Program profile · official sources
NVIDIA-Certified Professional: AI Infrastructure (NCP-AII)
The NVIDIA-Certified Professional: AI Infrastructure (NCP-AII) is an intermediate-level credential for data center, infrastructure, network, storage, and system administrators, as well as solution architects. It validates the candidate's ability to deploy, configure, and troubleshoot NVIDIA AI infrastructure. To earn the credential, individuals must pass an online, remotely proctored exam hosted on Certiverse. The exam costs USD 400 and has a 120-minute time limit. Prerequisites include two to three years of operational experience deploying infrastructure for AI workloads using NVIDIA hardware. The certification remains valid for two years from issuance, with recertification requiring candidates to retake the exam. Successful participants receive a digital badge and an optional certificate.
Facts checked 6 Oct 2026
- Price
- USD 400
- (USD 400 for one exam attempt, normalized from the dollar amount on NVIDIA's official US page; preparation and repeat attempts are separate.)
- Provider link
See price and enroll at NVIDIA (official site) ↗
Official site. No commission.
- Time
- 120 minutes for the exam assessment; not preparation time
- Level
- Professional
- Credential
- two years
Valid for two years from issuance; recertification by retaking the exam.
NVIDIA Certification- Format
- Online, remotely proctored certification exam
- Questions: approximately 70 in the overview; 70–75 in the details table.
- Prerequisites
- Two to three years of operational experience working in a data center with NVIDIA hardware solutions. The candidate should be able to deploy all the parts of a data center infrastructure in support of AI workloads.
Commercial status: no commercial relationship is documented for this page. The verification link goes directly to the official provider source.
Sources ↗
- Price · https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/learn/certification/ai-infrastructure-professional/
- Duration · https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/learn/certification/ai-infrastructure-professional/
- Official program page · https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/learn/certification/ai-infrastructure-professional/
- Cost terms · https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/learn/certification/
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What’s covered
- System and Server Bring-up
- Physical Layer Management
- Control Plane Installation and Configuration
- Cluster Test and Verification
- Troubleshoot and Optimize
Prerequisites: Two to three years of operational experience working in a data center with NVIDIA hardware solutions. The candidate should be able to deploy all the parts of a data center infrastructure in support of AI workloads.
What are the prerequisites and target audience for the NCP-AII certification?
NVIDIA lists two to three years of operational experience in a data center using NVIDIA hardware and the ability to deploy all parts of infrastructure supporting AI workloads. The intended audiences include data-center, infrastructure, network, storage and system administrators, network engineers and solution architects. The page separately presents a self-paced fundamentals course and a multi-day professional workshop as preparation resources; it does not state that either course is required or name a prior certification requirement.
What is the format, cost, and validity of the certification exam?
The page lists a USD 400 online, remotely proctored exam with 70-75 questions and a 120-minute sitting time; its overview separately says approximately 70 questions. English is the listed language, and a Certiverse account is needed for access. The certification is valid for two years from issuance, and recertification may be achieved by retaking the exam. Passing participants receive a digital badge and an optional certificate. The source does not publish a numeric passing score or retake fee.
Which technical topics are covered in the NCP-AII exam blueprint?
The exam blueprint divides the assessment into five main technical domains. The largest segments are Cluster Test and Verification at 33%, and System and Server Bring-up at 31%. Control Plane Installation and Configuration accounts for 19%, covering tasks like OS installation and NVIDIA driver updates. Troubleshooting and Optimizing hardware faults and performance makes up 12%. Finally, Physical Layer Management accounts for 5%, including the configuration of BlueField network platforms and MIG for AI and HPC. Test-takers will answer questions on deploying and validating sequences, managing physical connections, cluster burn-ins, executing performance optimizations, and managing container toolkits.
What you actually do
What the credential is
- Credential type
- NVIDIA Certification · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
- Credential
- NVIDIA-Certified Professional: AI Infrastructure · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
- Issuer
- NVIDIA · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
- Sharing
- Digital badge and optional certificate after passing. · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
- Expiry and renewal
- Valid for two years from issuance; recertification by retaking the exam. · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
- Exam requirement
- Pass the certification exam; passing threshold is not stated. · www.nvidia.com / ai-infrastructure-professional
Total cost to finish
Estimate for the stated payment scope: USD 400 × 1 = USD 400.
- One certification exam attempt: USD 400 × 1 = USD 400. One exam registration; not preparation cost or a guarantee of passing. · Source
Scope: USD 400 for one exam attempt, normalized from the dollar amount on NVIDIA's official US page; preparation and repeat attempts are separate. · Source Source
Retakes: General NVIDIA certification retake policy (NVIDIA certification FAQ, as shown in the United States on 6 October 2026): "If you don’t pass an exam on the first attempt, you can purchase the exam again. There’s a 14-day waiting period before the exam can be retaken." "You may not take any given exam more than five times per year (12 months)." The USD 400 above is the price of one attempt; the FAQ states no separate retake amount. · Source Source
Who should skip it
- Professionals lacking two to three years of operational experience working in a data center with NVIDIA hardware solutions. · Source
- Individuals who are not yet capable of deploying all components of a data center infrastructure in support of AI workloads. · Source
- Learners seeking a foundational or beginner-level certification, as this credential is characterized as intermediate-level. · Source
Alternatives in the registry
Programs from other providers, a comparison and a guide.
- Claude Certified Architect - Foundations (Anthropic)
- Exam AI-300: Operationalizing Machine Learning and Generative AI Solutions (Microsoft Learn)
- Comparison: NVIDIA NCP-AII vs NCP-AIO: deploy infrastructure or operate it?
- Guide: Vendor AI Certifications Compared: AWS, Google Cloud, NVIDIA, and Microsoft
Change log
- : Initial recorded review of official exam, scope, price and credential facts. · Source