Am I Ready for KCNA? Exam Readiness Checklist (2026)
Tick what you can do today, without notes. The board scores you against the Linux Foundation outline and says GO, HOLD or NO-GO before you spend US$250 on a booking.
- 60Questions
- 90 minTime
- 75%Pass mark
- US$250Fee
- PSI / onlineDelivery
Table of Contents
KCNA is the entry point to the CNCF's Kubernetes certifications: a 90-minute, 60-question multiple-choice exam for developers, operators, students and career-changers who need to show they understand Kubernetes and the cloud native ecosystem around it. There are no prerequisites and no live cluster to work on, but candidates quoted on the Linux Foundation's own page describe the questions as more practical than they expected.
The CNCF published a revised curriculum in November 2025. It has four domains: Kubernetes Fundamentals 44%, Container Orchestration 28%, Cloud Native Application Delivery 16% and Cloud Native Architecture 12%. Courses built on the older five-domain outline are weighted differently. Ready means clearing the 75% pass mark with room to spare across all four domains, not reciting definitions. Tick only what you can do today without notes.
How to use this checklist
Tick only what you can do today, without notes. Each tick is weighted by its domain's share of the official outline, so the score follows the exam, not the number of boxes. A heavy domain (15%+ of the weight) at NO-GO holds the verdict even when the total looks fine. Your ticks are saved in this browser only.
The KCNA readiness checklist
18 items across 4 domains, each one a thing the exam expects you to do rather than recognise.
Your go / no-go board
One lamp per domain, one verdict overall. Amber and red rows are your study plan for the next week or two.
Check your ticks under exam conditions
A tick is a claim; a timed set of questions is the evidence. The KCNA app has 1,300+ exam-style KCNA questions with an explanation for every option. Do a mixed set and see whether the domains you ticked hold up.
App StoreGoogle PlayFree KCNA practice testRed flags: don't book yet if...
Any one of these on the KCNA is a better predictor of a fail than a low tick count.
Your course or notes follow the old five-domain outline
The curriculum was revised in November 2025. Observability is no longer a standalone domain, and Kubernetes Fundamentals plus Container Orchestration now make up 72% of the exam.
Fix:Re-sort your notes under the four current domains and fill gaps in networking, security, troubleshooting and storage first.
You have never typed a kubectl command
KCNA is multiple choice, but questions on scheduling, Services and troubleshooting assume you have seen real get and describe output and know what it means.
Fix:Spend a few evenings with kind or minikube: deploy an app, expose it, scale it, break it on purpose and fix it.
You plan to test on a work laptop or a virtual machine
The Linux Foundation says the exam cannot be taken in a virtual machine and strongly advises against work devices, whose security tools often block the PSI Secure Browser.
Fix:Run the PSI system check on a personal computer where you have admin rights, with one monitor and a wired connection if possible.
Your practice scores sit close to 75%
The pass mark is 75% and there is no credit for being close. A practice average at the line makes the real attempt close to a coin flip.
Fix:Keep working the weakest domain until your timed scores sit well above the line; 85% is a sensible rule-of-thumb target.
You can define CNCF terms but not choose between them
The curriculum spans choices such as GitOps versus pipeline pushes, or a Service versus an Ingress. Knowing when to use each is harder than knowing what each term means.
Fix:For each pair of related concepts, write one line on when you would use each, then test yourself on the differences.
The numbers that say you're ready
Rules of thumb, not official thresholds: Linux Foundation does not publish a readiness score. Hit all four before you pay for a booking.
A rule of thumb, not an official figure: the real pass mark is 75%, and a 10-point margin covers question wording you have not seen before.
Rule of thumb: 90 minutes gives 90 seconds per question. Finishing with 20 minutes spare leaves time to revisit flagged items.
Rule of thumb: doing this once from memory covers much of what the Fundamentals and Orchestration questions describe, which is 72% of the exam.
Rule of thumb: if you can sketch who talks to whom, from kubectl to the API server to the kubelet, most component questions become straightforward.
Booking and ID checklist
The logistics that trip people up are specific to the KCNA and its delivery provider. Work through them in order.
Buy the exam from the Linux Foundation
The exam alone is US$250, or US$299 bundled with the LFS250 course. Purchase starts a 12-month window to schedule and take the exam and any retake. Refunds are only possible within 3 business days and before scheduling.
Complete the Exam Preparation Checklist
In My Portal, accept the certification agreement, enter your name exactly as it appears on your ID and confirm the system and room requirements. The Schedule button appears within 30 minutes.
Schedule with PSI
Schedule takes you to the PSI dashboard. Pick your country, time zone and a slot up to 90 days ahead; the earliest slot is the next day because of a 24-hour lead time.
Run the PSI system check
Use PSI's online system check on the exact computer and network you will use. Virtual machines, dual monitors and corporate firewalls cause problems; a webcam you can move is needed for the room scan.
Check your ID
Bring an unexpired, original government ID with your name, photo and signature. The first and last name must exactly match the verified name on your checklist. You can upload the ID in PSI early or at check-in.
Last chance to reschedule
Cancel or reschedule from My Portal up to 24 hours before the start. Inside 24 hours no changes are possible, and a no-show loses both the fee and the retake.
Start check-in early
The Take Exam button opens 30 minutes before your slot and installs the PSI Secure Browser. You must start within 30 minutes of the scheduled time or you are marked a no-show.
Exam-week countdown: T-7 to T-0
Take a timed 60-question set in 90 minutes and score it by domain. Spend the week on the weakest domain, and run the PSI system check on your exam computer now rather than later.
Reread the exam rules. Clear papers from walls and desk, set up a single monitor and check the webcam can be moved for the room scan. Any reschedule must be done more than 24 hours ahead.
Light review only: control plane components, Service types, workload objects and the release strategies. Confirm the name on your checklist matches your ID, and charge the laptop.
Close every other app, pause sync and backup tools, and click Take Exam as soon as it opens 30 minutes before your slot. Keep a clear drink in a label-free bottle if you want one.
Test-day rules
✓ Allowed / expected
- One active monitor and your own computer running the PSI Secure Browser
- Clear liquids in a label-free clear bottle or a clear glass
- Paintings and other wall decor; papers and printouts must come down
- An unexpired, original government ID with name, photo and signature (biometric IDs without a signature accepted)
✕ Not allowed
- Any other application, browser window, notes or online resource during the exam
- Second monitors, virtual machines, phones, smart watches, earbuds or smart glasses
- Reading questions aloud, covering your mouth, or leaving the webcam view without the proctor's permission
- Testing in a public space such as a cafe or open office, or anyone else in the room
- Eating, chewing gum, or writing on anything outside the exam console
After you pass
Score within 24 hours
Exams are scored automatically and the score report is emailed within 24 hours, and shown in My Portal. The Linux Foundation does not report results for individual questions, and rescoring is not offered for multiple-choice exams.
Certificate and Credly badge
A pass earns a certificate with a Certificate ID that employers can check in the Linux Foundation's verification tool, plus a Credly digital badge you can add to LinkedIn and other profiles.
Renew within two years
KCNA expires 24 months after you pass. Renew by passing it again before it expires, or move up: under the Linux Foundation's CARE program, passing CKA or CKAD renews KCNA automatically.
The KCNA at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 multiple-choice questions |
| Time | 90 minutes |
| Passing score | 75% |
| Fee | US$250 exam only; US$299 with the LFS250 course; US$495 with a THRIVE-ONE annual subscription |
| Delivery | Online only, proctored by PSI through the PSI Secure Browser, launched from the Linux Foundation portal |
| Retakes | One free retake per purchase if you fail; the exam and the retake must both be taken within 12 months of purchase |
| Results | Score report emailed within 24 hours of finishing, and shown in My Portal |
| Validity and renewal | 2 years; renew by passing KCNA again before expiry, or automatically by passing CKA or CKAD |
Turn the amber rows green
Work KCNA questions by domain, starting with whatever the board marked HOLD or NO-GO, then tick again.
App StoreGoogle PlayFree KCNA practice testFAQ
How many questions are on the KCNA and what is the passing score?
The KCNA has 60 multiple-choice questions and you have 90 minutes. You need a score of 75% or above to pass, and there is no partial credit for being close. The exam is scored automatically and the score report arrives by email within 24 hours. The Linux Foundation does not give feedback on individual questions, so keep your own notes on weak areas while you prepare.
Does the KCNA fee include a free retake?
Yes. A standard purchase includes two attempts: if you do not pass the first time, you can claim one retake from the results screen in My Portal. Both attempts must be taken within 12 months of the original purchase. A no-show forfeits the fee and the retake, so reschedule more than 24 hours ahead if you are not ready.
Can I take the KCNA at a test centre?
No test centre option is offered. The Linux Foundation lists KCNA as an online, proctored exam run by PSI. You launch it from My Portal, install the PSI Secure Browser when you start and complete a check-in that includes a webcam scan of your room. Plan for a private room with a closed door, a clear desk and walls free of papers.
Did the KCNA curriculum change?
Yes. The CNCF published a revised curriculum in November 2025 with four domains: Kubernetes Fundamentals 44%, Container Orchestration 28%, Cloud Native Application Delivery 16% and Cloud Native Architecture 12%. Observability now sits inside Cloud Native Architecture instead of being its own domain. If your course shows five domains with a 46% and 22% split, it predates the change, so re-weight your revision.
How long is the KCNA valid, and how do I renew it?
It is valid for two years from the date you pass. To renew, pass the KCNA again before it expires; the renewed certification runs for another two years from that pass. Under the Linux Foundation's CARE program, passing CKA or CKAD automatically renews your KCNA, which suits anyone already planning to move on to the hands-on Kubernetes exams.
Sources
Figures on this page come from Linux Foundation and the other primary sources below:
- Linux Foundation: Kubernetes and Cloud Native Associate (KCNA)
- CNCF: KCNA exam curriculum (PDF)
- Linux Foundation: Multiple Choice Exams FAQ
- Linux Foundation: Multiple Choice Exams Important Instructions
- Linux Foundation: Scheduling, rescheduling and cancelling an exam
- Linux Foundation: Exam rules and policies
- Linux Foundation: Exam terms of service (retake policy)
- Linux Foundation: Certificates and certification
Checked October 14, 2026. Fees, outlines and eligibility rules change — confirm with Linux Foundation before you book.