If you’re considering investing the time and money necessary to earn your private pilot license, one of the things you will want to know is how long it’s good for. The last thing you would want to do is find out that your expired and you need to start the process all over again.
One main reason that a prospective pilot would want to know if their license will expire is if they only plan to fly every once in a while. Knowing that your license will expire before you’ve had a chance to really use it could change your opinion on if you want to pursue it at all. For all of the above reasons, one of the most commonly asked questions to flight instructors is if a pilot’s license will expire.
So, does a private pilot license expire?
No, a private pilot license does not expire. However, you must meet certain requirements to keep the license current.
Below, we’ll take a look at the requirements to keep your private pilot license current along with some other details you’ll need to know to make sure you can continue to fly without issues.
Requirements to Keep Pilot License Current
Below are the 3 main requirements to keep your Private Pilot License (PPL) active and current:
- Requirement #1: Pass a flight review every 24 months
- Requirement #2: Have a valid medical certificate (Here’s an entire article on medical certificates)
- Requirement #3: Complete 3 landings within 90 days if you wish to carry passengers
Pilot’s Licenses Can be Revoked
The FAA reserves the right to revoke your pilot’s license if you do something deemed to be egregious and/or unsafe. Here is a brief list of the things that could lead to your license being revoked:
- Flying while intoxicated
- Lying or falsifying records as it relates to your pilot’s license or any associated documentation
- Disobeying an air traffic controller
- Performing flights you don’t have the proper certificate or rating for
- Transporting an illegal substance
- Getting an automobile DUI/DWI
Please note that this is not necessarily a full list. There are likely many unsafe and dishonest things that would get you in trouble with the FAA. The best advice is to follow the rules and be a safe pilot.
Conclusion
Although your private pilot certificate technically never expires, you’ll need to make sure you keep current on all the items listed above to make sure you can continue to fly. Earning a pilot’s license takes a lot of hard work and training, costs a lot of money, and takes a lot of time. The last thing you’d want is to find out that you aren’t eligible to fly because you forgot to keep up on something simple.
If you’re considering earning your private pilot license, you should reach out to a nearby flight school to learn more about the process from a flight instructor. You just might find your new passion in life.
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