How to Get Your Part 107 Certificate (2026 Steps)

To fly a drone under 14 CFR Part 107 you need a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating (FAA: Become a Certificated Remote Pilot). The rule itself says no one may act as remote pilot in command without one; anyone else at the controls must be directly supervised by a remote pilot in command who can immediately take control (14 CFR 107.12). First-time pilots earn it by passing the FAA knowledge test Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG). Pilots who already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate and a current flight review can complete an online course instead (FAA: Become a Certificated Remote Pilot).

The steps below follow that FAA page and the regulations as of October 2026. This site is independent and not affiliated with the FAA or PSI.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the certificate you must (14 CFR 107.61):

be at least 16 years old;
be able to read, speak, write and understand English (if a medical reason prevents one of these, the FAA may add operating limitations to your certificate);
not know or have reason to know of a physical or mental condition that would interfere with safe operation;
pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test or, as a qualifying Part 61 pilot, complete the required training.

You can take the test from age 14 (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-2), but you must be 16 to hold the certificate. An airman medical certificate is not among the requirements; AC 107-2A notes that the person at the controls and the visual observer do not need one (AC 107-2A, para. 5.6). A drug-related conviction, or an act prohibited by 14 CFR 91.17(a) or 91.19(a), is grounds for denying an application for up to one year (14 CFR 107.57).

Step 1: Get an FAA Tracking Number (FTN)

Create a profile in the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) to obtain an FTN before you register for the knowledge test (FAA). The FTN is printed on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (PSI UAG bulletin, p. 2). IACRA’s web address is iacra.faa.gov (AC 107-2A, para. 6.4.1).

Step 2: Book the UAG test with PSI

The UAG is given at PSI’s FAA-approved testing centers. You can schedule online on PSI’s scheduling website, faa.psiexams.com, available 24 hours a day, by choosing a date, time and location (PSI UAG bulletin, p. 2). According to the FAA drone FAQ, testing centers charge approximately $175 for the initial test (as of October 2026). Fees, finding a center, cancellations and retakes are covered in Part 107 test cost and locations.

Step 3: Take the test

The test has 60 scored multiple-choice questions plus 5 unscored validation questions, a 120-minute time limit and a passing score of 70% (PSI UAG bulletin, p. 4). On test day:

Arrive early. PSI recommends arriving at least 15 minutes before your appointment. If you arrive late, you may not be admitted and may forfeit your registration fee (PSI, p. 2).
Bring ID. It must be valid and current and show your photo, date of birth, signature and physical residential address (FAA Testing Matrix, p. 1). Accepted documents are listed under what ID to bring.
What the center provides. The test center supplies the testing supplement book, blank scratch paper and a writing instrument, and the test software has a built-in four-function calculator. You may not bring your own writing implements, and phones, watches, wallets and backpacks are not allowed in the testing room (PSI, p. 5).
Practice run. Before the test starts, the testing center gives you an opportunity to practice navigating the test software (ACS, p. A-3).

From October 26, 2026, the test will include image-based questions, not found in the testing supplement, that use images from the latest sectional charts (FAA ATCA, September 2026, p. 6); see Part 107 test changes in 2026.

You receive a printed Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) with your score immediately after the test (ACS, p. A-5). If you fail, you must wait 14 calendar days before you can reapply for the test (14 CFR 107.71).

Step 4: Apply in IACRA

After you pass, complete FAA Form 8710-13 in IACRA (FAA):

Log in and click “Start New Application”, then choose Application Type “Pilot”, Certifications “Remote Pilot”, “Other Path Information” and “Start Application”.
Follow the prompts and enter the 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID. It may take up to 48 hours from the test date for your test to appear in IACRA.
Sign the application electronically and submit it.

A passing AKTR is valid for 24 calendar months for this application (ACS, p. A-5). A paper application is also possible, but an applicant who does not hold a Part 61 certificate receives no temporary certificate that way (AC 107-2A, para. 6.4.1).

Step 5: TSA security vetting

After the FAA receives your application, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) vets you before a temporary certificate is issued. If the vetting is not successful, no temporary or permanent certificate is issued (AC 107-2A, para. 6.5). When the TSA security background check is complete, you receive a confirmation email with instructions for printing your temporary certificate from IACRA (FAA).

Step 6: Temporary and permanent certificate

Temporary certificate: issued for up to 120 calendar days. It expires on the date shown on it, when you receive the permanent certificate, or when you are notified that the certificate is denied or revoked (14 CFR 107.64).
Permanent certificate: mailed once all other FAA-internal processing is complete (FAA). The FAA drone FAQ says this typically takes 6–10 weeks from the date the temporary certificate was issued.
When you fly: have your certificate and identification in your physical possession and readily accessible (14 CFR 107.7).

The certificate does not expire, but to keep flying under Part 107 you must update your aeronautical knowledge recency within 24 calendar months of your test; the FAA tells certificate holders to do this with free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months (14 CFR 107.65; FAA drone FAQ; FAA). See Part 107 recurrent training.

The Part 61 pilot route

If you hold a pilot certificate issued under 14 CFR Part 61 (other than a student pilot certificate) and completed a flight review within the previous 24 months, you can take training instead of the knowledge test (FAA; 14 CFR 107.61(d)(2)):

Create an account or log in on the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam) website.
Complete the free online course Part 107 Small UAS Initial – Part 61 Pilots (ALC-451).
Create an account or log in to IACRA and complete Form 8710-13.
Make an appointment to validate your identity with a Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), a designated pilot examiner (DPE), an airman certification representative (ACR) or a certificated flight instructor (CFI). Bring the completed Form 8710-13, proof of your current flight review, photo ID and your course completion certificate.
The representative signs your application and issues a temporary certificate; the permanent certificate arrives by U.S. mail within several weeks. CFIs cannot issue temporary certificates, but they can process applications for applicants who do not want one.

A Part 61 pilot who meets the flight review requirements may also choose the knowledge test route instead (AC 107-2A, para. 6.4.1).

Before your first flight

Register your drone for Part 107. As of October 2026 it costs $5 per drone, the registration is valid for three years, and registered drones must comply with Remote ID (FAA: How to Register Your Drone). See Remote ID for Part 107 pilots.

Prepare for the test

Since September 29, 2025, regulations make up 48% of the UAG test, operations 25%, airspace 20%, weather 5% and loading and performance 2% (PSI UAG bulletin, p. 4). Start with the Part 107 rules summary and the regulations questions, then work through airspace, operations, weather and loading and performance. When you score well by topic, sit a timed mock exam.

How to Get Your Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate