United States · Knowledge testWho can get a Part 107 remote pilot certificate?
Under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 107.61 you must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be able to read, speak, write and understand English; if a medical reason stops you meeting one of these, the FAA may put operating limits on your certificate instead
- Not know or have reason to know of a physical or mental condition that would interfere with flying a small drone safely
- Pass the Unmanned Aircraft General-Small (UAG) knowledge test, or, if you hold a Part 61 pilot certificate other than a student certificate and meet the flight review rule, finish the FAA’s initial training course
A drug conviction, or flying under the influence, can mean your application is refused for up to a year (107.57).
How do you apply for the FAA Part 107 remote pilot certificate?
- Log in to IACRA with the profile you made before the test.
- Click Start New Application. Choose Pilot as the application type and Remote Pilot as the certification, then click Other Path Information and Start Application.
- Follow the prompts and enter the 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID from your test report. The FAA says it may take up to 48 hours from the test date for the result to appear in IACRA.
- Sign the application electronically and submit it.
You can apply on paper instead, by mailing Form 8710‑13 with your original test report to the FAA’s Airmen Certification Branch. Advisory Circular (AC) 107‑2A warns that applicants without a Part 61 certificate who use paper don’t get a temporary certificate, so IACRA is the better route.
The TSA check, the temporary certificate and the card
After you submit, the FAA’s Airman Registry checks your details with the TSA. If the vetting fails, you’re disqualified and get no certificate, and AC 107‑2A says you can appeal to the TSA if you think you failed it wrongly.
When the check clears, a confirmation email tells you how to print your temporary remote pilot certificate from IACRA. Under 107.64 it lasts up to 120 calendar days and ends on its expiry date, when your permanent certificate arrives, or if the certificate is denied. The permanent card comes by mail once the FAA’s other processing is done.
If you move, tell the FAA your new address within 30 days, or you can’t use the certificate until you do (107.77).
If you already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate
- Log in to FAASafety.gov, the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) site, and complete the free course Part 107 Small UAS Initial, ALC-451.
- Fill in Form 8710‑13 for a remote pilot certificate in IACRA.
- Make an appointment with a Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), a designated pilot examiner (DPE), an airman certification representative (ACR) or a certificated flight instructor (CFI) to check your identity.
- Bring the completed form, proof of your flight review, a photo ID and your course completion certificate.
- The official signs your application and issues a temporary certificate. A CFI can’t issue one, but you can print your own once the FAA emails you.
Looking up a remote pilot certificate
The FAA’s Airmen Certification page links Airmen Inquiry, its online search of airman certificate records. The same page has the forms to replace a lost certificate and to change the address on one.
Sources: FAA · GovInfo · FAASafety.gov and 3 more. Checked November 2026.
- FAA: Become a Certificated Remote Pilot, last updated June 9, 2026 ↗
- FAA: AC 107-2A, Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, editorial update of May 26, 2022 (PDF) ↗
- GovInfo: 14 CFR Part 107 (§§ 107.57, 107.61, 107.63, 107.64, 107.77), revised as of January 1, 2026 ↗
- FAA: Form 8710-13, Remote Pilot Certificate and/or Rating Application ↗
- FAA: Airmen Certification ↗
- FAASafety.gov: Part 107 Small UAS Initial (ALC-451), course overview ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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