Renewing your FAA Part 107 remote pilot certification means completing a free online recurrent training course on FAASafety.gov every 24 calendar months. The certificate itself never expires. What expires is your aeronautical knowledge recency, and without it you cannot legally act as remote pilot in command for commercial operations.
What Actually Expires
The FAA has confirmed that the Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate does not expire.1Federal Aviation Administration. After a Part 107 Pilot Completes the Online ALC Training Course Your aeronautical knowledge recency does. Under 14 CFR 107.65, you cannot act as remote pilot in command unless you’ve completed an approved knowledge update within the previous 24 calendar months.2eCFR. 14 CFR 107.65 – Aeronautical Knowledge Recency
The 24-month window runs through the last day of the month you completed your training. If you finish on March 10, 2025, you are current through March 31, 2027. That end-of-month cushion is worth remembering when you plan your renewal.
The Free Online Course You Need to Take
Most pilots take Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent (ALC-677), hosted on FAASafety.gov.3Federal Aviation Administration. Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent – Course Overview It’s free.4Federal Aviation Administration. Recurrent Training Courses for Drone Pilots Available Online There is no testing center, no proctor, and no fee. Most pilots finish in under two hours.
If you also hold a current pilot certificate issued under 14 CFR Part 61 and your flight review under 14 CFR 61.56 is current, you take a shorter course instead: Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent (ALC-515).4Federal Aviation Administration. Recurrent Training Courses for Drone Pilots Available Online It’s also free and hosted on FAASafety.gov. The word to watch is “current.” If your Part 61 certificate is expired, suspended, or revoked, or if your flight review has lapsed, ALC-677 is the right course.
How the Course Works
You need to answer every question correctly to pass, but the course lets you correct wrong answers within the session. It reads more like guided learning than an exam. When you finish, a Certificate of Completion is available immediately on FAASafety.gov.
That certificate is your proof of current aeronautical knowledge, and the FAA has stated you must be able to show a copy of it as proof of currency.1Federal Aviation Administration. After a Part 107 Pilot Completes the Online ALC Training Course Print it, save a digital copy, or both. Completing the course resets your 24-month clock through the last day of the month you finished.2eCFR. 14 CFR 107.65 – Aeronautical Knowledge Recency
There is no IACRA submission for recurrent training. The FAA’s own guidance lists only the completion of the online course as the requirement.5Federal Aviation Administration. Become a Certificated Remote Pilot No paperwork, no fee.
If Your Currency Has Already Lapsed
Missing the 24-month deadline sounds worse than it is. You lose the authority to fly commercially until you renew, but the fix is the same free online course. The FAA has confirmed that any Part 107 certificate holder is eligible for the recurrent course regardless of currency status.4Federal Aviation Administration. Recurrent Training Courses for Drone Pilots Available Online Whether your currency expired last month or three years ago, the path back is identical.
You do not retake the initial proctored knowledge test. That exam is only for people getting a Remote Pilot Certificate for the first time. Once you hold the certificate, recurrent training is your renewal path indefinitely, and there is no late fee or penalty for simply letting currency slip.
Penalties for Flying With Lapsed Currency
Letting currency lapse costs you nothing on its own. Flying commercially with lapsed currency is a different situation. Operating for compensation without meeting 14 CFR 107.12 and 107.65 is a regulatory violation.2eCFR. 14 CFR 107.65 – Aeronautical Knowledge Recency
The FAA can impose civil penalties that generally range from $1,100 to $75,000 per violation depending on the circumstances, with a statutory maximum of $100,000 for individuals.6Federal Aviation Administration. Legal Enforcement Actions The agency can also suspend or revoke your Remote Pilot Certificate.7Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Proposed Civil Penalties Against Drone Operators The course takes under two hours and costs nothing. The math is not close.
Other Obligations That Can Still Ground You
Recurrent training is the main renewal task, but a few adjacent requirements can quietly put you out of compliance.
Keep Your Certificate on You
Under 14 CFR 107.7, you must have your Remote Pilot Certificate in your physical possession and readily accessible whenever you’re flying, and you must present it on request to FAA representatives, the NTSB, law enforcement, or TSA officials.8eCFR. 14 CFR Part 107 – Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Keep your Certificate of Completion with it.
Report Address Changes Within 30 Days
If you move, you have 30 days to notify the FAA of your new permanent mailing address. After that window, you cannot legally exercise the privileges of your certificate until you update the address, even if your training currency is fine.9eCFR. 14 CFR 107.77 – Change of Name or Address Updates go through the FAA’s online portal or by mail to the Airman Certification Branch in Oklahoma City.
Register the Drone Separately
Your certificate and your drone’s registration run on separate timelines. Each drone used for Part 107 operations must be registered through the FAA DroneZone at $5 per aircraft, valid for three years.10Federal Aviation Administration. How to Register Your Drone Any drone flown commercially under Part 107 must be registered regardless of weight. Failing to register can bring civil penalties up to $27,500.11Federal Aviation Administration. Is There a Penalty for Failing to Register