To fill out FAA Form 8710-1, register in the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system at iacra.faa.gov, complete the three sections of the application with your personal information, the certificate or rating you want, and your logged flight time from your pilot logbook, then have your recommending instructor sign it electronically before your examiner or FAA Aviation Safety Inspector processes it at your practical test.1Federal Aviation Administration. IACRA A paper version exists, but almost every flight school and examiner uses IACRA because it catches errors and transmits directly to the Airmen Certification Branch.2Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Form 8710-1 – Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application Supplemental Information and Instructions
What to Have in Front of You Before You Start
Open the application only after you have every piece of supporting information within reach. A single missing item can send the form back to you for correction and delay your checkride.
- Your pilot logbook with accurate totals for solo, pilot-in-command, cross-country, night, instrument (actual and simulated), and dual instruction received, broken down by aircraft category and class.3eCFR. 14 CFR 61.51 – Pilot Logbooks
- Your knowledge test report, if a written test was required. It stays valid for 24 calendar months from the month you passed.4eCFR. 14 CFR 61.39 – Prerequisites for Practical Tests
- Your current medical certificate. Airline transport pilots need first-class, commercial pilots at least second-class, and private and recreational pilots at least third-class. Note the class, date of examination, and any limitations.5eCFR. 14 CFR 61.23 – Medical Certificates: Requirement and Duration
- Your existing airman certificate number, if you already hold one and are adding a rating.
- A government-issued photo ID: driver’s license, state ID, military ID, or passport. The examiner will inspect it at the checkride.
- The instructor endorsements in your logbook certifying that you completed the required training, are prepared for the practical test, and have addressed any areas missed on the knowledge test.4eCFR. 14 CFR 61.39 – Prerequisites for Practical Tests
Registering in IACRA and Getting an FTN
Go to iacra.faa.gov and select “Register.” The system will assign you an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) if you don’t already have one from a prior certificate.6Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Tracking Number (FTN) Frequently Asked Questions Save this number. Your instructor uses it to pull up your application and sign it.
IACRA asks for your Social Security Number during registration. Providing it isn’t mandatory, but skipping it may delay processing. If you decline to provide an SSN, the FAA can assign an alternative identifier, but you must supply every other required field or the agency will not issue the certificate.1Federal Aviation Administration. IACRA
Working Through the Three Sections
Whether you use IACRA or the paper PDF, the form has three main sections. IACRA walks you through each one and flags common problems before you submit.
Section I: Personal Information
Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID. A mismatch between the name on the application, on your medical certificate, and on your photo ID can halt the entire process. Use a permanent mailing address where you can reliably receive mail for the next two months, because the FAA will send the plastic certificate there.
Section II: Certificate or Rating
Select the exact certificate and rating you want. Examples include “Private Pilot” with an “Airplane Single-Engine Land” rating, or “Commercial Pilot” with an “Airplane Multi-Engine Land” rating. If you already hold a certificate and are adding a rating, list your current certificates and ratings in the “Airman Certificate Held” block so the examiner sees exactly what privileges you carry.
Section III: Record of Pilot Time
This section trips up more applicants than any other. Transfer your logbook totals into a grid that separates flight time by aircraft category (airplane, rotorcraft, glider, and so on) and class (single-engine land, multi-engine sea, and so on). At minimum, fill in every block that applies to the certificate or rating you’re seeking. The FAA recommends entering all of your pilot time.2Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Form 8710-1 – Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application Supplemental Information and Instructions Time logged in a full flight simulator, flight training device, or aviation training device may count toward category, class, and instrument totals as the regulations allow. Enter it accordingly.
Double-check every number against your logbook before you submit. The examiner will compare Section III totals to the actual logbook during the checkride, and the hours must meet the minimums prescribed by 14 CFR Part 61 for whatever you’re applying for.7eCFR. 14 CFR 61.129 – Aeronautical Experience On a paper form, make decimal points clearly legible.
Instructor Signature and What It Locks
Once you’ve submitted the application in IACRA, your recommending instructor pulls it up using your FTN. The instructor reviews what you entered, validates your knowledge test results by entering the Exam ID from your test report, reviews your certificate summary, and digitally signs the application.8Federal Aviation Administration. IACRA Instruction Manual If your knowledge test has expired or you failed it, the system will block the instructor from signing.
After that signature, neither you nor the instructor can edit the application. If a mistake surfaces at this stage, the certifying officer can return it to you for correction before proceeding.9Federal Aviation Administration. Frequently Asked Questions So catch errors before your instructor signs, not after.
Using the Paper Form
A downloadable PDF is available on the FAA’s forms page.10Federal Aviation Administration. FAA Form 8710-1 – Airman Certificate And/or Rating Application Print it, complete it by hand or by typing into the fields, sign it, and bring it with you to your meeting with the examiner. Your instructor signs the paper form in person. Paper applications take longer to process because the examiner must submit the documents manually to the Airman Certification Branch.
What the Examiner Checks the Form Against
Before you fly, the examiner sits down with your paperwork. The examiner compares Section III against your logbook entries, checks your knowledge test report, confirms your medical certificate is current and the correct class, inspects your photo ID, and verifies that your instructor endorsements are in order.4eCFR. 14 CFR 61.39 – Prerequisites for Practical Tests A flight time total that doesn’t add up, an endorsement with a wrong date, or a name mismatch is enough for the examiner to decline to proceed until you fix it.
Treat the form as a sworn statement, because it functions as one. A fraudulent or intentionally false entry on a federal application can bring fines or up to five years in prison under federal law.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 18 USC 1001 – Statements or Entries Generally The FAA can also suspend or revoke every airman and medical certificate a person holds for falsifying records.12GovInfo. 14 CFR 67.403 – Falsification, Reproduction, or Alteration
What Happens After You Pass
When you pass the practical test, the examiner issues a Temporary Airman Certificate on FAA Form 8060-4. It’s valid for up to 120 days and gives you full privileges for the certificate or rating you just earned.13eCFR. 14 CFR 61.17 – Temporary Certificate Carry it, or keep it readily accessible in the aircraft, along with your photo ID whenever you fly.14eCFR. 14 CFR 61.3 – Requirement for Certificates, Ratings, and Authorizations
If you used IACRA, the system sends your application to the Airmen Certification Branch in Oklahoma City the same day or the next day after the examiner signs and submits it.1Federal Aviation Administration. IACRA Expect the permanent plastic certificate in six to eight weeks.15Federal Aviation Administration. How Long Does It Take the FAA to Send Out a Permanent License (Certificate) The temporary certificate expires when the permanent one arrives, when the date printed on it passes, or if you receive notice of denial or revocation, whichever comes first.13eCFR. 14 CFR 61.17 – Temporary Certificate
If Your Legal Name Has Changed
A common blocker: your legal name has changed since your last certificate or medical, and the name on your application no longer matches your other documents. To get a certificate reflecting a legal name change, appear in person at a Flight Standards District Office with a photocopy of your marriage license, court order, or other legal document proving the change.16Federal Aviation Administration. Report a Change in Your Name, Nationality/Citizenship Handle this before your checkride. A driver’s license in one name and a medical certificate in another is a fast way to be sent home without flying.
Non-Pilot Applicants Using the Same Form
Form 8710-1 isn’t only for pilots. Aircraft mechanics, repairmen, aircraft dispatchers, air traffic control tower operators, and other airmen certified under 14 CFR Part 65 use the same form to apply for their certificates and ratings.17eCFR. 14 CFR Part 65 – Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers These applicants skip Section III and instead document the qualifications specific to their certificate type. The eligibility requirements differ by category, but the application path is the same one described above.