PrepMicrosoft Certified: Power BI Data Analyst Associate (PL-300)
PL-300 is Microsoft's Power BI Data Analyst exam. It tests whether you can prepare data in Power Query, build a semantic model with DAX, design reports that tell a clear story, and manage and secure content in the Power BI service. It is a 100-minute proctored exam with a pass mark of 700, and the certification is renewed free each year through an online assessment.
Who it is for
- Data and business analysts who build Power BI reports and models
- Excel power users moving to Power BI and DAX
- BI developers who want a recognised Microsoft credential
- Finance, sales and operations staff who own self-service reporting in their team
The exam at a glance
| PL-300 | |
|---|---|
| Exam | Exam PL-300: Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (skills measured as of April 20, 2026) |
| Questions | Not published for this exam. Microsoft says most of its certification exams contain 40-60 questions, and the number can vary by exam. |
| Time | 100 min |
| Format | Proctored exam, scheduled through Pearson VUE. May include interactive components; Microsoft offers an exam sandbox to try the question types. Associate role-based exams without labs have 100 minutes of exam time and 120 minutes of seat time, and you can open Microsoft Learn during the exam (the clock keeps running). Offered in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, German, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Chinese (Traditional) and Italian. |
| Passing | 700 or greater on a scale of 1-1000 (scaled score, not necessarily 70% of the points). |
| Price | US$165 in the United States (secondary sources). Microsoft states the price depends on the country or region where the exam is proctored, see unverified. |
| Prerequisites | None. Microsoft expects candidates to be proficient in Power Query and DAX and to work with business stakeholders, analytics engineers and data engineers. |
| Validity | 12 months. Associate certifications expire annually; renew at no cost by passing a free online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn before the expiry date. |
Checked against the official Microsoft pages on 2026-11-07: learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com, learn.microsoft.com. Exam details change; confirm on the issuer's site before you book. Some details could only be confirmed from secondary sources and are marked for re-checking.
Exam domains
PL-300
| Domain | Weight |
|---|---|
| Prepare the data | 25-30% |
| Model the data | 25-30% |
| Visualize and analyze the data | 25-30% |
| Manage and secure Power BI | 15-20% |
How to prepare
- Read the official PL-300 study guide and use the skills measured as of April 20, 2026 as your checklist
- Install Power BI Desktop and build a full model from raw files: clean data in Power Query, create a star schema, a date table and core DAX measures
- Practise the topics that cause most mistakes: CALCULATE and filter context, inactive relationships, semi-additive measures, reference vs duplicate queries, and storage modes
- Publish to the Power BI service and set up a workspace, an app, scheduled refresh, row-level security and sensitivity labels
- Take Microsoft's free practice assessment and try the exam sandbox
- Book the exam when you score well consistently, and check the price for your country on the exam page
PL-300 guides
FAQ
How hard is PL-300?
It is an intermediate exam. Questions are scenario-based and expect hands-on Power Query and DAX skills, not just definitions. You need 700 on a 1-1000 scale.
How long is the PL-300 exam?
You have 100 minutes to answer the questions, with about 120 minutes of seat time including the agreement and survey. Microsoft does not publish the exact number of questions.
Does PL-300 expire?
Yes. The Power BI Data Analyst Associate certification is valid for 12 months, and you can renew it for free by passing an online assessment on Microsoft Learn before it expires.
How much does PL-300 cost?
Microsoft prices the exam by country. Secondary sources put the US price at US$165. Check the exam page and select your country to see your local price.