppet certification exams. This is to protect the integrity and validity of Puppet certification exams and their awarded certifications.
Will my employer be notified of my Puppet certification exam results?
No. Your exam results are held in the strictest confidence and will only be provided to you.
What happens after I pass a Puppet certification exam?
For each certification exam taken, you will receive a provisional score report from the testing center upon completion of the exam. If your provisional score report indicates that you have passed, you will receive an email within 7-10 days from certification@puppetlabs.com indicating that your passing score has been validated, and that you have earned a Puppet certification. This email will be sent to the email address provided to Pearson VUE. It will contain a digital copy of your certificate (plus a welcome letter, logos, logo usage guidelines, and certificate number).
What is the certificate ID in the bottom right corner of my certificate used for?
The certificate ID represents the order in which you’ve earned your Puppet Certification. It can also be used for verification purposes.
How can I verify that a Puppet Certification is valid?
To verify an individuals Puppet Certification, you’ll need to request their certificate ID located on the bottom right corner of their certificate. Then, send their name and certificate ID to certification@puppetlabs.com requesting verification of the issued Puppet Certification.