FAA Age Limits for Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers

The FAA age limits for pilots and air traffic controllers set two hard ceilings: pilots flying for Part 121 airlines must stop on their 65th birthday, and federal air traffic controllers must separate by the end of the month they turn 56. Around those headline numbers sit minimum ages for each pilot certificate, an age-31 hiring cap for controllers, and medical exam intervals that shorten once a pilot turns 40.

Airline Pilots Must Stop at 65

Any pilot flying for a Part 121 air carrier, the category covering scheduled airlines and major cargo operations, cannot serve as a flight deck crew member after turning 65. The rule applies to captains and first officers alike. Congress set the limit in the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act, signed on December 13, 2007, which raised the ceiling from 60 to 65.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 44729 – Age Standards for Pilots

This is an operational cutoff, not a medical judgment. A healthy, experienced pilot still cannot fly Part 121 past 65. But hitting the limit doesn’t revoke the pilot certificate or the medical certificate. Pilots who age out can continue flying corporate jets, teach as flight instructors, or take on agricultural and survey work, so long as they keep a valid medical.

Charter and Part 135 Operations Are Mostly Exempt

Most Part 135 operators, the companies running on-demand charters, air ambulances, and regional cargo, are not subject to the age 65 rule. The statute reaches only Part 135 carriers that hold a Part 119 air carrier certificate, operate under Part 91 subpart K management specifications, and logged at least 75,000 turbojet operations in 2019 or any later calendar year. That captures only the largest charter operators.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 44729 – Age Standards for Pilots

Even those large Part 135 carriers face a different ceiling. Rather than a hard federal stop at 65, they may choose to impose an age limit of up to 70 by filing written notice with the FAA. It’s the carrier’s election, not a blanket mandate. For most charter and on-demand pilots, no federal age limit applies beyond what their medical allows.

International Flights

The international standard comes from the International Civil Aviation Organization. ICAO’s Annex 1 sets 65 as the upper limit for pilots in multi-crew commercial operations, matching the U.S. rule.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 44729 – Age Standards for Pilots

For years an extra restriction applied internationally: if the pilot-in-command was over 60, the other pilot had to be under 60. U.S. law adopted the same requirement with a sunset that would trigger once ICAO dropped it. ICAO did so on November 13, 2014, through Amendment 172 to Annex 1, eliminating the under-60 copilot pairing requirement.3Federal Register. Pilot Age Limit Crew Pairing Requirement Both pilots in a multi-crew cockpit can now be between 60 and 65 on international routes. A destination country can still impose a stricter age limit through its own national law, which is uncommon on major routes but worth checking for less-traveled destinations.

Minimum Ages to Earn Pilot Certificates

The FAA sets a floor age for each certificate, scaling upward as responsibility increases.

A restricted ATP is available at 21 for pilots who qualify through military service or approved aviation degree programs. The restricted certificate limits the holder to first officer duties, and the restriction lifts once the pilot turns 23. Nothing stops a teenager from beginning ground school or logging dual instruction before reaching these minimums; the age requirement applies to certificate issuance and solo flight, not to starting training.

Air Traffic Controllers: Age 31 Hiring Cap, 56 Separation

Federal air traffic controllers face the tightest career window in aviation. Federal law gives the Secretary of Transportation authority to set a maximum hiring age,9Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 3307 – Competitive Service Maximum-Age Entrance Requirements and the FAA has set it at 31 for initial competitive entry. The reasoning is arithmetic: a controller hired at 31 can accumulate 25 years of service before mandatory retirement at 56, enough to qualify for full retirement benefits.

Exceptions exist. Applicants who previously held ATC positions and carry FAA specialist certification may re-enter past 31 if they can still complete the service needed for retirement before 56. Veterans who qualify as preference-eligible may also receive age waivers from the hiring agency.

On the back end, controllers must leave their positions by the last day of the month they turn 56, or when they first become eligible for a retirement annuity, whichever comes later. The Secretary may exempt individual controllers with exceptional skills and experience, allowing them to continue until 61. That exemption is rarely used; it exists for cases where retaining a specific specialist serves the public interest, not as a routine extension.10Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 5 USC 8335 – Mandatory Separation

How Age Changes Pilot Medical Certificate Renewals

There is no maximum age to hold an FAA medical certificate. A 75-year-old private pilot who passes the exam gets the same certificate as a 25-year-old. What changes with age is how often the certificate has to be renewed, and the FAA uses 40 as the dividing line.

First Class

Required for airline transport pilot privileges. Valid 12 calendar months for pilots under 40, then just 6 months for ATP privileges after 40. Airline pilots over 40 need two medical exams a year.11eCFR. 14 CFR 61.23 – Medical Certificates Requirement and Duration

Second Class

Required for commercial pilot privileges. Valid 12 calendar months regardless of age. This is the one class where turning 40 does not change the renewal schedule at that certificate level.12Federal Aviation Administration. Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners – Validity

Third Class

Required for private, recreational, and student pilots. Valid 60 months (five years) under 40, then 24 months after 40. The jump from an exam every five years to one every two catches some private pilots off guard, especially those who fly infrequently and lose track of expiration dates.11eCFR. 14 CFR 61.23 – Medical Certificates Requirement and Duration

BasicMed for Older Private Pilots

Since 2017, pilots who previously held an FAA medical certificate have been able to fly under BasicMed instead of maintaining a traditional third class medical. A state-licensed physician (not necessarily an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner) conducts a comprehensive physical every 48 months, and the pilot completes an online medical education course every 24 months. These intervals do not change at age 40, which is the practical advantage for older private pilots who would otherwise be on the compressed 24-month third class schedule.13eCFR. 14 CFR 61.23 – Medical Certificates Requirement and Duration

BasicMed has operational limits. The aircraft cannot exceed 6,000 pounds maximum certificated takeoff weight or carry more than six passengers. Flights must stay at or below 18,000 feet MSL, not exceed 250 knots indicated airspeed, and remain within the United States. Flights for compensation or hire are not allowed.14Federal Aviation Administration. BasicMed For most recreational flying those restrictions don’t bite. Pilots who need larger aircraft, higher altitudes, or international routes still need a traditional medical certificate.