Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners
Application Process for Medical Certification
General Information
Who May Be Certified
Age RequirementsThere is no age restriction or aviation experience requirements for medical certification. Any applicant who qualifies medically may be issued a Medical Certificate, FAA Form 8500-9 (white), regardless of age. Examiners also have been delegated authority to issue the combined Medical Certificate and Student Pilot Certificate, FAA Form 8420-2 (yellow), which is age restricted because it is an airman medical and student pilot certificate (student license and medical certificate).
For issuance of the combined "Medical Certificate and Student Pilot Certificate," the applicant must have reached his or her 16th birthday. If the applicant has not reached age 16 before the examination date, see Item 6. Date of Birth for alternate procedures.
Minimum age requirements for the various airman certificates (i.e., pilot license certificates) are defined in 14 CFR part 61, Certification: Pilots and Flight Instructors, and Ground Inspectors as follows:
- Airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate: 23 years
- Commercial pilot certificate: 18 years
- Private pilot certificate: powered aircraft - 17 years;
- Private pilot certificate: gliders and balloons - 16 years;
- Student pilot certificate: powered aircraft - 16 years;
- Student pilot certificate: gliders and balloons - 14 years
Effective March 5, 2008, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (Annex 1 Personnel Licensing) standards require that all Private, Commercial or Airline Transport pilots as well as Flight Engineers and Flight Navigators operating internationally as required crewmembers of an airplane or helicopter have an airman certificate with an endorsement of language proficiency. In the case of persons holding a U.S. airman certificate, the language proficiency endorsement will state “English Proficient.”
An applicant for an Airman Medical or Student Pilot Certificate (s) must meet the ICAO definition of “English Proficient,” which is equivalent to the FAA’s long-standing basic English standard. The Examiner must observe the applicant’s ability to read, write, and converse in English. This may be accomplished by observing the applicant read FAA Form 8500-8 instructions and questions, writing answers, and conversing with the AME. The AME is authorized to issue the certificate if the applicant meets Part 67 Medical Qualification Standard. If there is any doubt regarding the applicant’s English proficiency, the AME must notify the applicant of their concern, document the notification in block 60, and advise the applicant to report to the local FSDO for further testing. The AME must also notify the FSDO or the RFS. If only the RFS is notified, the RFS must notify the FSDO closest to the examining AME’s office.
The ICAO standard rates individuals from Level 1 (pre-elementary) to Level 6 (expert). Operational Level 4 is considered the minimum for proficiency:
