How to get your FAA Remote Pilot Certificate

By Renzo Madueño, former Airbus A320 First Officer (Avianca), FAA commercial pilot · · exam facts checked 2026-09-26
One knowledge test, one online form, one background check. No flight test, no medical, no instructor. Here is the whole path in order, what each step costs, what a failed test does to your timeline, and how the certificate stays valid every 24 months.
Jump to the 6 steps ↓Cost and retake calculator ↓

Who can get one (14 CFR 107.61)

The rule is short. To be issued a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating you must:

  1. 1

    Be at least 16 years old.

    You can sit the knowledge test at 14, but the certificate waits until 16.

  2. 2

    Be able to read, speak, write and understand English.

    The FAA may grant an exception for a medical reason such as a hearing impairment.

  3. 3

    Have no physical or mental condition that would interfere with the safe operation of a small UAS.

    You declare this yourself on the application; no aviation medical exam is involved.

  4. 4

    Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test (UAG).

    Part 61 pilots with a current flight review can take the free online course instead of the test.

Source: 14 CFR 107.61, eCFR. Minimum test age from the FAA testing matrix.

The 6 steps, in order

Plan on a few weeks of study for steps 1 to 4 plus one morning at the testing center. Steps 5 and 6 are waiting.

  1. Step 1

    Create an IACRA account and get your FTN

    Register at iacra.faa.gov. Your profile gets an FAA Tracking Number (FTN); PSI asks for it when you book the test, so do this first.

    Source: FAA: Become a Drone Pilot

  2. Step 2

    Schedule the UAG knowledge test at a PSI center

    Book "Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG)" through PSI with your FTN and a government photo ID. The fee is about $175 per attempt, paid to PSI.

    Source: FAA FAQ: How much does it cost to get a Remote Pilot Certificate?

  3. Step 3

    Pass the test: 70% of 60 questions in 2 hours

    60 scored multiple-choice questions, 3 options each, 120 minutes. 70% means 42 right. You must be at least 14 to sit the test; the FAA testing matrix lists no instructor endorsement for the UAG.

    In 2025, 82.96% of 73,914 attempts passed.

    Source: FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (revised Sep 25, 2026)

  4. Step 4

    Complete FAA Form 8710-13 in IACRA

    Log back into IACRA, start a new application for a Remote Pilot certificate and enter the knowledge test exam ID printed on your PSI report. The knowledge test must have been passed within the preceding 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.63).

    Source: 14 CFR 107.63 (application)

  5. Step 5

    TSA security vetting

    The application goes to the TSA for a security background check automatically. You do nothing during this step except watch your email.

    Source: FAA: Become a Drone Pilot

  6. Step 6

    Print the temporary certificate, then receive the permanent card

    After vetting, the FAA emails you instructions to print a temporary Remote Pilot Certificate from IACRA, valid for flying under Part 107 right away. The permanent plastic card arrives by mail once the FAA finishes processing. Carry it on every flight (14 CFR 107.7).

    Source: FAA: Become a Drone Pilot

Finding a center near you: Part 107 test locations. Booking, ID rules and what to bring: test cost and scheduling.

What it costs, and what a failed test adds

ItemCost
UAG knowledge test, per attempt (paid to PSI)source~$175
IACRA account, Form 8710-13 and TSA vettingsource$0
Retest after a failure (14-day wait, no endorsement)source~$175 again
Recurrent training every 24 calendar months (online)source$0

The fee is the only fixed cost, and it is charged per attempt. A failure also costs 14 days (14 CFR 107.71) before you can sit again, which pushes every later step by the same amount.

Cost and retake calculator

Pick what you spend on prep and how confident you are, and see the bill for a first-try pass, one retake and the average. The retake planner shows the days you lose for each failure.

Pass first try
$175
prep + one $175 test fee
Fail once, pass the retake
$350
two fees, 14-day wait
Average at 83%
$211
1 in 6 need a retake · +3 days on average
Retake planner: how many times did you fail?

Pass on attempt 1: $175 all in, certificate application the same week.

Sources: $175 per attempt, paid to PSI (FAA FAQ); 14-day wait after a failure, no endorsement (FAA testing matrix); 82.96% of 73,914 UAG attempts passed in 2025, so about 1 in 6 failed (FAA CY2025 test volume report). Travel, time off and drone registration are not included.

Keeping it valid: recurrent training (14 CFR 107.65)

The card never expires, but your privileges do. You may act as remote pilot in command only if, within the previous 24 calendar months, you passed the initial knowledge test or completed recurrent training. That training is a free online course on the FAA Safety Team site (faasafety.gov) that you can finish at home; no testing center, no fee. Keep the completion certificate with your card.

Sources: 14 CFR 107.65 and FAA Safety Team. Step by step with screenshots: recurrent training guide.

Eligibility and readiness checklist

The first three are the law; the rest is what separates a first-try pass from a $175 retake. It remembers your ticks on this device.

0 of 8 checked

Check the first three to confirm eligibility

Not sure where you stand? Take the free Part 107 practice test and memorize the numbers on the cheat sheet.

Remote Pilot Certificate FAQ

What are the requirements for a Remote Pilot Certificate?

Under 14 CFR 107.61 you must be at least 16 years old, be able to read, speak, write and understand English, have no physical or mental condition that would interfere with safe operation of a small unmanned aircraft, and pass the FAA Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) knowledge test. There is no flight test and no FAA medical certificate.

How much does the Remote Pilot Certificate cost?

The FAA states the knowledge test costs approximately $175, paid to the PSI testing center for each attempt. The certificate application in IACRA is free, TSA vetting is free and the recurrent training every 24 calendar months is free online. Study material is the only other cost.

How long does it take to get the certificate after passing the test?

You can submit Form 8710-13 in IACRA as soon as your knowledge test result appears in the system. After the TSA security vetting you get an email to print a temporary certificate from IACRA; the permanent card follows by mail. The FAA does not publish a guaranteed processing time.

What happens if I fail the Part 107 knowledge test?

You pay the test fee again (about $175) and must wait 14 days before retesting (14 CFR 107.71). No instructor endorsement is required to retake the UAG. In 2025 about 1 in 6 attempts failed nationally.

Does the Remote Pilot Certificate expire?

The certificate itself does not expire, but under 14 CFR 107.65 you may only exercise its privileges if you completed the initial test or recurrent training within the previous 24 calendar months. The recurrent training is a free online course on the FAA Safety Team site (faasafety.gov); there is no second trip to a testing center.

Do I need the certificate to fly a drone for fun?

No. The Remote Pilot Certificate is for operations under Part 107 (commercial or any non-recreational flying). Recreational flyers follow the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations and pass the free TRUST test instead.

More questions: the full Part 107 FAQ.

Step 3 is the only hard one

Pass the UAG the first time.

The Part 107 Pass is 32 short written lessons, 470+ explained questions and full 60-question timed exams in the real 3-option format. $69 once, lifetime access. Pass on your first try or get your $69 back plus $175 toward the retest (conditions apply).

Want to see inside first? Read lesson 1 in full, free.