Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
Application Process for Medical Certification
Applicant History
Item 6. Date of Birth
The applicant must enter the numbers for the month, day, and year of birth in order (e.g., 04/29/2000 for April 29, 2000). Name, date of birth, and SSN are the basic identifiers of airmen. When an Examiner wishes to communicate with the FAA concerning an applicant, the Examiner must give the applicant's full name, date of birth, and SSN if at all possible. The applicant should indicate citizenship; e.g., U.S.A.If the applicant wishes to be issued an Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate (FAA Form 8420-2), the Examiner should check the date of birth to ensure that the applicant is at least 16 years old. Unless the applicant is at least 16 years old, a combined Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate may not be issued, even if the applicant will become 16 years old before the certificate expires (except as noted below).
The FAA will not confirm a certificate issued by an Examiner to a person who is less than 16 years old. The applicant must be at least 16 years old at the time of application to be eligible for a student pilot certificate for flight of powered aircraft. This minimum age requirement applies only to the issuance of the yellow FAA Form 8420-2, and never to the issuance of the white medical certificate (FAA Form 8500-9).
If the applicant is not yet 16 years old and wishes to solo on or after his or her 16th birthday, the Examiner should issue a white FAA Form 8500-9 (if the applicant is fully qualified medically). On or after his or her 16th birthday, the applicant may obtain a student pilot certificate for the flight from a FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) or designated Flight Examiner upon presentation of the FAA Form 8500-9 (white medical certificate).
An alternative procedure for this situation is for the Examiner to issue the Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate, FAA Form 8420-2 (yellow), with the following statement in the limitations block of the student pilot certificate:
NOT VALID UNTIL (MONTH, DAY, AND YEAR OF 16TH BIRTHDAY)
This procedure should not be used if the applicant's 16th birthday will occur more than 30 days from the date of application.
Although nonmedical regulations allow an airman to solo a glider or balloon at age 14, a medical certificate is not required for glider or balloon operations. These airmen are required to certify to the FAA that they have no known physical defects that make them unable to pilot a glider or balloon. This certification is made at the FAA FSDO’s.
There is a maximum age requirement for certain air carrier pilots. Because this is not a medical requirement but an operational one, the Examiner may issue medical certificates without regard to age to any applicant who meets the medical standards.
