Medical certificates: which class and how long14 CFR 61.23 Medical certificates: Requirement and duration
Student, recreational and private pilots need at least a third-class medical certificate unless they fly under the BasicMed conditions of 61.113(i) or another exception applies. For those privileges, a medical of any class lasts until the end of the 60th month after the exam month if you were under 40 on the exam date, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older.
By the ATIS Alerts team · Updated October 15, 2026 · Regulation text current as of October 14, 2026. A study aid based on the official regulation text, not legal advice or an FAA interpretation.
At a glance
- Private, recreational and student pilot privileges require at least a third-class medical, except under the conditions of 61.113(i) (a)(3)(i).
- Commercial pilot privileges in an aircraft other than a balloon or glider require at least a second-class medical (a)(2)(ii).
- Airline transport pilot in command privileges require a first-class medical (a)(1)(i).
- For private pilot privileges, any class expires at the end of the last day of the 60th month after the exam month if you were under 40 on the exam date, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older (d).
- BasicMed flights under 61.113(i) use a U.S. driver's license plus a medical education course within 24 calendar months and a physician's exam within 48 calendar months, among other conditions (c)(3).
- Some operations need no medical, such as flying a glider with a glider rating or acting as a flight instructor who is not pilot in command or a required crewmember (b).
In plain English
Section 61.23 answers two questions: which class of medical certificate you need, and how long it lasts. Paragraph (a) ties the class to the privileges you are using. Airline transport pilot in command privileges take a first-class medical. Commercial pilot privileges in an aircraft other than a balloon or glider take at least a second-class medical. Private, recreational and student pilot privileges, acting as pilot in command as a flight instructor, and taking most practical tests in an aircraft take at least a third-class medical, unless the flight is conducted under 61.113(i).
Paragraph (d) sets the duration with a table, and the key input is your age on the date of the exam for your most recent medical, not your age today. For private, recreational and student pilot privileges, and for a flight instructor acting as pilot in command outside glider or balloon operations, a first-, second- or third-class medical expires at the end of the last day of the 60th month after the month of the exam if you were under 40, and the 24th month if you were 40 or older. Higher privileges run shorter: a first- or second-class medical used for commercial privileges lasts to the end of the 12th month after the exam month, and a first-class medical used for airline transport pilot in command privileges lasts to the end of the 12th month if you were under 40 and the 6th month if you were 40 or older.
Paragraph (b) lists operations that need no medical certificate at all, including flying a glider with a glider category rating, a private pilot flying a balloon, a ground instructor, and a flight instructor who is not acting as pilot in command or as a required crewmember. Paragraph (c) covers operations where a U.S. driver's license can take the place of a medical: sport pilot operations in aircraft meeting 61.316 (other than gliders and balloons), and student, recreational and private pilot flights under 61.113(i), commonly called BasicMed.
For BasicMed, (c)(3) adds conditions. You must comply with any medical restrictions on your driver's license, have held a part 67 medical certificate at any point after July 14, 2006, complete the medical education course in 68.3 during the 24 calendar months before the flight, and receive a comprehensive medical exam from a state-licensed physician during the 48 calendar months before the flight. Your most recently issued medical may be expired, but it cannot have been suspended or revoked, and your most recent medical application cannot have been completed and denied. If you have been diagnosed with a medical condition that may affect your ability to fly, you must also be under the care and treatment of a state-licensed physician.
Common mistakes
- Using your current age instead of your age on the exam date. The table in (d) keys off your age on the date of examination for your most recent medical.
- Counting from the exam day. Each duration runs to the end of the last day of the stated month after the month of the exam (d).
- Thinking a first-class medical is useless once its first-class period ends. For private pilot privileges, the table in (d) gives it the same 60- or 24-month duration as a third-class.
- Assuming BasicMed only needs a driver's license. It also requires a part 67 medical held after July 14, 2006, the course and the physician exam (c)(3).
The official text
14 CFR 61.23 as published on the eCFR, current as of October 14, 2026.
(a) Operations requiring a medical certificate. Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section, a person—
(1) Must hold a first-class medical certificate:
(i) When exercising the pilot-in-command privileges of an airline transport pilot certificate;
(ii) When exercising the second-in-command privileges of an airline transport pilot certificate in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 of this chapter that requires three or more pilots; or
(iii) When serving as a required pilot flightcrew member in an operation conducted under part 121 of this chapter if the pilot has reached his or her 60th birthday.
(2) Must hold at least a second class medical certificate when exercising:
(i) Second-in-command privileges of an airline transport pilot certificate in part 121 of this chapter (other than operations specified in paragraph (a)(1)(ii) of this section);
(ii) Privileges of a commercial pilot certificate in an aircraft other than a balloon or glider; or
(iii) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(5) of this section, privileges of a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon class rating for compensation or hire; or
(3) Must hold at least a third-class medical certificate—
(i) When exercising the privileges of a private pilot certificate, recreational pilot certificate, or student pilot certificate, except when operating under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i);
(ii) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate and acting as the pilot in command or as a required flightcrew member, except when operating under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i);
(iii) When taking a practical test in an aircraft for a recreational pilot, private pilot, commercial pilot, or airline transport pilot certificate, or for a flight instructor certificate, except when operating under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i); or
(iv) When performing the duties as an Examiner in an aircraft when administering a practical test or proficiency check for an airman certificate, rating, or authorization, except when meeting the requirements to operate under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i).
(b) Operations not requiring a medical certificate. A person is not required to hold a medical certificate—
(1) When exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate while seeking—
(i) A sport pilot certificate with glider or balloon privileges; or
(ii) A pilot certificate with a glider category rating or balloon class rating;
(2) When exercising the privileges of a sport pilot certificate with privileges in a glider or balloon;
(3) When exercising the privileges of a pilot certificate with a glider category rating in a glider;
(4) When exercising the privileges of a private pilot certificate with a balloon class rating in a balloon;
(5) When exercising the privileges of a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon class rating in a balloon if the person is providing flight training in accordance with § 61.133(a)(2)(ii);
(6) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate with—
(i) A sport pilot rating in a glider or balloon; or
(ii) A glider category rating;
(7) When exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate if the person is not acting as pilot in command or serving as a required pilot flight crewmember;
(8) When exercising the privileges of a ground instructor certificate;
(9) When serving as an Examiner or check airman and administering a practical test or proficiency check for an airman certificate, rating, or authorization conducted in a glider, balloon, flight simulator, or flight training device;
(10) When taking a practical test or a proficiency check for a certificate, rating, authorization or operating privilege conducted in a glider, balloon, flight simulator, or flight training device;
(11) When a military pilot of the U.S. Armed Forces can show evidence of an up-to-date medical examination authorizing pilot flight status issued by the U.S. Armed Forces and—
(i) The flight does not require higher than a third-class medical certificate; and
(ii) The flight conducted is a domestic flight operation within U.S. airspace; or
(12) When exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate or higher while acting as pilot in command on a special medical flight test authorized under part 67 of this chapter.
(c) Operations requiring either a medical certificate or U.S. driver's license. (1) A person must hold and possess either a medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter or a U.S. driver's license when—
(i) Exercising the privileges of a student pilot certificate while seeking sport pilot privileges in an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316 other than a glider or balloon;
(ii) Exercising the privileges of a sport pilot certificate in an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316 other than a glider or balloon;
(iii) Exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate with a sport pilot rating while acting as pilot in command or serving as a required flight crewmember of an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316 other than a glider or balloon;
(iv) Serving as an Examiner and administering a practical test for the issuance of a sport pilot certificate in an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316 other than a glider or balloon;
(v) Exercising the privileges of a student, recreational or private pilot certificate if the flight is conducted under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i);
(vi) Notwithstanding paragraphs (b)(1), (b)(2), and (b)(6) of this section, exercising the privileges of sport pilot certificate at night under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i);
(vii) Exercising the privileges of a flight instructor certificate and acting as the pilot in command or as a required flight crewmember if the flight is conducted under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i); or
(viii) Serving as an Examiner and administering a practical test or proficiency check for an airman certificate, rating, or authorization if the flight is conducted under the conditions and limitations set forth in § 61.113(i).
(2) A person using a U.S. driver's license to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) while exercising sport pilot privileges must—
(i) Comply with each restriction and limitation imposed by that person's U.S. driver's license and any judicial or administrative order applying to the operation of a motor vehicle;
(ii) Have been found eligible for the issuance of at least a third-class airman medical certificate at the time of his or her most recent application (if the person has applied for a medical certificate);
(iii) Not have had his or her most recently issued medical certificate (if the person has held a medical certificate) suspended or revoked or most recent Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate withdrawn; and
(iv) Not know or have reason to know of any medical condition that would make that person unable to operate an aircraft meeting the performance limits and design requirements of § 61.316 in a safe manner.
(3) A person using a U.S. driver's license to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) while operating under the conditions and limitations of § 61.113(i) must meet the following requirements—
(i) The person must—
(A) Comply with all medical requirements or restrictions associated with his or her U.S. driver's license;
(B) At any point after July 14, 2006, have held a medical certificate issued under part 67 of this chapter;
(C) Complete the medical education course set forth in § 68.3 of this chapter during the 24 calendar months before acting as pilot in command or serving as a required flightcrew member in an operation conducted under § 61.113(i) and retain a certification of course completion in accordance with § 68.3(b)(1) of this chapter;
(D) Receive a comprehensive medical examination from a State-licensed physician during the 48 calendar months before acting as pilot in command or serving as a required flightcrew member of an operation conducted under § 61.113(i) and that medical examination is conducted in accordance with the requirements in part 68 of this chapter; and
(E) If the individual has been diagnosed with any medical condition that may impact the ability of the individual to fly, be under the care and treatment of a State-licensed physician when acting as pilot in command or serving as a required flightcrew member of an operation conducted under § 61.113(i).
(ii) The most recently issued medical certificate—
(A) May include an authorization for special issuance;
(B) May be expired; and
(C) Cannot have been suspended or revoked.
(iii) The most recently issued Authorization for a Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate cannot have been withdrawn; and
(iv) The most recent application for an airman medical certificate submitted to the FAA cannot have been completed and denied.
(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 (ii) Age 40 or older (iii) Any age (iv) Under age 40 (v) Age 40 or older | an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, or for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots, or for a pilot flightcrew member in part 121 operations who has reached his or her 60th birthday a commercial pilot certificate (other than a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon rating when conducting flight training), a flight engineer certificate, or an air traffic control tower operator certificate 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) 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) | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 6th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
(2) A second-class medical certificate | (i) Any age (ii) Under age 40 (iii) Age 40 or older | an airline transport pilot certificate for second-in-command privileges (other than the operations specified in paragraph (d)(1) of this section), a commercial pilot certificate (other than a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon rating when conducting flight training), a flight engineer certificate, or an air traffic control tower operator certificate 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) 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) | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate 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 (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) 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 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. |
Test yourself
Practice questions from our free FAA written test prep that cite 14 CFR 61.23.
Sport Pilot
A sport pilot using a valid U.S. driver's license in place of an FAA medical certificate must:
- A. comply with any restrictions on that driver's license, and not have had the most recent FAA medical application denied or the most recently issued medical certificate suspended or revoked.
- B. carry a copy of the most recent FAA medical application.
- C. fly only within 50 nautical miles of the departure airport.
- D. be examined by a physician every 24 calendar months.
Show answer
A. comply with any restrictions on that driver's license, and not have had the most recent FAA medical application denied or the most recently issued medical certificate suspended or revoked. You must comply with the license's restrictions (corrective lenses, for example), have been found eligible at your most recent FAA medical application if you made one, not have had your most recently issued medical certificate suspended or revoked or a special issuance withdrawn, and not know of any condition that makes you unable to fly safely. The driver's license option covers day flying only: night requires a medical certificate or BasicMed.
More Sport Pilot practice →Recreational Pilot
What medical eligibility is required to exercise recreational pilot privileges?
- A. At least a third-class medical certificate, or BasicMed.
- B. A valid U.S. driver's license only.
- C. A first-class medical certificate.
- D. No medical documentation of any kind.
Show answer
A. At least a third-class medical certificate, or BasicMed. A recreational pilot needs at least a third-class medical certificate, or may fly under BasicMed: 61.101(k) allows a valid U.S. driver's license plus the BasicMed requirements of 61.23(c)(3), meaning a medical certificate held at some point after July 14, 2006, the online medical course within 24 calendar months, and a comprehensive exam by a state-licensed physician within 48 calendar months. A driver's license without those BasicMed steps is the sport pilot standard, not the recreational one.
More Recreational Pilot practice →ATP Multiengine
What class of medical certificate is required to act as pilot in command in part 121 operations?
- A. A first-class medical certificate.
- B. A second-class medical certificate.
- C. A third-class medical certificate.
- D. BasicMed qualification.
Show answer
A. A first-class medical certificate. First class for PIC in part 121. Second-in-command requires at least second class. Validity depends on age: for a first-class medical, 12 calendar months under age 40 and 6 calendar months at 40 and above.
More ATP Multiengine practice →Basic Ground Instructor
What class of FAA medical certificate must a ground instructor hold to exercise the privileges of the certificate?
- A. None: no medical certificate is required for ground instruction.
- B. At least a third-class medical certificate.
- C. At least a second-class medical certificate, since instruction is for compensation.
Show answer
A. None: no medical certificate is required for ground instruction. Ground instruction involves no operation of an aircraft, so 61.23 imposes no medical requirement on ground instructors. The compensation angle is the trap: medical class follows the flying being done, not the paycheck.
More Basic Ground Instructor practice →
Questions pilots ask
How long is a third-class medical good for?
For private, recreational and student pilot privileges, until the end of the last day of the 60th month after the month of the exam if you were under 40 on the exam date, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older (61.23(d)). For example, an exam in March 2026 by a pilot under 40 runs through March 31, 2031.
What class of medical do I need as a private pilot?
At least a third-class medical (61.23(a)(3)(i)), unless the flight is conducted under the conditions of 61.113(i). For those flights a U.S. driver's license is used instead, along with the requirements in 61.23(c)(3).
What happens when my first-class medical runs out?
The table in 61.23(d) sets an expiration for each type of operation. For private pilot privileges, a first-class medical lasts until the end of the 60th month after the exam month if you were under 40 at the exam, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older.
Do I need a medical to fly a glider?
No. No medical certificate is required when exercising the privileges of a pilot certificate with a glider category rating in a glider (61.23(b)(3)).