To get a commercial drone license, you need the FAA’s Remote Pilot Certificate under 14 CFR Part 107. The path has three parts: pass a 60-question aeronautical knowledge exam, apply through the FAA’s online system and clear a TSA background check, and register the drone itself. Most people finish in two to four weeks, though study time for the exam is the main variable.1
Do You Actually Need One
The FAA splits drone flying into recreational and commercial. Recreational means purely personal enjoyment with no connection to any business activity. Everything else falls under Part 107. That covers the obvious jobs like aerial photography, crop surveying, and roof inspections, and it also catches things people do not always recognize as commercial: posting drone footage to a monetized YouTube channel, using a drone to promote a business on social media, or flying as a favor for a company. Money changing hands is not the test. The purpose of the flight is.
No one may fly under Part 107 without holding a Remote Pilot Certificate, or flying under the direct supervision of someone who does and can take immediate control of the aircraft.
Eligibility
Three basic requirements gate the certificate. You must be at least 16 years old. You must be able to read, speak, write, and understand English; if a medical condition prevents that, the FAA can add operating limitations to your certificate rather than deny it. And you cannot have a physical or mental condition that would interfere with safely operating a drone.
That last one is self-certification. There is no FAA medical exam for drone pilots. You are expected to ground yourself if medication, fatigue, illness, or anything else could compromise your judgment or reaction time.
The TSA background check runs after you apply. Some felony convictions are permanently disqualifying, including espionage, treason, murder, and federal crimes of terrorism. Others, including weapons violations, drug distribution, robbery, and fraud, are disqualifying if the offense occurred within seven years of your application or you were released from incarceration within the last five. Outstanding warrants or indictments for any of these offenses will block your application until they are resolved.
The Knowledge Test
The core requirement is the Unmanned Aircraft General (UAG) knowledge test, a 60-question multiple-choice exam. You need 70 percent to pass. The subject areas defined by regulation are:
- Airspace classification and restrictions, including where you can fly and what authorizations you need for controlled airspace near airports
- Weather, and how wind, visibility, cloud cover, and density altitude affect drone performance and flight safety
- Emergency procedures for lost GPS signal, motor failures, and unexpected manned aircraft
- Part 107 operating rules, including altitude limits, speed limits, and requirements for flying near people
- Aeronautical decision-making, risk assessment, crew resource management, and the effects of drugs and alcohol on pilot performance
- Radio communication and airport operations
The testing center provides the charts and airspace maps the exam refers to, so you do not need to bring your own. Most people study for two to four weeks before sitting for it. If you fail, you can retake it after a 14-day wait.
Cost and Scheduling
You schedule the exam through an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center. The fee is approximately $175. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID with your signature and date of birth; a driver’s license or passport works. Appointments are typically available within a week or two depending on location.
If You Already Hold a Part 61 Pilot Certificate
Existing pilots get a shortcut. If you hold a pilot certificate under Part 61 other than a student certificate, and you are current on your flight review, you skip the knowledge test entirely. Instead, you complete an online training course covering drone-specific topics through FAASafety.gov, then submit your application the same way everyone else does. The training fills in the gaps specific to unmanned operations.
Applying Through IACRA
After passing the test, you complete your application through IACRA, the FAA’s Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system. Creating an account generates a unique FAA Tracking Number tied to your pilot records. Inside the system, you enter the 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID from your score report to link the results. It can take up to 48 hours after your test date for the score to appear.
You then complete and electronically sign FAA Form 8710-13, the formal application for a Remote Pilot Certificate. Submitting it triggers the TSA background check. Once security screening clears, the FAA sends a confirmation email with instructions for printing a temporary certificate from IACRA. The temporary certificate lets you fly commercially while you wait for the permanent card, which typically arrives in the mail in six to eight weeks.
Registering the Drone and Remote ID
Your certificate covers you. Registration covers the aircraft, and you cannot legally fly commercially until both are in place. Every drone flown under Part 107 must be registered with the FAA through the FAADroneZone portal. Registration costs $5 per drone and lasts three years. You get a registration number that has to be displayed on the aircraft.
Since September 2023, most drones operating in U.S. airspace must also comply with Remote ID. The system continuously broadcasts the drone’s identity, location, altitude, velocity, and control station position whenever the aircraft is powered on. Newer drones typically have Remote ID built in. For older aircraft, you can attach a separate broadcast module, but flying with a module restricts you to visual-line-of-sight operations. The only way to fly without any Remote ID equipment is at an FAA-recognized identification area, which is a specific site sponsored by a community organization or educational institution.
Keeping the Certificate Current
The Remote Pilot Certificate itself does not expire. Your authority to fly under it does. Every 24 calendar months you have to complete recurrent training, and if you let it lapse you cannot legally act as pilot in command until you finish it.
The recurrent training is free and available online through FAASafety.gov. There are separate courses for Part 107 holders and for people who hold a Part 61 certificate with a current flight review. Either one resets the 24-month clock.
What Flying Without a Certificate Costs
Operating a drone commercially without a Remote Pilot Certificate is a federal violation. Civil penalties for individuals can reach tens of thousands of dollars per violation. Companies face steeper exposure, with administrative penalties reaching over a million dollars per violation under the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The FAA has signaled an increasingly aggressive enforcement posture, and the same penalty framework applies to violating airspace restrictions, ignoring Remote ID requirements, and operating recklessly.