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United States Department of Transportation United States Department of Transportation

My airmen certificates were stolen, can I still instruct?

No, you cannot instruct without the appropriate certificate(s) in your possession. Under 14 CFR 61.3, requirements for certificates, ratings, and authorizations, "A person may not act as pilot in command or in any other capacity as a required pilot flight crewmember... unless that person has a valid pilot certificate or special purpose pilot authorization... in that person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising the privileges of that pilot certificate or authorization."

You can find information about replacing an airmen certificate on our website.