FAA Medicals—Duration
The FAA recently changed the duration of medicals for persons under 40 years of age. The duration of first-class medicals for pilots under 40 years is now 1 year instead of 6 months. The duration of third-class medicals is now 5 years instead of 3 years. The duration of second-class medicals did not change. It is more complicated now (hence the table), but the holder of a first or second class medical certificate may exercise privileges of a lower certificate if the time period of the primary certificate has expired. Like most other regulations that involve months, the time period is until the end of the month in which the was issued.
Under 40 years of age:
- First class duration—12 months
- Second class duration—12 months
- Third class duration-60 months (5 years)
Over 40 years of age:
- First class duration—6 months
- Second class duration—12 months
- Third class duration-24 months (2 years)
A person who obtains a first-class medical certificate may exercise privileges requiring that certificate until the end of the 6th or 12th month following the date of the certificate. They may exercise privileges requiring a second-class medical certificate until the end of the 12 month following the date of the certificate. They may exercise privileges requiring a third-class medical certificate (basic private pilot flying—not for hire) until the end of the 60th or 36th month following the date of the certificate.
§61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration.
(d) Duration of a medical certificate. Use the following table to determine duration for each class of medical certificate:
| If you hold | And on the date of examination for your most recent medical certificate you were |
And you are conducting an operation requiring |
Then your medical certificate expires, for that operation, at the end of the last day of the |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) A first-class medical certificate | (i) Under age 40 | an airline transport pilot certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Age 40 or older | an airline transport pilot certificate | 6th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iii) Any age | a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iv) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (v) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (2) A second-class medical certificate | (i) Any age | a commercial pilot certificate or an air traffic control tower operator certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (iii) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | |
| (3) A third-class medical certificate | (i) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
| (ii) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver’s license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |