There is no maximum age for private, recreational or sport flying. 14 CFR part 61 sets minimum ages for each certificate (16 to solo an airplane, 17 for a private pilot certificate, 18 for commercial) but no upper age for holding one, and the FAA puts no age limit on medical certification. The best-known upper limit is for airlines: 14 CFR 121.383 bars anyone who has reached age 65 from serving as a pilot in part 121 operations. What does change with age is how long your medical certificate lasts.
Minimum ages for each pilot certificate
| Certificate | Minimum age | Regulation |
|---|---|---|
| Student pilot | 16 (14 for glider or balloon) | 61.83 |
| Sport pilot | 17 (16 for glider or balloon) | 61.305 |
| Recreational pilot | 17 | 61.96 |
| Private pilot | 17 (16 for glider or balloon) | 61.103 |
| Commercial pilot | 18 | 61.123 |
| Flight instructor | 18 | 61.183 |
| Airline transport pilot (ATP) | 23, or 21 for a restricted ATP under 61.160 | 61.153 |
You can start before those birthdays. The FAA says you do not need a student pilot certificate or a medical certificate to take flying lessons, so time with an instructor can begin before you are old enough to solo. You can also take a knowledge test early, as long as you will reach the minimum age before the test report expires (61.35). Our age requirements guide walks through each milestone, and the private pilot requirements and commercial pilot requirements guides cover the rest of each certificate.
Is there a maximum age to be a pilot?
Not for flying privately. Part 61 sets no upper age for earning or holding any pilot certificate. The FAA’s medical certification answers say there are no minimum or maximum ages for obtaining a medical certificate, and the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners (AME Guide) says an AME may issue any class of medical certificate “without regard to age” to an applicant who meets the standards. The upper limits that do exist apply to certain commercial operations, and the AME Guide calls them an operational requirement, not a medical certification requirement.
That holds for the alternatives to a medical certificate too. BasicMed has no age limit in 61.23(c)(3), although its physician exam is due within every 48 calendar months and its online course within every 24. A sport pilot who meets 61.23(c)(2) can fly with a U.S. driver’s license at any age.
How age affects your medical certificate
Under 14 CFR 61.23(d), your age on the date of your exam sets how long the certificate lasts for each kind of flying. Each period runs to the end of the month.
| Privileges | Exam before age 40 | Exam at 40 or older |
|---|---|---|
| Student, recreational and private pilot (any class of certificate) | 60 months | 24 months |
| Commercial pilot (first or second class) | 12 months | 12 months |
| ATP pilot in command (first class) | 12 months | 6 months |
Some standards also change with age. A first-class applicant needs an ECG at the first exam after turning 35 and every year after turning 40 (67.111), and first- and second-class applicants age 50 and over must also meet the near vision standard at 32 inches (67.103, 67.203). Third-class standards have no age-based steps. See medical certificate classes for which class each kind of flying needs, and our vision standards guide for the eye rules.
The airline age 65 rule
Part 121, the rules for airline operations, holds the best-known age limit. 14 CFR 121.383(d) says no certificate holder may use the services of any person as a pilot on an airplane in part 121 operations if that person has reached his or her 65th birthday, and 121.383(e) says no pilot may serve as a pilot in part 121 operations after reaching that birthday. Two related rules apply before 65:
- A pilot serving as a required flightcrew member in part 121 operations after reaching age 60 must hold a first-class medical certificate (61.23(a)(1)(iii)), which for that pilot lasts 6 months.
- Under 61.3(j), in certain international commercial operations, such as scheduled international passenger service in turbojet airplanes, the limit is the 60th birthday, or the 65th birthday in operations with more than one pilot.
As of October 2026, the current eCFR still sets the part 121 limit at 65, and we report the rule as it stands rather than proposals. The limit applies to those operations; it does not stop a pilot over 65 from flying privately with the right medical qualification. If you are weighing an airline career, our pilot salary guide covers airline pay.
Starting later in life? Get your medical exam, or confirm your BasicMed or sport pilot eligibility, before you invest heavily in training. If you have any health history, an Aviation Medical Examiner can tell you what records the FAA will want.
Flying safely at any age
With no age cap, the rules put the responsibility on the pilot. Under 61.53 you may not act as pilot in command while you know or have reason to know of a medical condition that would make you unable to meet the requirements of your medical certificate, or, when flying with a U.S. driver’s license or BasicMed, unable to operate the aircraft safely. The FAA’s over-the-counter medication guide sums up 61.53 as requiring that you determine you are fit to fly before each flight, and the IMSAFE checklist is a simple way to do it. Log every flight as you go; our pilot logbook guide explains what to record.
What you'll need
A logbook for every hour from your first lesson, and the regulations that set the age and medical rules.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an age limit to become a pilot?
There is no maximum age for private, recreational or sport flying. The minimums are 16 to solo an airplane as a student, 17 for a private pilot certificate and 18 for a commercial certificate.
Can you get a pilot license at 60 or 70?
Yes. Part 61 sets no upper age, and the FAA says there is no maximum age for obtaining a medical certificate. You need to meet the medical standard for your class, or qualify for BasicMed or the sport pilot driver’s license option.
What is the mandatory retirement age for airline pilots?
Age 65 for part 121 operations. Under 14 CFR 121.383, no one may serve as a pilot in part 121 operations after reaching his or her 65th birthday.
Does my medical certificate expire sooner as I get older?
Yes, once you are 40 on the exam date. For student, recreational and private privileges, a certificate lasts 60 months if you are under 40 at the exam and 24 months if you are 40 or older, and first-class ATP privileges drop from 12 months to 6.
How young can you start flying lessons?
The FAA says you need no student pilot certificate or medical certificate to take lessons, and its minimum ages apply to solo flight and certificates: 16 to solo an airplane, or 14 for a glider or balloon.