How Long Does It Take to Get a Part 107 License? The Real Timeline

People ask this expecting one number, and the honest answer is a pipeline: some parts you control, some parts are the government’s clock. The short version: one hypothetical path for a motivated beginner, studying evenings and getting a near-term test slot, runs about three to five weeks from zero to flying commercially. Treat it as an illustration, not a promise. Here is where the time actually goes, and where it can stall.

Quick answer: plan on 2 to 3 weeks of study (15 to 25 hours), a wait for a test slot at your local center, and the FAA’s validation step after you pass (applications should be validated within 10 days of submission). If each step goes smoothly, that example adds up to about a month; actual timing depends on your study pace, test availability, your result, and FAA clearance.

Stage 1: The FTN and IACRA account (day one)

Before anything else, create your account in IACRA, the FAA’s airman application system, and get your FAA Tracking Number. It is free. Do it on day one, because you cannot book the exam without it, and discovering that the night before your planned test date is a stupid way to lose time.

Stage 2: Study (2 to 3 weeks)

This is the long pole and the only stage you fully control. As a suggested planning figure, not an FAA requirement, someone with no aviation background might budget 15 to 25 hours of real study: regulations, airspace and charts, weather, loading and performance, operations. Spread over evenings, that is two to three weeks; compressed into dedicated weekends, it goes faster.

One scope note: this guide is for first-time applicants taking the knowledge test. If you already hold a Part 61 pilot certificate (student pilot certificates do not qualify) and meet the Part 61 flight review requirements, the FAA offers a different path: a free online course (Part 107 Small UAS Initial, ALC-451) plus the IACRA application, with no testing-center exam.

When you are ready to book, check current slot availability and PSI’s booking and rescheduling terms before you schedule.

Stage 3: The exam itself (one day)

Sixty questions, two hours, 70% to pass, results before you leave the building. Testing centers charge approximately $175 per attempt, and a miss means waiting 14 calendar days before you can retake. Our suggested readiness check, not an FAA requirement: 85% on practice tests before you book, not 72% and hope.

Stage 4: The application and the wait (the FAA says about 10 days)

Passing the test does not make you certificated. Your exam ID can take up to 48 hours to show up in IACRA, so do not panic if it is not there on day one. Once it is, you log back in, complete the application with that ID, and submit. The TSA background check runs, and the FAA says applications should be validated within 10 days of submission. Once yours clears, you get a confirmation email with instructions to print your temporary certificate from IACRA. The temporary is fully valid: you can fly commercially the day it shows up. The temporary is valid for 120 days, and the FAA mails the permanent card within that window. It changes nothing operationally.

The only controllable part here is speed of submission. The FAA clock starts when you apply, not when you pass. Submit as soon as your result shows up in IACRA and the application is complete.

Adding it up, and the two waiting periods

One example path for a beginner: account on day one, two and a half weeks of study, a test slot three days after that, temporary certificate about ten days after applying. That lands around four weeks, but treat it as an illustration, not a promise. The two waiting periods are the test slot availability at your local testing center and the IACRA processing time after you apply.

After that, currency renews every 24 calendar months with a free online course, so the timeline above is a one-time cost. If the process ends with paying drone work, the time spent getting certificated is well spent.

Common questions

What is the fastest possible time to get a Part 107 certificate?

One hypothetical fast path: existing aviation knowledge, a dedicated weekend of study, a near-term test slot, and a smooth validation could add up to about two weeks. A beginner starting from zero and studying evenings might plan on three to five weeks. Both are illustrations with assumptions, not guarantees.

How long does the FAA take to issue the certificate after passing?

The FAA says applications should be validated within 10 days of submission. You then get a confirmation email with instructions to print your temporary certificate from IACRA. The temporary is valid for 120 days and lets you fly commercially right away; the permanent card arrives by mail within that window.

Can I speed up the process?

Only the study part is fully in your control. Create your IACRA account and FTN on day one, and submit the application as soon as your exam result shows up in IACRA.

Does the certificate expire?

The certificate itself never expires. Your currency to fly commercially lapses every 24 calendar months, and renewing it is a free online course, not another testing center exam.