The student pilot certificate is your first official step in aviation. You need it before your first solo flight, it is free, and for airplanes you can apply as young as 16. This guide explains exactly what it is, who needs one, and how to apply through the FAA’s IACRA system, plus what happens right after you get it.
A student pilot certificate is not the same as a medical certificate. You can hold a student pilot certificate without a medical, but you must have a medical in hand before you fly solo. See the FAA medical certificate guide.
What is a student pilot certificate?
The student pilot certificate is an FAA credential that authorizes you to train and, once your instructor endorses you, to fly solo. It is issued under 14 CFR Part 61. Since 2016 it is a plastic card (no longer combined with the medical), and it does not expire. You only need one, and it stays valid as you progress toward your private certificate.
Certificate vs. license: clearing up the terminology
As with the private pilot “license,” the FAA issues a student pilot certificate. People say “student pilot license” informally, but the official document is a certificate. Either way, it is the entry credential for flight training.
Who needs one, and when
You need a student pilot certificate before you can fly solo. You do not need it for your very first lessons with an instructor on board, but most students apply early so it is in hand well before solo. Because the plastic card can take a couple of weeks to arrive, applying at the start of training avoids any delay.
Eligibility
- Age: at least 16 to fly powered aircraft solo (14 for gliders and balloons)
- Language: able to read, speak, write, and understand English
- Cost: free
- Medical: not required to hold the certificate, but required before you solo
How to apply through IACRA
Applications go through IACRA, the FAA’s online Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system. Here is the path.
- Register in IACRA at iacra.faa.gov and get your FTN (FAA Tracking Number).
- Start the application (FAA Form 8710-1) as an applicant for a student pilot certificate.
- Your instructor reviews and submits. A CFI or other authorized person verifies your identity in person and processes the application.
- Wait for the card. The plastic student pilot certificate is mailed to you, typically within about three weeks.
Bring a government photo ID when your instructor verifies your application. The certificate is issued only after that identity check, so plan for it during a normal lesson.
Non-US citizens: TSA approval first
If you are not a U.S. citizen, federal law requires security approval through the TSA Flight Training Security Program (FTSP) before you begin flight training toward a certificate or rating. You register on the TSA’s FTSP website, submit identity and immigration information and fingerprints, pay a processing fee, and wait for approval. U.S. citizens are exempt but must show their instructor proof of citizenship (such as a passport, or a birth certificate plus a government photo ID) one time before training. Plan for this early so it does not delay your first lessons.
What happens after you get it
With your student pilot certificate and a medical in hand, your instructor will endorse your logbook and student certificate for solo flight once you are ready. Your first solo, three takeoffs and landings on your own, is one of the most memorable days in any pilot’s life. From there you build toward the private pilot license.
Gear for your first lessons
What you'll need
Start your training organized. These are the basics, all from PilotMall.com.
What your first solo is like, and how you get there
Before you solo, your instructor prepares you thoroughly. You will demonstrate consistent takeoffs and landings, recover from stalls, handle the traffic pattern and radio calls, and pass a short pre-solo knowledge test covering the regulations and the operating characteristics of your airplane. When you are ready, your instructor endorses your logbook and your student certificate, climbs out, and you fly three takeoffs and landings on your own. It is brief, intense, and unforgettable.
Student pilot solo limitations
Solo flying as a student comes with rules designed to keep you safe:
- No passengers
- No flying for compensation or in furtherance of a business
- At least 3 statute miles of flight visibility by day and 5 statute miles at night, with visual reference to the surface, plus any stricter minimums your instructor sets
- You may fly only the make and model, and from the locations, your instructor has endorsed
- Each solo cross-country route requires its own endorsement (repeated flights over the same route within 50 nautical miles can be covered by a single endorsement)
From student certificate to private pilot
The student certificate is step one. After your solo you build cross-country and night experience, take the knowledge test, and prepare for your checkride. See the full private pilot license guide for the rest of the journey, and the FAA medical certificate guide for the medical you need before solo.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a license or a certificate?
Officially it is a student pilot certificate. “Student pilot license” is the informal term.
How old do you have to be?
You must be at least 16 to fly powered aircraft solo, or 14 for gliders and balloons.
Does it cost anything?
No. The student pilot certificate is free.
Does it expire?
No. The current plastic student pilot certificate does not expire.
Do I need a medical first?
Not to hold the certificate, but you must have a medical certificate before you fly solo.
How long does it take to receive?
The plastic card typically arrives within about three weeks of your instructor submitting the application.