New Student Pilot Certificate Application Process

As of April 1, 2016 you will no longer be able to get your student pilot certificate from an aviation medical examiner. Instead of setting up an appointment and walking out with your student pilot certificate the same day, you can expect to wait up to 3 weeks before you get it, so be sure to plan ahead! The long wait time is because student pilot applications will now be screened by the TSA before being issued.

The new student pilot certificate application process as published in the Federal Register, requires you to apply through an FAA inspector, designated pilot examiner, airman certificate rep (from a part 141 flight school) or a flight instructor. At this time, a medical certificate is still required to fly so you will still need to see an aviation medical examiner for that.

Whoever you decide to use for the application process will be required to verify citizenship before submitting the application through the IACRA system. You would not be able to solo until you receive the student pilot certificate in the mail so be sure to apply at least a month before you think you may be ready to solo.

If you have a paper certificate now, you can still continue to use it until it expires. Once it expires and the new process is active, you will have to go through the new application process, so be sure to get your certificate before April 1, 2016 if you want to avoid the 3 week wait. The new student pilot certificate will be made of plastic and will not have an expiration date like the paper one does. The instructor will only be required to endorse the student’s logbook for solo and will no longer need to sign the certificate.

Fly Safe!