The commercial pilot certificate requirements are set out in 14 CFR 61.129. The headline is 250 hours of total flight time, but you also need to meet eligibility rules, log specific kinds of experience, pass a knowledge test, and pass a checkride against the commercial Airman Certification Standards. Here is the breakdown for the single-engine airplane certificate.
Part of our Commercial Pilot guide. Also see the commercial cost breakdown.
Eligibility
- Be at least 18 years old
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English
- Plan on a second-class medical certificate: 14 CFR 61.123 does not list a medical for eligibility, but you need at least second class to exercise commercial pilot privileges (14 CFR 61.23(a)(2)); see our medical certificate guide
- Hold at least a private pilot certificate
- An instrument rating is strongly recommended. Without it, a commercial certificate carries restricted privileges, so nearly everyone earns the instrument rating first
Aeronautical experience (14 CFR 61.129)
The headline number is 250 hours of total flight time. Within that total, 14 CFR 61.129 requires specific amounts of the following:
| Requirement | Headline minimum |
|---|---|
| Total flight time | 250 hours |
| Pilot-in-command time | A specified portion of the total (see 61.129) |
| Cross-country flight time | A specified portion, including a long solo or solo-equivalent cross-country |
| Night flight time | A specified portion, including night cross-country and night takeoffs and landings |
| Training in a complex, turbine-powered, or technically advanced airplane | 10 hours, in any combination of the three |
| Dual instruction toward the commercial maneuvers | A specified amount with an authorized instructor |
The exact sub-hour totals are spelled out in 14 CFR 61.129; Part 141 schools follow the course minimums in appendix D to Part 141 instead. Treat 250 hours total time as the planning number and confirm the precise breakdown in the regulation or with your instructor before your checkride.
Knowledge test
You must pass the commercial pilot knowledge (written) test. It covers regulations, performance and weight and balance, weather, aerodynamics, systems, and commercial operations. Many students study it the same way they prepared for the FAA knowledge tests earlier in their training.
The checkride
Finally you pass a practical test, the checkride, with a designated pilot examiner. It is measured against the commercial Airman Certification Standards and includes an oral portion and a flight portion. The commercial maneuvers, such as chandelles, lazy eights, eights on pylons, and steep spirals, are not on the private checkride at all; for a single-engine rating the examiner must select steep turns or a steep spiral, chandelles or lazy eights, and eights on pylons. Some familiar tasks get harder: steep turns use about 50 degrees of bank instead of 45, and a normal landing must touch down within 200 feet beyond the specified point instead of 400. Expect a strong emphasis on precision and judgment.
What you'll need
Study guides for your advanced ratings, all from PilotMall.com.
Frequently asked questions
How many total hours do you need for a commercial certificate?
The headline requirement is 250 hours of total flight time under 14 CFR 61.129. See 61.129 for the exact breakdown of pilot-in-command, cross-country, and night time.
How old do you have to be for a commercial certificate?
You must be at least 18 years old.
Do you need an instrument rating first?
It is strongly recommended. Without an instrument rating a commercial certificate carries restricted privileges, so nearly everyone earns the instrument rating first.
What medical certificate do you need?
A second-class medical is required to exercise commercial privileges. You can train with a lower-class medical but need the appropriate class to fly for hire.