How to Become an FAA Aircraft Mechanic

Understand What an A&P Certificate Is

An Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certificate is issued by the FAA under 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart D. It authorizes you to perform and certify maintenance on civil aircraft — everything from sheet-metal repairs and avionics work (Airframe) to engine overhauls and fuel-system maintenance (Powerplant). The certificate has no expiration date, but you must have exercised the privileges within the preceding 24 months to act as an aviation mechanic. Most employers require both ratings; you can earn one or both at the same time.

Meet the Eligibility Requirements

Before applying, you must be at least 18 years old, able to read, write, speak, and understand English, and demonstrate the required practical experience. The FAA requires 18 months of documented hands-on experience for a single rating (Airframe only or Powerplant only) or 30 months of experience concurrently covering both Airframe and Powerplant work. Alternatively, graduates of an FAA-approved Part-147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School (AMTS) satisfy the experience requirement through their program's curriculum and documented training hours. All experience must be signed off by a qualified supervisor. See 14 CFR §§65.71 and 65.77 for the full regulatory text.

Pass the Three FAA Knowledge (Written) Tests

Applicants must pass three separate computer-based knowledge tests at an FAA-authorized testing center (currently administered by PSI): General, Airframe, and Powerplant. The General test has 60 questions, and both the Airframe and Powerplant tests have 100 questions each. A score of 70% or higher is required to pass each test. The tests draw from the question bank published in the FAA Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (ACS), which also maps every question to an ACS knowledge code so you know exactly which subject areas are tested. Test results are valid for 24 months; you must complete the oral and practical exam within that window.

Complete the Oral and Practical Test with a DME

After passing all three written tests, you will schedule an oral and practical (O&P) exam with a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) — an FAA-authorized private examiner who holds an A&P certificate with an Inspection Authorization. The DME will conduct a verbal oral examination covering regulations, theory, and procedures, and then direct you through practical skills tasks drawn from the Mechanic ACS skill elements. You must demonstrate safe work practices, correct use of tools and technical publications, and the ability to detect, diagnose, and correct discrepancies. Bring your signed experience record, written test results (AKTRs), government-issued photo ID, and Form 8610-2.

Submit FAA Form 8610-2 and Receive Your Certificate

FAA Form 8610-2 (Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application) is the official application for your A&P certificate. It is completed and signed by you, your supervising mechanic or Part-147 school official (certifying your experience), and your DME after a successful exam. IACRA (Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application) is the FAA's online system for processing 8610-2 submissions electronically. After your IACRA submission is processed, the FAA mails your permanent plastic certificate within a few weeks; your DME provides a temporary certificate the day of your exam.

Maintain and Build on Your Certificate

Once certified, your A&P certificate does not expire — but to exercise inspection authority you must have worked as a mechanic within the preceding 24 months, or complete a refresher course. Many mechanics pursue an Inspection Authorization (IA) after two years of A&P experience, which allows them to perform annual inspections on general aviation aircraft and approve major repairs and alterations. Continuing education in new aircraft types, avionics systems, and regulatory changes is essential to stay current and competitive in the field.

How Long the Whole Process Actually Takes

The honest answer depends almost entirely on which eligibility route you take, and the two routes have very different shapes.

The Part-147 route is the predictable one. An FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School running a combined airframe and powerplant curriculum typically takes 18 to 24 months of full-time study. You know the end date on the day you enrol, the schedule is fixed, and you finish eligible to test. Some schools run accelerated or evening programmes that shift those numbers in either direction.

The experience route is slower and much less predictable. The regulatory minimum is 18 months for a single rating or 30 months of concurrent work for both, but those are minimums measured in calendar time spent doing qualifying practical work. Someone in a busy general aviation shop doing genuinely broad maintenance may hit 30 months of concurrent experience in close to 30 months. Someone in a narrow role — one aircraft type, one system, mostly component removal and replacement — may work for four years and still struggle to document work covering both ratings.

On top of the eligibility period, budget separately for testing. Preparing for and passing three knowledge tests takes most candidates somewhere between one and four months alongside a job, and the oral and practical needs to be scheduled with a Designated Mechanic Examiner, whose calendar in some regions runs weeks out. Then remember the 24-month clock: your written passes expire two years after the date on the test report, so there is no benefit to sitting them long before you will be eligible for the oral and practical.

What It Costs

There are four cost buckets, and only two of them are fixed.

Training is the large and variable one. Part-147 tuition ranges widely by school and region — from roughly the price of a community college associate degree at the low end to several times that at private academies — so the only reliable figure is the one the specific school quotes you, including tools, books and fees rather than tuition alone. The experience route has no tuition, which is its principal financial argument, though it usually comes with a lower wage during the qualifying period.

Testing is the predictable bucket. Three knowledge tests, each with a fee set by the testing provider, and the current figure should be confirmed with PSI directly rather than taken from any prep site. Budget for the possibility of a retake; the fee is charged again each attempt.

The oral and practical is the one candidates most often under-budget. Designated Mechanic Examiners are private examiners who set their own fees, and the charge for a full two-rating oral and practical is typically the single largest line item after training. Fees vary by region and by examiner, so ask up front and ask what happens financially if the exam is discontinued partway.

Finally, tools. A mechanic is generally expected to own a basic set, and building one is a real expense spread over the first years of the career. Some employers supply specialist tooling; almost none supply your box.

What the Work Pays and Where It Is

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage and employment data for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians in its Occupational Outlook Handbook, and it is worth reading the current edition rather than relying on any figure quoted second-hand, because the numbers move annually. What the data has consistently shown is a median well above the all-occupations median, meaningful spread by sector, and steady projected demand driven substantially by retirements.

The spread by sector matters more than the median. Scheduled air transport and manufacturing generally pay more than general aviation repair stations; specialist work such as avionics, structures or engine overhaul pays a premium; and work with an inspection authorization or a supervisory role pays more again. Geography matters too, both because the work clusters around major maintenance bases and because the same wage buys very different lives in different places.

For someone deciding whether to start, the useful framing is that the A&P certificate is a floor rather than a ceiling. It is the credential that makes you employable as a mechanic at all, and everything that raises earnings after that — type experience on transport aircraft, an Inspection Authorization, avionics or structures specialisation, a move into quality or planning — builds on it.

That is also why the certificate is worth protecting once earned. It does not expire, but under 14 CFR 65.83 you may not exercise its privileges unless you have served as a mechanic under it for at least six months in the preceding 24 months, or have otherwise shown the FSDO that you are able to do the work.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to get an A&P certificate?

It depends on your path. Part-147 AMTS programs typically run 18–24 months for both ratings. The self-study/experience path requires at least 18 months (single rating) or 30 months (both ratings) of documented practical experience before you can sit the exams. Add preparation and testing time for the three knowledge tests.

Can I earn just one rating (Airframe or Powerplant) instead of both?

Yes. The FAA issues each rating independently. You need 18 months of experience in the relevant area for a single rating, or 30 months of concurrent experience for both. Most employers prefer both ratings, but some specialty shops hire single-rated mechanics.

Do I need to go to an aviation maintenance school?

No. You can qualify through documented practical experience supervised by a certificated A&P mechanic with the appropriate rating(s). However, a Part-147 AMTS program provides structured training, satisfies the experience requirement through its curriculum, and often makes it easier to prepare for the written tests.

What if I fail one of the written tests?

You must wait 30 days before retaking a failed FAA knowledge test. There is no limit on the number of attempts. Review the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) to target your weak areas before retesting.

Is the A&P certificate recognized outside the United States?

The FAA A&P certificate is recognized through bilateral aviation safety agreements (BASAs) with some countries, but it does not automatically authorize you to maintain aircraft in EASA member states or other jurisdictions. Many countries require their own national certification or a validation process.

Can I get an A&P certificate online?

No. The knowledge tests are taken in person at an authorised testing center, and the oral and practical exam is a hands-on examination with a Designated Mechanic Examiner who watches you perform maintenance tasks. Online study material is genuinely useful for the written tests, and a great deal of the preparation can be done remotely, but no part of the certification itself is conducted online.

Do I need a college degree to become an aircraft mechanic?

No. Neither 14 CFR Part 65 nor any part of the certification process requires a degree. Some Part-147 schools sit inside colleges and award an associate degree alongside the certificate, which can help with later moves into management or with airlines that prefer it, but the FAA credential itself is independent of academic qualifications.

Is there a medical exam or drug test?

The FAA does not require a medical certificate for a mechanic certificate at any stage. Employers are a different matter: maintenance work on aircraft operated under Parts 121 and 135 is a safety-sensitive function, so employees performing it are subject to the employer's DOT-mandated drug and alcohol testing programme, including pre-employment testing.

ACS subject areas covered here

These are the FAA Mechanic ACS areas this guide maps to. Each page breaks the area down and carries free practice questions with worked rationales.

• Regulations, Maintenance Forms, Records, and Publications (AM.I.I)
• Inspection Concepts and Techniques (AM.I.K)
• Human Factors (AM.I.L)

Primary sources

• 14 CFR Part 65 — Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers (eCFR)
• FAA Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-1)
• FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook — General (FAA-H-8083-30B)

Related guides

• FAA A&P Mechanic Eligibility Requirements — Age, English, Experience
• FAA A&P Written Tests Explained — General, Airframe & Powerplant
• FAA A&P Oral and Practical Test — What to Expect from the DME Exam
• FAA Form 8610-2 and IACRA — Applying for Your A&P Certificate
• FAA General Knowledge Test Prep (A&P) — Free Practice Questions