Google Cloud Certification Exam Policies and Exam Terms and Conditions

Exam Terms and Conditions

PLEASE REVIEW THESE TERMS CAREFULLY AS THEY ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE, AND MAY HAVE CHANGED RECENTLY.

These Exam Terms and Conditions (the "Terms") govern participation in the Google Cloud Certification Program (the “Program”) and are entered into between the individual agreeing to these terms ("you") and Google, LLC (or the Google entity referenced in the applicable Order Form, if any)(“Google” or “we”), organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA, and operating under the laws of the USA, with its primary offices at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, California 94043. The Terms are effective as of the date you click to acknowledge and agree to them below. If you do not agree to the Terms, you may not participate in the Program.

1. Program Description. The Program assesses individuals to determine whether they meet Google Cloud’s proficiency standards in technical skills related to Google Cloud.

    a. As part of the Program, you will take a certification assessment (an "Exam") to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in the content area assessed by the Exam.

    b. Google Exam Policies. To participate in the Program, you must comply with all policies applicable to the Program and made available to you by Google (“Google Program Policies”), including the Retake Policy. The Google Program Policies may change from time to time. It is your responsibility to review the Google Program Policies before you take an Exam. 

    c. Certifications. If you pass an Exam, you will receive a digital certificate (a “Certification”) after Google has validated your score.A Professional Certification is valid for two years from the date of issue, unless otherwise specified in the description for your Exam. A Certification for Cloud Digital Leader and Associate Cloud Engineer is valid for three years from the date of issue, unless otherwise specified in the description for your Exam. 

    d. Renewal / Recertification. To renew your Certification status (a “Recertification”), you must retake and pass the applicable Exam. You may attempt Recertification no earlier than the date that is 60 days before your Certification expiration date (the “Recertification Eligibility Date”). Attempts at Recertification before the applicable Recertification Eligibility Date may be rejected and Exam fees forfeited. Exam fees and the Retake Policy apply to all Recertification attempts. If you pass the Cloud Digital Leader and Associate Cloud Engineer certification Exams, you will extend your Certification’s validity for three years from the date of passing the Exam, unless otherwise specified in the description for your Exam. If you pass a Professional Cloud Certification Exam, you will extend your Certification��s validity for two years from the date of passing the Exam, unless otherwise specified in the description for your Exam. For purposes of the Program, this paragraph is the “Recertification Policy.”

    e. Changes to Exam Content. You acknowledge that Google may update or modify the content of an Exam at any time to reflect changes to Google Cloud technology or to preserve the integrity of the Program. For purposes of the Program, this paragraph is the “Exam Content Update Policy.”

2. Eligibility.

    a. Age. You must be 18 years of age or older to be eligible for any Google Cloud Platform Exam.

    b. Trade Compliance. You are not eligible to participate in the Program if:

        i. You are a resident of, or ordinarily reside in, Cuba, Crimea, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Russia, Belarus, or the regions Donetsk People’s Republic or Luhansk People’s Republic; or

        ii. Your participation in the Program would otherwise be prohibited by applicable export controls and sanctions programs.

3. Confidential Information. The content of the Exam, including questions, answers, or any communication, oral or written, regarding or related to the Exam is Google’s confidential information ("Confidential Information"). You will not disclose or transmit Confidential Information to, or share it in any format with, any other person. You may use Exam content only for the purpose of taking the Exam to demonstrate your knowledge and skill in the content area assessed by the Exam. You may not use Exam content for any other purpose, including publishing, copying, selling, posting, downloading or transmitting any Exam content, in whole or in part, by any means for any purpose.

4. Use of a Certification. You may use a Certification only to represent that you as an individual are accredited, certified, or credentialed by Google for passing an Exam. Corporate or other non-individual entities or organizations are not eligible to use Certifications to represent themselves as accredited, certified, or credentialed by Google. You may use a Certification only in accordance with the then-current Google Brand Feature Guidelines, which are located at the following URL: https://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.html.

5. Prohibited Behavior.

    a. To participate in the Program, you must not:

        i. Provide false identification

        ii. Provide invalid payment

        iii. Provide or accept improper Exam assistance

        iv. Copy Exam content in any format

        v. Remove Exam content or materials in any format from a testing center

        vi. Share Exam content in any format (including content that you memorize) with anyone else, including through online posts, discussion groups, forums, chat rooms, or blogs

        vii. Use or access any unauthorized Exam content shared by someone else, including content that you find online, in discussion groups, forums, chat rooms, or blogs

        viii. Misrepresent your Certification status or your Exam results or score report

        ix. Engage in harassing, threatening, or physically or verbally abusive behavior towards Exam facilitators, proctors, other Program or support staff, or other examinees or Program participants

        x. Allow unauthorized software to run during an Exam that is an indication of proxy test-taking, or use or run any software or hardware during the Exam that compromises the integrity of the Exam 

        xi. Use any artificial intelligence software, program or application in any way during the Exam

        xii. Otherwise violate these Terms

    b. During an Exam, you may not:

        i. Read Exam content out loud

        ii. Take notes of any kind

        iii. Intentionally disrupt other examinees

        iv. Talk to or communicate with anyone who is not the Exam facilitator or proctor

        v. Use any Exam aid, including books, paper, writing instruments or phones

        vi. Leave the view of the camera (for online proctoring)

The acts listed in clauses a. and b. of this section are “Prohibited Behaviors”.

6. Online Proctoring Invalidation. If you take an Exam involving online proctoring, Google may suspend the Exam or invalidate the Exam results if:

    a. Your video quality interferes with effective proctoring, including loss of video or poor resolution

    b. Your audio quality interferes with effective proctoring, including loss of audio, poor audio, or excessive background noise

    c. An unauthorized person is present in the secure Exam area

    d. You use an unauthorized test aid, such as a prohibited keystroke or series of keystrokes (print screen, copy, paste, etc.)

    e. Unauthorized software or hardware is detected on your computer

7. Data Forensics. Data forensics uses statistical methods to analyze digital data to detect anomalies. Google uses data forensics and other statistical analyses on its Exams. If we detect anomalies or suspicious behavior, we may suspend an Exam or invalidate the results. To protect the security of our processes, Google will not disclose specific details about the data forensics, statistical analyses or suspicious activity giving rise to the suspension or invalidation, unless required to do so by applicable law.

8. Violations. If you have engaged in any Prohibited Behavior or your conduct otherwise risks the integrity of the Program, Google may, in addition to any other legal remedies: (i) suspend any Exam you are taking, (ii) invalidate the results of any Exam you have taken, (iii) invalidate and revoke any or all of your Certifications, and (iv) suspend or permanently bar you from participating in the Program, including taking or retaking Exams. We will not refund any testing fees if you have engaged in Prohibited Behavior. 

9. Governing Law. All claims arising out of or relating to these Terms will be governed by the laws of the State of California, excluding its conflict of laws rules, and will be litigated exclusively in the federal or state courts of Santa Clara County, California, USA; you and Google consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

To the extent that applicable local law prevents a claim from being resolved in California court, then such claim may be filed in your local courts. To the extent that applicable local law prevents your local court from applying California law to resolve such claims, then such claims will be governed by the applicable local laws of your country, state, or other place of residence.

If you’re a consumer living in the EEA, you may also file disputes regarding online purchases using the European Commission’s Online Dispute Resolution platform, which we accept if required by law.

For individual residents of Québec, all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms will be governed by the laws of the province of Québec and the laws of Canada applicable in that province, excluding its conflict of laws rules, and will be litigated exclusively in the courts of the province of Québec, Canada; you and Google consent to personal jurisdiction in those courts.

10. EEA Consumer Protection Notice. If you live in the EEA and you have agreed to these Terms, then EEA consumer laws provide you with a legal guarantee. Under this guarantee, Google is liable for any lack of conformity that you discover within two years of Google’s provision of the certification services described in the Terms. Your national laws may provide you with an even longer guarantee. Your rights under these legal guarantees are not limited by any other commercial guarantees that we provide. If you want to make a guarantee claim, please contact us at https://support.google.com/a/contact/certification.

If you’re an EEA-based consumer, this service is by law subject to an automatic right of withdrawal for 14 days from the date of the conclusion of the contract. To exercise the right of withdrawal, you must inform us (Google Commerce Limited, c/o Customer Support, Gordon House, Barrow Street, Dublin 4, Ireland, country specific telephone numbers to support consumers at the end of this page, cert-support@google.com) of your decision to withdraw from this contract by an unequivocal statement (e.g. a letter sent by post or an e-mail). You don’t need to give a reason for your withdrawal and your withdrawal is within the deadline if you send us the withdrawal request before the withdrawal period expires.

11. Google Cloud Certification Program Privacy Policy. Google collects and processes your personal information in order to administer the Exam to you and to enable your participation in the Program. All personal information collected in connection with the Program is referred to as "Exam Information." The Google Privacy Policy describes how Google treats personal information, including the Exam Information, when you use Google's products and services. Additional privacy practices specific to Exam Information are described in the Google Cloud Certification Program Privacy Notice. The Google Privacy Policy and Google Cloud Certification Program Privacy Notice are not part of these Terms, but we encourage you to read them to better understand how you can update, manage, export and delete your Exam Information.

12. Changes to Terms. Google may periodically update these Terms. Changes to the Terms will be effective immediately if they are (a) non-material; (b) applicable to new features of the Program; or (c) required by applicable law. All other material changes to the Terms will become effective 30 days after Google notifies you of the relevant change(s). If you do not agree to any new Terms, you should cease your participation in the Program.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, for individual residents of Québec, upon 30 days notice, Google may periodically update these Terms. If you do not agree to the new Terms, you may cease your participation in the Program. If you have not yet taken your Exam, you may request a refund within 30 days.

Below you will find country specific telephone numbers to support consumers.

Austria +43800100458

Belgium +32080058206

Bulgaria +35980014447

Croatia +3858007746

Cyprus +35780077349

Czechia +420800701538

Denmark +4580400289

Estonia +3728005352

Finland +3580800523230

France +33805980300

Germany +498006270970

Greece +3080044147500

Hungary +36680987465

Ireland +3531800832665

Italy +39800089705

Latvia +37180205374

Lithuania +370880031454

Luxembourg +35280040253

Malta +35680065002

Netherlands +318002525537

Poland +48800702378

Portugal +351800600044

Romania +40800885811

Slovakia +421800500126

Slovenia +38680081099

Spain +34900906442

Sweden +460200125384

PREVIOUS VERSIONS (Last modified September 10, 2024)

May 07, 2024, September 18, 2023, June 10, 2022, August 31, 2021