How to Get a Drone Licence 2026: Flyer ID and Operator ID Steps

Steps to get your drone licence

Work out which IDs you need from your drone’s weight, class mark and whether it has a camera.
Check the age rules, and whether you’re registering as a person or for an organisation.
Read the Drone and Model Aircraft Code, which the test is based on.
Take the Flyer ID theory test on the CAA’s registration site.
If your drone needs one, register for an Operator ID and pay by debit or credit card.
Label every drone that needs it with your Operator ID.
On a UK1, UK2 or UK3 class drone, add your Remote ID number and switch Remote ID on before you fly.

Which IDs your drone needs →The Flyer ID test format →

How do you get a drone licence if you’re under 18?

The test is the same for children and adults. What changes with age is who registers:

Under 13: a parent or guardian must be with the child when they register and take the test, using the CAA’s service for children under 13.
13 to 17: you can take the test and get a Flyer ID on your own, and fly without supervision.
Under 18: you can’t register for an Operator ID, so if you own a drone that needs one, a parent or guardian registers as the operator and labels it with their Operator ID.

The law sets no minimum age for flying. The CAA’s children and parent guidance adds that children under 12 must only fly when supervised by someone aged 16 or over. Each child takes the test separately, and a parent who’s already registered can add children in My registration.

CAA: Get a Flyer ID for a child under 13 ↗

Registering for an Operator ID

The operator is the person or organisation responsible for maintaining and managing the drone, usually its owner.
One Operator ID covers all your drones and model aircraft.
An Operator ID doesn’t let you fly on its own; in most cases you need a Flyer ID as well.
If you’re responsible for drones but won’t fly them, you can register as an operator only.
Organisations, from businesses and schools to clubs and charities, register as an organisation, with an accountable manager and their registered company or charity number.
An organisation’s Operator ID can’t be linked to a Flyer ID, so anyone who also needs a Flyer ID gets it with a different email address.
You still need an Operator ID if you have a CAA authorisation or permission to fly from somewhere such as an airport.

CAA: Get an Operator ID ↗CAA: Get an operator ID for an organisation ↗

Labelling your drone

Every drone or model aircraft that needs an Operator ID must carry it, and the CAA says it’s against the law not to. Use your Operator ID, never your Flyer ID. The label must be:

visible from the outside, or inside a compartment you can open without a tool
clear and in block capitals taller than 3mm
secure and safe from damage
on the main body of the aircraft

Your Remote ID number

The CAA gives every registered operator a Remote ID number, which you’ll find in My registration. It looks like your Operator ID but isn’t the same, it’s case sensitive, and one number works for all your drones. Your drone asks for it when you first set it up and won’t accept an invalid one.

The last three characters are your private key: never write them on the drone, share them or write them down.
If you think someone knows your private key, ask the registration team for a new one.
Delete the number from a drone you sell or lend to someone else.

Which drones need Remote ID, and from when →

Renewing and checking IDs

Operator ID: renew it every year in My registration. Keeping your details up to date is a legal requirement.
Flyer ID: renew it by passing the theory test again before it runs out.
My registration asks for your date of birth and the email address you registered with.
To check someone else’s Flyer ID or Operator ID, use the CAA’s checking service with the ID and the person’s name, or for an organisation the accountable manager’s name.

CAA: My registration ↗CAA: Check a registration ↗

Sources: CAA · legislation.gov.uk and 9 more. Checked October 2026.