A private pilot needs at least a third-class FAA medical certificate. Under 14 CFR 61.23 it stays valid for 60 calendar months if you are under 40 on your exam date, or 24 calendar months if you are 40 or older. The alternatives are BasicMed, for pilots who have held an FAA medical certificate after July 14, 2006, and the sport pilot certificate, which under the current MOSAIC rules lets you fly with a U.S. driver’s license instead of a medical.
This guide explains the FAA rules; it is not medical advice. An Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) applies the standards to your history, and for many conditions the FAA, not the AME, makes the final decision. If you are unsure about any health history, talk to an AME before you start training.
Private pilot medical requirements at a glance
| Option | Who can use it | Main limits |
|---|---|---|
| Third-class medical | Anyone who meets the 14 CFR part 67 standards at an AME exam | 60 months if under 40 at the exam, 24 months if 40 or older |
| BasicMed | Pilots who held an FAA medical certificate after July 14, 2006 | No more than 6 passengers, 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight, 18,000 feet MSL, 250 knots |
| U.S. driver’s license | Sport pilots who meet 61.23(c)(2) | Aircraft that meet 61.316, one passenger, no night flying without a medical or BasicMed |
When you need a medical certificate
The FAA says you need no medical or student pilot certificate to take flying lessons. You need the medical before you solo, because 14 CFR 61.23 requires at least third class for student pilot privileges. The exceptions: glider and balloon students need no medical, sport pilot students can use a U.S. driver’s license, and a student who already qualifies for BasicMed can use it. Book your exam early; our student pilot certificate guide covers the rest of the paperwork.
The three classes of medical certificate
The class you need depends on the privileges you use, and a higher class also covers the classes below it.
| Class | Required for (61.23) | Lasts, for those privileges |
|---|---|---|
| First class | Airline transport pilot (ATP) pilot-in-command privileges; part 121 pilots age 60 and older | 12 months if under 40 at the exam, 6 months if 40 or older |
| Second class | Commercial pilot privileges (gliders and some balloon flights excepted) | 12 months |
| Third class | Student, recreational and private pilot privileges; flight instructors acting as pilot in command | 60 months if under 40 at the exam, 24 months if 40 or older |
Each period ends on the last day of a month, so an exam on March 10 at age 35 gives a third-class certificate good through the end of March five years later. See our medical certificate classes guide for how higher classes step down.
How to get your medical certificate
- Apply in MedXPress. Answer the FAA Form 8500-8 questions at MedXPress. The FAA says to complete your AME exam within 60 days of submitting.
- Look up your history. For any condition or medication, find what the AME Guide asks for; often it is a detailed clinical progress note from your physician dated within 90 days of the exam.
- Find an AME with the FAA’s Designee Locator and bring government-issued photo ID (67.4).
- Take the exam: vision and color vision, hearing, blood pressure and pulse, a urine sample and a physical exam. A routine ECG is required only for first class, at the first exam after age 35 and yearly from 40.
- Get the decision. The AME issues the certificate, defers to the FAA when more review is needed, or in rare cases denies.
Check every condition and medication in the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners first. The FAA says the right documents can let an AME issue on the spot; without them, certification may be delayed.
Vision and hearing standards
Third class requires distant vision of 20/40 or better in each eye and near vision of 20/40 at 16 inches, with or without glasses or contacts (67.303); first and second class require 20/20 distant. If you need correction, your certificate says “Must use corrective lens(es) to meet vision standards at all required distances.” Every class requires the ability to perceive the colors needed for safe flying and a passing hearing test (67.305).
Can I be a pilot if…?
Our guides by question:
- …I wear glasses or contacts, or had LASIK?
- …I am color blind?
- …I have ADHD or took ADHD medication?
- …I have diabetes?
- …I am 16, or 70? Pilot age limits explained
- …I drink alcohol? The 8-hour rule
For other conditions, see the FAA’s Pre-Flight Your Exam answers and the AME Guide disposition tables.
Disqualifying conditions and special issuance
Part 67 names specifically disqualifying conditions, among them diabetes that requires insulin or another hypoglycemic medication, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, psychosis, myocardial infarction, coronary heart disease that has required treatment, and substance dependence. That is not automatically the end of flying. Under 67.401 the FAA can grant an Authorization for Special Issuance, and the FAA notes that a pilot with one can usually fly the same way as a pilot with an unrestricted certificate, with more documentation and usually a shorter duration.
- CACI (Conditions AMEs Can Issue): for listed conditions such as hypertension, asthma and hypothyroidism, the AME can issue at your first exam if you meet every worksheet item.
- AASI (AME Assisted Special Issuance): after the FAA grants the first authorization, your AME can reissue at later exams.
- Denial: you can ask the FAA to reconsider an AME’s denial within 30 days (67.409).
Treatment decisions belong to you and your physician. Under 61.53 you may not act as pilot in command while you know of a condition, medication or treatment that makes you unable to meet your medical standard.
BasicMed
BasicMed requires a U.S. driver’s license, an FAA medical certificate held at any time after July 14, 2006 (it may be expired, but not suspended or revoked, and your latest application cannot have been denied), a state-licensed physician exam on the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist within 48 calendar months, and an online medical education course within 24 calendar months. Under 61.113(i) the aircraft may be authorized for no more than 7 occupants and 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight, with no more than 6 passengers, at or below 18,000 feet MSL and 250 knots indicated. Those limits took effect November 18, 2024, raised by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 from 6 occupants and 6,000 pounds. More in our BasicMed guide.
Sport pilot: flying with a driver’s license
Under the MOSAIC rules in effect since October 22, 2025, a sport pilot who meets 61.23(c)(2) can use a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification to fly aircraft that meet 61.316 (for airplanes, a clean stall speed of 59 knots CAS or less and up to four seats), with one passenger. Night flying also needs training, an endorsement and a medical or BasicMed (61.329). See our sport pilot license guide.
What you'll need
The regulations behind your medical, plus the FAA handbook whose Chapter 17 covers aeromedical factors.
Frequently asked questions
What medical certificate does a private pilot need?
At least a third-class FAA medical certificate. Pilots who have held an FAA medical certificate after July 14, 2006 may use BasicMed instead, and sport pilots can use a U.S. driver’s license.
How long is a third-class medical certificate valid?
Through the end of the 60th month after the month of your exam if you were under 40 on the exam date, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older (14 CFR 61.23(d)).
Do I need a medical certificate before my first flying lesson?
No. The FAA says you need no medical or student pilot certificate to take lessons. You need at least a third-class medical before your first solo unless you train for a glider, balloon or sport pilot certificate or already qualify for BasicMed.
How much does an FAA medical exam cost?
The FAA does not set the fee. An AME may charge no more than the usual fee for a similar exam, and the FAA adds no fee of its own, so ask the AME’s office when you book.
What medical conditions can disqualify you from flying?
Part 67 lists conditions such as diabetes that requires insulin or other hypoglycemic medication, epilepsy, bipolar disorder, psychosis, heart attack and substance dependence. Many pilots with these histories are certified through an FAA special issuance, so talk to an AME first.