What is the VMCE+ exam format?
The VMCE+ v13 exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions in a 150-minute sitting, and all 100 questions are scored - there are no unscored pilot items, a break from the retired VMCE format. Scores are reported on a 300-900 scale with 724 required to pass, and the decision rides on the total score. The exam is available in English (US), and candidates whose local language is not English receive an additional 30 minutes. It is delivered through Pearson Professional Assessments, either at a Pearson test center or online from home via OnVUE.
The Six Blueprint Domains and Their Weights
Veeam publishes the full domain weighting in the exam specification, and the spread tells you where the exam lives. Data Protection and Maintenance is the heavyweight at 26% - backup and replication jobs, NAS and unstructured data, physical and cloud workloads, enterprise plug-ins, and platform maintenance. Deployment, Configuration, and Security follows at 20%, covering hardened infrastructure, component deployment, and initial security configuration.
Recovery and Verification carries 15% - restore operations, application item restores with Veeam Explorers, and SureBackup verification. Veeam Fundamentals, Strategy, and Design takes 14%: RPO and RTO definitions, transport modes, ports, permissions, and designing to business requirements. The two newest-scope domains close the blueprint: Analytics, Monitoring, and Observability at 13% (alarms, remediation, reports, dashboards) and Orchestration and Disaster Recovery at 10% (Veeam Recovery Orchestrator, recovery plans, DataLabs).
The structural point: nearly a quarter of the exam - 23% across the last two domains - sits outside Veeam Backup & Replication entirely. The VMCE+ tests three products: Backup & Replication, Veeam ONE, and Veeam Recovery Orchestrator.
| Domain | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Veeam Fundamentals, Strategy, and Design | 14% | RPO, RTO, transport modes, ports, permissions; business objectives; solution design |
| Deployment, Configuration, and Security | 20% | Hardened backup infrastructure, component deployment, initial security configuration |
| Data Protection and Maintenance | 26% | Backup and replication jobs, NAS and offsite copies, physical and cloud workloads, plug-ins, maintenance |
| Recovery and Verification | 15% | Restore operations, Veeam Explorer item restores, SureBackup verification |
| Analytics, Monitoring, and Observability | 13% | Resolve backup operations, remediation, reports, dashboards and alarms |
| Orchestration and Disaster Recovery | 10% | Recovery Orchestrator configuration, recovery plans, DataLabs verification |
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
How VMCE+ Scoring Works
The VMCE+ uses scaled scoring: your raw correct count is converted onto a 300-900 scale, and 724 is the minimum passing score. Veeam set the cut score using data from the exam pilot with Angoff and Hofstee standard-setting methods - the two industry-standard approaches the specification names directly.
Two details matter for expectations on exam day. First, every item is scored, so there is no harmless pilot block to relax through. Second, pass or fail is decided on the total score alone. Veeam states section-level scores are less reliable and does not include them in score reports - you will not get a per-domain breakdown telling you which product cost you the pass.
Pass and the credential posts with a certificate and a digital badge, and Veeam Certified Engineers receive priority access to technical support. You receive a score report after completing the exam either way.
The Hard Prerequisite: Three Courses Before Scheduling
This is the gate most candidates underestimate. Veeam's certification FAQ states it plainly: attending relevant trainings is a hard requirement to sit the VMCE+ and VMCSE certification exams, and the exam specification lists the same three courses as prerequisites - Veeam Backup & Replication: Configure, Manage and Recover; Veeam Data Platform: Scale, Automate, Secure (Veeam Recovery Orchestrator); and Veeam Data Platform: Monitor, Manage, Analyze (Veeam ONE).
Veeam University PRO puts the bundle at 55+ hours self-paced. The Backup & Replication course runs either four days instructor-led through a Veeam Authorized Education Center or 26 hours on demand. The eLearning subscription itself is sold through Veeam channel partners and distributors. Veeam also expects candidates to arrive with a minimum of six months of commercial Veeam experience before the courses, and the exam guide recommends at least two years of hands-on platform experience.
The specification adds a warning worth taking seriously: completion of the training is mandatory for eligibility, but the exam is designed to assess more than course content alone. Experience answers what the slides do not.
Delivery: Pearson Test Center or Online from Home
The exam specification states the exam is delivered through Pearson Professional Assessments - formerly Pearson VUE - and that you can take it at a Pearson test center or online. Veeam's FAQ confirms candidates can take the exam from home or from the office using Pearson VUE's online proctored platform, and Pearson hosts a dedicated Veeam OnVUE page.
Booking runs through your Veeam.com account, which links out to Pearson to schedule, reschedule, or cancel. For the at-home route, Pearson's Veeam OnVUE page publishes the minimums - Windows 10 or macOS 14+, webcam, microphone, and speaker with no headphones, one display only, at least 6 Mbps down and 2 Mbps up, and all other applications closed - plus a prohibited list covering virtual machines, phones, tablets, watches, smart devices, secondary displays, and VPN or corporate or public networks. Failing the minimums on exam day can cancel the sitting and forfeit the fee, so run the system test on the same device and network beforehand.
The Official Retake Ladder
Veeam publishes the full retake policy in the exam specification, and it escalates. After your first failed attempt, you wait 24 hours before retaking. After attempts two through four, the wait is 14 days each time. After attempt five, the wait becomes 12 months - and then attempts six through nine are permitted. After attempt nine, another 12 months applies.
Two closing rules round out the picture. Once you pass the exam, you cannot retake it until the next major version is released. And Veeam credentials do not expire - there is no recertification exam on a timer, though Veeam ProPartners may need to refresh credentials to meet program compliance requirements. Every retake is a new paid sitting at the voucher price for your country tier.
The Bottom Line
The VMCE+ v13 is a 100-question, 150-minute, all-scored exam with a 724 passing score on a 300-900 scale, six published blueprint domains across three Veeam products, a hard three-course prerequisite, and delivery at a Pearson test center or online from home via OnVUE. Confirm your courses are complete, run the OnVUE system test if you test from home, and book through your Veeam.com account.
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