Whether you’re flying for real estate clients, agricultural surveys, or aerial inspections, the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate is what makes it legal to get paid for it. Required under 14 CFR Part 107 for any commercial drone operation in the U.S., this certification proves you understand the airspace rules, weather factors, and safety procedures that come with flying professionally. This guide walks through the full process, from your first IACRA profile to holding your certificate in hand.
Key Takeaways
- The FAA Remote Pilot Certificate (Part 107) is required for any paid drone work in the U.S.
- You need it if money changes hands, directly or indirectly (hobby flying doesn’t require it).
- Minimum requirements: be at least 16, read/write/understand English, and pass the UAG knowledge test.
- Existing Part 61 pilots can skip the proctored exam and complete the FAA’s ALC-451 course instead.
- The knowledge test typically costs about $175 at the time of this writing and requires a score of 70% or higher to pass.
- Your certificate doesn’t expire, but you must complete recurrent training every 24 months to stay current.
- Drones weighing 0.55lbs (250 grams)or more need separate registration through FAADroneZone ($5, valid three years).
- Certificated pilots work across real estate, construction, inspection, agriculture, media, and mapping.
What Is the Part 107 Certificate?
The FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, issued under 14 CFR Part 107, is the legal authorization required to operate a drone commercially in the United States. It covers commercial operations only (recreational flying falls under a separate set of rules). The certificate is issued by the FAA after you pass the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test, which demonstrates your understanding of airspace, weather, regulations, and safe flight operations. Holding a Part 107 certificate tells clients and employers you’re qualified to fly for profit, not just for fun. Without it, any paid drone work, from real estate photography to infrastructure inspections, is illegal.
Do I Need a Part 107 Certificate?
Not everyone who flies a drone needs a Part 107 certificate; the deciding factor is whether you’re getting paid. If you’re flying purely for fun, with no compensation involved, you fall under recreational rules instead. If any part of the flight is tied to a paid job, you need the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.
| Need Part 107 | Do NOT Need Part 107 |
| Any paid drone work: photography, inspections, agriculture, real estate, construction, media | Pure hobby or recreational flying under 49 U.S.C. § 44809 (requires the TRUST test instead) |
Understanding the part 107 requirements up front saves you from accidentally flying illegally. Real estate agents shooting listing photos, farmers scouting crops, and wedding videographers all fall under commercial drone operations, even if drone work is just one piece of a bigger business. The rule of thumb: if money changes hands, directly or indirectly, you need Part 107.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for your FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, you must:
- Be at least 16 years old
- Be able to read, write, and understand English
- Pass the FAA Part 107 Aeronautical Knowledge Test
If you already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate (private, commercial, or higher) and have completed a flight review within the last 24 months, you can skip the proctored knowledge test entirely. Instead, you’ll complete the FAA’s ALC-451 online training course at FAASafety.gov, then submit your application through IACRA the same way non-pilots do. This pathway is faster, skips the testing center appointment and its $175 fee, and still leads to the same Remote Pilot Certificate, though you’ll still need to meet the age requirement and pass the same TSA background check as everyone else.
How to Get Your FAA Remote Pilot Certificate: Step-by-Step
- Create Your IACRA Profile and Get Your FTN: Before you can schedule an exam, you need an FAA Tracking Number (FTN). Head to IACRA, the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system, and create a free profile. This generates your FTN, which you’ll use to register for your knowledge test and, later, to submit your certificate application. Do this step first; testing centers won’t let you schedule an exam without it.
- Study for the Knowledge Test: The UAG test covers airspace classifications, weather and its effect on flight, drone performance, Part 107 regulations, crew resource management, and emergency procedures. Most people spend two to four weeks studying before they feel ready, though that timeline depends on how much aviation background you already have. A structured study plan is the difference between a stressful test day and a confident one. Take our Part 107 practice test to see where you stand before you commit to a test date.
- Schedule and Pass the Knowledge Test: Once you feel ready, schedule your Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) test at a PSI-affiliated testing center. The exam costs approximately $175, runs 120 minutes, and includes 60 multiple-choice questions. You’ll need a score of 70% or higher to pass. Bring a government-issued photo ID.
- Complete FAA Form 8710-13 in IACRA: Log back into IACRA using your FTN and complete FAA Form 8710-13, the application for your Remote Pilot Certificate. You’ll need the knowledge test exam ID from the score report you received at the testing center. Double-check that your personal information matches your government ID exactly (mismatches are one of the most common causes of application delays).
- Clear the TSA Background Check and Get Your Certificate: After you submit your application, the TSA runs a background check, which typically clears within a few business days, though it can occasionally take longer. Once it’s approved, log back into IACRA to print your temporary certificate. You’re cleared to fly commercially as soon as you have it in hand, so there’s no need to wait for the physical card. Your permanent, plastic certificate arrives by mail a few weeks later.
Don’t Forget: Register Your Drone
Drone registration is separate from your Part 107 certificate, but you need both before you fly commercially. Any drone weighing 0.55 lbs (250 grams) or more must be registered through the FAA’s DroneZone portal. Registration costs $5 and is valid for three years. It’s a small step that’s easy to knock out while you wait on your background check.
Staying Current: Recurrent Training Requirements
Passing the knowledge test isn’t the end of the journey. Every Part 107 Remote Pilot must complete recurrent training every 24 calendar months to remain legally current. The good news is that the recurrent training is completed online through the FAA Safety website – there’s no testing center and no additional exam fee. Once you complete the training, you’re current for another 24 calendar months, so it’s a good idea to mark your calendar and stay ahead of your expiration date.
The training itself is free and available online through FAASafety.gov, with no testing center, fee, or proctor required. If you’re a Part 61 certificate holder, you’ll complete the ALC-515 course instead of the standard recurrent training for Part 107-only pilots.
Here’s the part most new pilots don’t realize: letting your currency lapse doesn’t revoke your certificate. You simply can’t legally fly commercially until you complete the training again, and once you do, you’re current immediately. There’s no penalty period, no waiting window, and no need to retake the original knowledge test.
What Can You Do With a Part 107 Certificate?
A Part 107 certificate opens the door to a wide range of paid drone work, and most pilots end up building a career around more than one of these areas.
Real estate and construction are two of the most active markets; aerial photography and video give listings an edge, and construction firms use drone footage to track site progress over time. Infrastructure inspection is another steady source of work: drones can survey cell towers, rooftops, solar arrays, and power lines far faster and more safely than a technician on a ladder or lift.
Agriculture has also become a major industry for certificated pilots. Farmers and agronomists use drones to monitor crop health, irrigation, and field conditions across acres that would take hours to walk. In film and media, drone footage is now a standard tool for commercials, documentaries, and event coverage. And in mapping and surveying, drones capture the aerial data that surveyors and engineers use to build accurate site models.
Income varies widely depending on the industry, your location, and whether you’re freelancing or working for a company, but certified pilots consistently say the certificate pays for itself once the paid jobs start coming in.
Start Your Part 107 Training With MzeroA
MzeroA Online Ground School is built by certified flight instructors for pilots at every level. Our Part 107 prep course covers every topic on the FAA knowledge test (airspace, weather, regulations, and more), so you walk into your exam confident. Start your free 2-week trial today and see why thousands of pilots choose MzeroA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a Part 107 certificate?
Most people go from start to finish in two to six weeks, depending on how quickly they study, how soon they can get a test slot at a nearby testing center, and how long the TSA background check takes to clear.
How much does the Part 107 exam cost?
The knowledge test costs approximately $175, paid directly to the PSI testing center when you schedule your exam. That fee covers the test itself; study materials and prep courses are a separate cost.
Does the Part 107 certificate expire?
No, the certificate itself doesn’t expire. You do need to complete recurrent training every 24 months to keep your aeronautical knowledge current and stay legally cleared to fly commercially, but that doesn’t require reapplying for a new certificate.
Can I fly at night with a Part 107 certificate?
Yes. Since the FAA’s 2021 rule update, Part 107 pilots can fly at night without a waiver, as long as the drone has anti-collision lighting visible for at least three statute miles and the pilot has completed the required night operations training.
Do I need to register my drone separately?
Yes. Any drone weighing 0.55lbs (250 grams) or more must be registered separately through FAADroneZone, regardless of whether you already hold a Part 107 certificate. Registration costs $5 and is valid for three years.