By Renzo Madueño, former Airbus A320 First Officer (Avianca), FAA commercial pilot · Updated
FAA Knowledge Test Passing Score 2026: 70% (42 of 60 on the Private Pilot Written)
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What score do you need to pass the private pilot written exam?
70%. On the FAA Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) knowledge test that is at least 42 of 60 scored questions. You see 65 questions (5 are unscored validation questions), you have 2 hours, and every question has three answer choices. In 2025, 89.56% of 44,657 PAR attempts passed, with an average score of 81.64%. Sources: the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (revised Sep 25, 2026), the PSI PAR applicant bulletin and the FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report.
70% is the passing score for every FAA airman knowledge test. What changes from test to test is the number of questions and the time limit.
Passing score, questions and time for all 15 FAA knowledge tests
| Test (code) | Scored questions | Unscored | Time | Passing score | You need | Passed in 2025 | Average score 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Remote Pilot (Part 107) (UAG) | 60 | 5 | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 82.96% | 79.31% |
| Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) | 60 | 5 | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 89.56% | 81.64% |
| Private Pilot Helicopter (PRH) | 60 | 5 | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 89.88% | 81.57% |
| Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) | 60 | 5 | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 94.38% | 86.15% |
| Instrument Rating Helicopter (IRH) | 60 | 5 | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 94.14% | 84.47% |
| Commercial Pilot Airplane (CAX) | 100 | 5 | 2.5 hours | 70% | 70 of 100 | 99.17% | 91.25% |
| Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane (ATM) | 125 | 5 | 3.5 hours | 70% | 70% of 125 | 99.82% | 94.79% |
| Airline Transport Pilot Single-Engine Airplane (ATS) | 90 | 5 | 2.5 hours | 70% | 63 of 90 | 97.37% | 91.55% |
| Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) | 50 | not published | 1.5 hours | 70% | 35 of 50 | 99.07% | 92.13% |
| Flight Instructor Airplane (FIA) | 100 | not published | 2.5 hours | 70% | 70 of 100 | 95.35% | 88.89% |
| Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) | 100 | not published | 2.5 hours | 70% | 70 of 100 | 97.29% | 89.2% |
| Aircraft Dispatcher (ADX) | 80 | not published | 3.5 hours | 70% | 56 of 80 | 82.41% | 80.62% |
| Aviation Maintenance Technician General (AMG) | 60 | not published | 2 hours | 70% | 42 of 60 | 69.59% | 74.02% |
| Aviation Maintenance Technician Airframe (AMA) | 100 | not published | 2 hours | 70% | 70 of 100 | 74.01% | 75.9% |
| Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant (AMP) | 100 | not published | 2 hours | 70% | 70 of 100 | 63.04% | 72.58% |
"Unscored" questions are validation items the FAA is trying out; PSI publishes the count only for some tests. "Passed in 2025" counts every attempt, retakes included. All figures checked on October 3, 2026 against the testing matrix (revised September 25, 2026), the PSI bulletins and the FAA's 2025 volume report. The full pass-rate table with attempts is on our FAA knowledge test pass rates 2025 page.
How is the private pilot written scored?
- Your score is the share of the 60 scored questions you answered correctly. The 5 validation questions don't count, and you can't tell which ones they are, so answer everything.
- A wrong answer costs you nothing more than a blank one, so never leave a question unanswered.
- Each question has three choices (A, B, C), the same format as every FAA sample test.
- The questions are spread across the Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C). PSI publishes the share of each area:
| ACS area | Share of the 60 scored questions | About this many |
|---|---|---|
| I. Preflight Preparation | 22% | 13 |
| II. Preflight Procedures | 13% | 8 |
| III. Airport and Seaplane Base Operations | 7% | 4 |
| IV. Takeoffs, Landings, and Go-Arounds | 20% | 12 |
| V. Performance and Ground Reference Maneuvers | 3% | 2 |
| VI. Navigation | 8% | 5 |
| VII. Slow Flight and Stalls | 8% | 5 |
| VIII. Basic Instrument Maneuvers | 7% | 4 |
| IX. Emergency Operations | 7% | 4 |
| XI. Night Operations | 3% | 2 |
| XII. Postflight Procedures | 2% | 1 |
What do you need before you can take it?
An instructor endorsement or a pilot-school graduation certificate (14 CFR 61.35, 61.71). You also need identification with your photo, signature and address, and you must be at least 15 years old (FAA knowledge test FAQ and testing matrix). The test is given at PSI testing centers; the testing center hands you the airman knowledge testing supplement (FAA-CT-8080-2H) with the charts and figures.
What happens if you fail?
You need an instructor endorsement certifying additional training (14 CFR 61.49). No waiting period. You pay the testing fee again: PSI publishes $175 plus applicable tax per knowledge test (PSI FAA testing programs). The Part 107 test works differently: wait 14 days and retest; no endorsement needed (14 CFR 107.71).
How long does a passing score last?
A passed knowledge test expires 24 calendar months after the month you took it; if you haven't finished the practical test by then, you take the knowledge test again (14 CFR 61.39). The ATP multiengine (ATM) result is the exception: it is valid for 60 calendar months under the testing matrix.
Why aim higher than 70%?
70% is the bar, not a target. Your airman knowledge test report lists the knowledge areas you missed. Your instructor must review each of them with you and endorse the report before your checkride (FAA knowledge test FAQ), and you hand that report to the examiner at the practical test. Fewer missed areas means less to fix before the checkride.
A margin also protects you from bad luck in the draw. On our free 5-question private pilot test (3,588 anonymous answers, June 2026 to October 2026; its questions are drawn from a set of deliberately hard ones, so the rates run high), these were the topics people missed most:
- Airspace & VFR Minimums: 54% of 665 answers wrong
- Regulations & Procedures: 45% of 1,125 answers wrong
- Airport Operations: 44% of 589 answers wrong
- Weather & Performance: 36% of 489 answers wrong
- Aerodynamics: 35% of 720 answers wrong
If airspace and VFR weather minimums are your weak spot, start there: 54% of answers on that topic were wrong.
How hard is it to pass? FAA pass rates 2025
The private pilot written passed 89.56% of the time in 2025. For comparison, the Part 107 (UAG) test passed 82.96% and the lowest of the 15 tests in the table above was the mechanic powerplant test (AMP) at 63.04% (FAA CY2025 report). The private, instrument and commercial tests require an instructor endorsement (or a school graduation certificate) before you can sit them; the Part 107 test does not, which is one reason its pass rate is lower. Every test, with attempts and averages: FAA knowledge test pass rates 2025.
Check yourself before you book
Take our free private pilot practice test: three answer choices like the real test, an instant score and the topic you're weakest in. When you can score well above 70% on timed, full-length practice tests, book the real one. For the step-by-step plan, see how to pass the FAA private pilot knowledge test.
Frequently asked questions
What score do you need to pass the private pilot written exam?
70%. On the FAA Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) knowledge test that means at least 42 of 60 scored questions right. You get 2 hours and 65 questions on screen (5 of them unscored), each with three answer choices. In 2025, 89.56% of 44,657 attempts passed (FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report).
Is 70% the passing score for every FAA knowledge test?
Yes. The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix lists 70% for every airman knowledge test: Part 107 (UAG), private, instrument, commercial, ATP, flight and ground instructor, dispatcher and mechanic tests.
Do the unscored questions count toward my score?
No. The private pilot test shows 65 questions, but 5 are unscored validation questions the FAA is trying out (PSI PAR applicant bulletin). You can't tell which ones they are, so answer all of them; your score is based on the 60 scored questions.
What happens if I score below 70% on the private pilot written?
You can retest with no waiting period once an authorized instructor gives you an endorsement certifying additional training in the areas you missed (14 CFR 61.49). You pay the testing fee again (PSI publishes $175 plus applicable tax per test).
How long is a passing private pilot knowledge test score valid?
A passed knowledge test expires 24 calendar months after the month you took it (14 CFR 61.39 and the FAA's knowledge test FAQ). If you haven't passed the practical test by then, you take the knowledge test again.
Does my written test score matter on the checkride?
Your airman knowledge test report lists the knowledge areas you missed. Your instructor must review those areas with you and endorse the report or give you a written endorsement that the review is done (FAA knowledge test FAQ), and you bring the report to the practical test, so the examiner sees them too.
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