BasicMed lets many private pilots fly without holding a current FAA medical certificate, as long as they meet its requirements. For pilots flying typical general aviation airplanes, it has become a popular alternative to the third class medical. Here is how it works and who qualifies.
This page is educational and is not medical advice. Confirm current BasicMed rules and limits with the FAA and your physician. This is part of our FAA Medical Certificate guide.
What BasicMed is
BasicMed is an alternative to the traditional FAA medical certificate. Instead of seeing an Aviation Medical Examiner on the usual schedule, you complete a physical exam with a state-licensed physician and an online medical education course, then fly within BasicMed’s operating limits.
Who qualifies
In general, you qualify for BasicMed if you have held a valid FAA medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006, your most recent medical certificate was not suspended or revoked (it may be expired), your most recent special issuance authorization, if you had one, was not withdrawn, and your most recent application for a medical certificate was not denied. In other words, you need to have been medically certified once; after that, BasicMed can keep you flying.
BasicMed requirements
- Get a physical exam with a state-licensed physician using the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC), once every 48 months
- Complete a BasicMed online medical education course every 24 months
- Hold a valid U.S. driver’s license and comply with its restrictions
What you can fly under BasicMed
- Aircraft with a maximum certificated takeoff weight up to 12,500 pounds
- Aircraft authorized to carry no more than 7 occupants, flown with no more than 6 passengers
- At or below 18,000 feet MSL and not faster than 250 knots indicated airspeed
- Not for compensation or hire
These limits cover the vast majority of general aviation airplanes that private pilots actually fly. The weight and occupant limits were expanded effective November 18, 2024 (from 6,000 pounds and 6 occupants to 12,500 pounds and 7 occupants), so confirm the current figures with the FAA before relying on them.
BasicMed vs. the third class medical
A third class medical is issued by an AME, meets the medical requirement for your first solo, and is required for many operations. BasicMed is an ongoing alternative once you have held a medical, often more convenient for established private pilots because the physician exam is needed only every four years. If you have never held an FAA medical certificate, you cannot use BasicMed yet; it becomes most useful later.
Frequently asked questions
Who can use BasicMed?
Generally, pilots who have held an FAA medical certificate at any time after July 14, 2006, as long as their most recent medical certificate was not suspended or revoked, their most recent special issuance (if any) was not withdrawn, and their most recent medical application was not denied.
How often do I renew BasicMed?
A physician exam every 48 months and the online course every 24 months.
What can I fly?
Aircraft up to 12,500 pounds and 7 occupants (no more than 6 passengers), at or below 18,000 feet MSL and 250 knots indicated airspeed, not for hire. These limits expanded on November 18, 2024.
Can a student pilot use BasicMed to solo?
Yes, if you have held an FAA medical certificate at any time after July 14, 2006 and meet the other BasicMed requirements. If you have never held one, BasicMed is not an option yet: to solo an airplane you will need at least a third class medical, unless you are training for a sport pilot certificate and use a U.S. driver’s license instead.