FAA Knowledge Test Pass Rates 2025, by Exam
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In 2025, 82.96% of FAA Part 107 (UAG) attempts passed — about 1 in 6 failed, the lowest of the five main FAA knowledge tests. Private Pilot (PAR) passed 89.56%, Instrument (IRA) 94.38%, Commercial (CAX) 99.17% and ATP Multiengine (ATM) 99.82%. Every one of these tests needs 70% to pass. Of the 15 FAA tests in the table below, the lowest was Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant (AMP) at 63.04%.
Source: FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report; test format from the FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (revised Sep 25, 2026).
Pass rate, attempts and average score in 2025
Sorted from the hardest to pass to the easiest. Attempts include retakes.
| Exam | FAA code | Pass rate 2025 | Attempts 2025 | Average score | Fail about 1 in | Questions / time | Min. age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FAA Remote Pilot (Part 107) — Unmanned Aircraft General - Small | UAG | 82.96% | 73,914 | 79.31% | 6 | 60 · 2 h | 14 |
| FAA Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test | PAR | 89.56% | 44,657 | 81.64% | 10 | 60 · 2 h | 15 |
| FAA Instrument Rating Airplane knowledge test | IRA | 94.38% | 27,143 | 86.15% | 18 | 60 · 2 h | 15 |
| FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane knowledge test | CAX | 99.17% | 20,530 | 91.25% | 120 | 100 · 2.5 h | 16 |
| FAA Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane knowledge test | ATM | 99.82% | 9,972 | 94.79% | 556 | 125 · 3.5 h | 18 |
All 15 FAA knowledge tests: 2025 pass rates
Pilot, instructor, dispatcher and mechanic tests, from the lowest pass rate to the highest. 268,594 attempts in total across these 15 tests. Checked October 3, 2026 against the FAA CY2025 report and the testing matrix.
| Test | Code | Pass rate 2025 | Attempts 2025 | Average score | Questions / time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant | AMP | 63.04% | 17,572 | 72.58% | 100 · 2 h |
| Aviation Maintenance Technician General | AMG | 69.59% | 22,585 | 74.02% | 60 · 2 h |
| Aviation Maintenance Technician Airframe | AMA | 74.01% | 16,885 | 75.9% | 100 · 2 h |
| Aircraft Dispatcher | ADX | 82.41% | 1,410 | 80.62% | 80 · 3.5 h |
| Remote Pilot (Part 107) | UAG | 82.96% | 73,914 | 79.31% | 60 · 2 h |
| Private Pilot Airplane | PAR | 89.56% | 44,657 | 81.64% | 60 · 2 h |
| Private Pilot Helicopter | PRH | 89.88% | 939 | 81.57% | 60 · 2 h |
| Instrument Rating Helicopter | IRH | 94.14% | 597 | 84.47% | 60 · 2 h |
| Instrument Rating Airplane | IRA | 94.38% | 27,143 | 86.15% | 60 · 2 h |
| Flight Instructor Airplane | FIA | 95.35% | 14,736 | 88.89% | 100 · 2.5 h |
| Advanced Ground Instructor | AGI | 97.29% | 2,694 | 89.2% | 100 · 2.5 h |
| Airline Transport Pilot Single-Engine Airplane | ATS | 97.37% | 114 | 91.55% | 90 · 2.5 h |
| Fundamentals of Instructing | FOI | 99.07% | 14,846 | 92.13% | 50 · 1.5 h |
| Commercial Pilot Airplane | CAX | 99.17% | 20,530 | 91.25% | 100 · 2.5 h |
| Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane | ATM | 99.82% | 9,972 | 94.79% | 125 · 3.5 h |
Attempts include retakes. These are the 15 tests we have checked line by line against the FAA report. What you need to score on each, and its time limit: FAA knowledge test passing score guide.
How is the Part 107 test weighted?
Since September 29, 2025, the 60 scored questions follow the PSI UAG bulletin: Regulations is 48% of the test, almost half. Weather and loading together are only 7%. The test also carries 5 unscored validation questions. Source: PSI Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) Applicant Information Bulletin (effective Sep 29, 2025).
| ACS area | Topic | Share of the test | About this many of 60 |
|---|---|---|---|
| UA.I | Regulations | 48% | 29 |
| UA.II | Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements | 20% | 12 |
| UA.III | Weather | 5% | 3 |
| UA.IV | Loading and Performance | 2% | 1 |
| UA.V | Operations | 25% | 15 |
What does failing cost?
Part 107: about $175 per attempt, paid to PSI (FAA FAQ: How much does it cost to get a Remote Pilot Certificate?), and a 14-day wait before you can retest. With 82.96% passing in 2025, about 1 in 6 attempts pays that fee twice. The Part 107 test cost guide has a calculator for your own numbers.
Private, instrument, commercial and ATP: there is no fixed waiting period, but you need an instructor endorsement certifying additional training before a retest (14 CFR 61.49 — Retesting after failure).
Who can take each test, and how long a pass is valid
- FAA Remote Pilot (Part 107) — Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG). To take it: Not required. Retest: 14-day waiting period; no instructor endorsement required. Bring the failed test report (AKTR). Validity: The certificate itself does not expire, but to keep flying under Part 107 you must complete recurrent training every 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.65).
- FAA Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test (PAR). To take it: Required: an endorsement from an authorized instructor or a ground-school completion certificate (14 CFR 61.35). Retest: Needs an instructor endorsement certifying additional training (14 CFR 61.49); the FAA sets no fixed waiting period for this test. Validity: Valid for the practical test for 24 calendar months (14 CFR 61.39).
- FAA Instrument Rating Airplane knowledge test (IRA). To take it: Required: an instructor endorsement or a ground-school completion certificate (14 CFR 61.65(a)(4), 61.71(a)). Retest: Needs an instructor endorsement certifying additional training (14 CFR 61.49); the FAA sets no fixed waiting period for this test. Validity: Valid for the practical test for 24 calendar months (14 CFR 61.39).
- FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane knowledge test (CAX). To take it: Required: an instructor endorsement or a ground-school completion certificate (14 CFR 61.35). Retest: Needs an instructor endorsement certifying additional training (14 CFR 61.49); the FAA sets no fixed waiting period for this test. Validity: Valid for the practical test for 24 calendar months (14 CFR 61.39).
- FAA Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane knowledge test (ATM). To take it: Requires the graduation certificate of an ATP Certification Training Program (ATP CTP, 14 CFR 61.156). Retest: Needs an endorsement from an ATP CTP authorized ground instructor certifying additional training (14 CFR 61.49); the FAA sets no fixed waiting period for this test. Validity: The ATM knowledge test result is valid for 60 calendar months (FAA testing matrix note).
Why is the Part 107 pass rate the lowest?
The pilot tests are gated: you need an instructor endorsement or a ground-school certificate to sit the private, instrument and commercial tests, and an ATP CTP certificate for the ATP. The Part 107 test has no endorsement at all — anyone 14 or older can book it — so many candidates arrive after only a few hours of free videos. The national average mixes people who studied with people who did not; it says little about your own odds.
Methodology and sources
Every figure on this page was read in its primary source on September 26, 2026. Pass rate, attempts and average score are the FAA's calendar-year 2025 numbers; attempts include retakes. We did not round or re-weight them. The same figures power the Rotate Pilot AI connector for Claude (/developers/mcp).
- FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix (revised Sep 25, 2026)
- FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report
- PSI Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) Applicant Information Bulletin (effective Sep 29, 2025)
- FAA FAQ: How much does it cost to get a Remote Pilot Certificate?
- 14 CFR 61.39 — Prerequisites for practical tests (24-calendar-month knowledge test validity)
- 14 CFR 61.49 — Retesting after failure
- 14 CFR 107.65 — Aeronautical knowledge recency (24 calendar months)
- Remote Pilot – Small UAS Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-10B)
- FAA Airman Certification Standards (all certificates)
Correction note: until September 26, 2026 this page showed an older compilation labelled FY2024 whose figures we could not trace to an FAA report (it gave the private pilot test the Part 107 attempt count, for example). It was replaced with the FAA 2025 report.
Be in the passing group on your first attempt
Rotate Pilot covers the Private, Instrument, Commercial, ATP and Part 107 written tests: questions in the real three-choice format tagged by ACS area, full explanations and timed mock exams that show your weak areas.
Frequently asked questions
What is the FAA Part 107 test pass rate?
In 2025, 82.96% of FAA Part 107 (UAG) knowledge test attempts passed, across 73,914 attempts, with an average score of 79.31% (FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report). That is about 1 in 6 attempts failing — the lowest pass rate of the five main FAA knowledge tests (UAG, PAR, IRA, CAX, ATM).
What is the FAA Private Pilot Airplane knowledge test (PAR) pass rate?
89.56% of PAR attempts passed in 2025 (44,657 attempts, average score 81.64%), per the FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report. The test has 60 questions, a 2-hour limit and needs 70% to pass.
What is the FAA Instrument Rating Airplane knowledge test (IRA) pass rate?
94.38% of IRA attempts passed in 2025 (27,143 attempts, average score 86.15%), per the FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report. The test has 60 questions, a 2-hour limit and needs 70% to pass.
What is the FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane knowledge test (CAX) pass rate?
99.17% of CAX attempts passed in 2025 (20,530 attempts, average score 91.25%), per the FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report. The test has 100 questions, a 2.5-hour limit and needs 70% to pass.
What is the FAA Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane knowledge test (ATM) pass rate?
99.82% of ATM attempts passed in 2025 (9,972 attempts, average score 94.79%), per the FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report. The test has 125 questions, a 3.5-hour limit and needs 70% to pass.
Which FAA knowledge test has the lowest pass rate?
Of the 15 tests in our table, Aviation Maintenance Technician Powerplant (AMP) had the lowest 2025 pass rate: 63.04% of 17,572 attempts. Among pilot tests, Part 107 (UAG) was lowest at 82.96%. The highest was Airline Transport Pilot Multiengine Airplane (ATM) at 99.82% (FAA CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report).
What is the passing score for FAA knowledge tests?
70% on every FAA airman knowledge test (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix). On the 60-question private pilot and Part 107 tests that is 42 correct answers.
How is the Part 107 test weighted by topic?
Since 2025-09-29, the PSI UAG bulletin allocates the 60 scored questions as: Regulations 48% (~29), Airspace Classification and Operating Requirements 20% (~12), Weather 5% (~3), Loading and Performance 2% (~1), Operations 25% (~15). Regulations alone is almost half of the test. There are also 5 unscored validation questions.
What happens if you fail the Part 107 test?
14-day waiting period; no instructor endorsement required. Bring the failed test report (AKTR). Each attempt costs about $175, paid to PSI.
How long is an FAA knowledge test result valid?
For the private, instrument and commercial tests, 24 calendar months for the practical test (14 CFR 61.39). The ATP multiengine (ATM) result is valid for 60 calendar months. The Part 107 certificate does not expire, but you must complete recurrent training every 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.65).