FAA Tracking Number: How to Register and Schedule a Knowledge Test

An FAA Tracking Number, or FTN, is a permanent identifier the FAA assigns to you the first time you register in the Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system, and you get one for free by creating an applicant account at iacra.faa.gov. The number stays with you for the rest of your aviation career, and you need it before you can schedule a knowledge test, submit a certificate application, or work with a flight instructor or examiner on any formal certification activity.¹

What the FTN Is

Your FTN is generated once, when you first create an IACRA profile. It never expires and never changes, even if you step away from aviation for years and come back later.¹

It is not your airman certificate number. The certificate number is printed on your pilot or mechanic certificate itself. The FTN is a separate identifier used for applications, exam scheduling, and administrative tracking. If you already hold a certificate, you’ll enter that certificate number during IACRA registration, but you’ll still receive a distinct FTN.¹

Who Needs One

Every applicant for FAA certification needs an FTN, regardless of the certificate type. That includes student pilots, remote pilots operating drones under Part 107, flight instructors, aircraft mechanics, parachute riggers, airline engineers, and inspectors. The requirement applies even when IACRA isn’t used to process the final application.¹

For anyone becoming a certificated remote pilot, the FAA lists getting an FTN through IACRA as the first step, before you even register for the knowledge test.² The same goes for scheduling any airman knowledge test through PSI. No FTN, no testing account, no exam.³

What to Have Ready

Gather this information before starting:

Full legal name, matching your identification exactly. Include any suffix like Jr. or III. If you have no middle name, enter “NMN” in that field.
Date of birth and residential address.
Citizenship. Non-U.S. citizens follow the same registration process but enter their foreign address and country of birth.
Email address for verification and FAA correspondence.
Social Security Number, optional. Disclosure is voluntary. If you don’t provide one, select “Do Not Use” or “None” and the system assigns a unique internal number instead. Providing an SSN can help the FAA match your new digital profile to older paper records, but skipping it will not prevent you from getting an FTN.⁴

One quirk to know about: the last name field only accepts 26 characters. If your combined last name runs longer, visit your local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) for guidance rather than forcing it into the online form.⁵

How to Register

Registration happens at iacra.faa.gov and usually takes under ten minutes.

Click “Register” and choose “Applicant” as your user role.
Review and accept the terms of service.
Enter your legal name, address, date of birth, citizenship, and email. Add your SSN or select “Do Not Use.”
Verify your email by clicking the link in the confirmation message.
Receive your FTN. IACRA displays it on screen once registration completes, and also emails it to you.⁴

Write the number down. You’ll give it to your flight instructor, designated examiner, or any certifying officer working on your application.

Using Your FTN to Schedule a Knowledge Test

Your FTN is the link between your IACRA profile and the PSI testing system where you actually book and take FAA knowledge exams. The FAA’s testing matrix requires anyone without an FTN to create one in IACRA before sitting for any airman knowledge test.⁶

Get your FTN at iacra.faa.gov.
Create a PSI account at faa.psiexams.com. During registration you’ll enter your FTN, which the system verifies against the FAA database.
Schedule your test. From that point on, you use your PSI username and password to manage exam registrations.

Your FTN is printed on the Airman Knowledge Test Report you receive after passing, tying your score back to your IACRA profile.⁶

If PSI can’t find you after you enter your FTN, the usual cause is a name mismatch. Log into IACRA and check that your first and last name match exactly what you’re typing into PSI. If everything matches and it still fails, contact PSI Services.¹

If You Lose Your FTN

You don’t need a new one. The number is permanent. Log back into your IACRA account at iacra.faa.gov and it shows on your profile page.¹

Forgotten your IACRA username or password? Use the “Recover Username” or “Reset Password” links on the login page first; the FAA asks that you try self-service before calling. If you’re still locked out, contact the National AVS IT Service Desk at 1-844-FAA-MYIT (1-844-322-6948) or email helpdesk@faa.gov.⁷

Name Changes and Duplicate Accounts

A legal name change from marriage, divorce, or a court order can’t be processed through the normal IACRA workflow, and your instructor or examiner can’t handle it either. Make an appointment with your local FSDO. An Aviation Safety Inspector or Aviation Safety Technician will verify your identity and review your legal documents, such as a marriage license or divorce decree, before updating your record. The FTN itself stays the same. Only the personal details attached to it change.⁵

IACRA allows only one registration per person. If you previously registered as a student applicant and now want to add a role such as recommending instructor, don’t create a second account. Log into your existing account, click “Add Role” in the left menu, and select the new role there. If the system tells you you’re already registered, that means an account with your information exists; creating a duplicate can tangle your records later.⁵

Most other registration failures come from data mismatches. If you already hold a certificate, the name, certificate number, and date of issuance you enter have to match FAA records character for character. Even a missing middle name or a “Jr.” can cause a rejection. If nothing you try works, contact your local FSDO or the National AVS IT Service Desk at 1-844-FAA-MYIT (1-844-322-6948), or email 9-NATL-AVS-IT-ServiceDesk@faa.gov.⁵

1
Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Tracking Number (FTN) Frequently Asked Questions
2
Federal Aviation Administration. Become a Certificated Remote Pilot
3
Talogy. Verify Your Eligibility
4
Federal Aviation Administration. IACRA – Help and Information
5
Federal Aviation Administration. Frequently Asked Questions – IACRA
6
Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix
7
Federal Aviation Administration. Contact Information – IACRA