FAA medical certificate duration, by class
A medical's validity is measured by what you're exercising — first-, second-, or third-class privileges — and your age on the date of the exam. These are the periods from 14 CFR 61.23(d):
| Class of privileges | Under 40 at exam | Age 40 or older |
|---|---|---|
| First-classATP / airline pilot-in-command | 12 calendar months | 6 calendar months |
| Second-classcommercial pilot operations | 12 calendar months | 12 calendar months |
| Third-classprivate, recreational, or student | 60 calendar months (5 years) | 24 calendar months (2 years) |
Source: 14 CFR 61.23(d); the FAA AME Guide's certificate validity page; and the FAA FAQ "What class of medical certificate must I hold and how long is it valid?"
Two things pilots missIt's calendar months — and your age is fixed at the exam
Calendar months, not exact dates. A certificate is valid through the end of the last day of the applicable month after your exam. So a 12-month first-class from an exam on March 3 (or March 31) is good through March 31 of the following year — the day of the month you tested doesn't shorten it.
Your age is locked in at the exam. The under-40 vs. 40-or-older split is based on your age on the date of the examination. If you're 39 at your exam and turn 40 the next week, the longer duration still applies to the certificate you were issued.
Source: 14 CFR 61.23(d).
The part that surprises peopleA higher-class medical "steps down"
Your certificate doesn't become worthless the moment your top-tier privileges lapse. Under 14 CFR 61.23(d), a first-class certificate keeps working at lower tiers for longer:
- First-classthrough month 12 (under 40) or month 6 (40+)
- then second-classthrough the 12th month after your exam
- then third-classthrough month 60 (under 40) or month 24 (40+)
- Second-classthrough the 12th month after your exam
- then third-classthrough month 60 (under 40) or month 24 (40+)
A second-class certificate works the same way — good for commercial ops for 12 months, then continuing at third-class-length validity for the full 60 or 24 months. So the same certificate an airline pilot renews every 6 or 12 months stays valid at the third-class tier much longer — whether any specific operation is permitted is governed by the FAA's rules for that operation.
Source: 14 CFR 61.23(d). Whether any specific operation is permitted is governed by the FAA's rules for that operation.
Which one do you need?What class of medical do I need?
That's set by the operations you fly, not by preference — broadly, first-class for airline pilot-in-command, second-class for commercial flying, and third-class for private, recreational, or student flying. For the exact requirement, see the FAA's guidance on class and validity.
Flying under BasicMed instead of a third-class certificate? Different clocks apply — a 24-month course and a 48-month exam, not a certificate duration. See my BasicMed guide.
Never get caught shortHow Pilot Medical Guardian helps
The rules above are simple in principle and easy to get wrong in practice — the age split, the calendar-month end date, the step-down. That's arithmetic a phone should do for you.
Pilot Medical Guardian calculates your certificate's expiration from these actual 14 CFR 61.23 rules — your class, your age at the exam, the end-of-month convention — and reminds you before it lapses, on a schedule you choose. It's a privacy-first iPhone and iPad app: your records stay on your own device and iCloud, and I can never see them.
It's an information and record-keeping tool — it shows you the rules and the dates; it doesn't make any determination for you. You stay in control.
FAA medical duration FAQ
How long is a third-class medical good for?
Per 14 CFR 61.23(d), a certificate is valid for third-class (private, recreational, or student pilot) privileges through the 60th month after the month of your exam if you were under 40 at the exam, or the 24th month if you were 40 or older. It expires at the end of the last day of that month.
How long is a first-class medical good for?
For first-class privileges, a certificate is valid through the 12th month after the month of your exam if you were under 40, or the 6th month if you were 40 or older. The same certificate then keeps lower-class privileges longer (see the step-down), per 14 CFR 61.23(d).
Does my age change how long my medical lasts?
Yes. The durations use your age on the date of the examination: under 40 versus 40 or older. Turning 40 after the exam doesn't shorten the certificate you already hold; the age is fixed at exam time, per 14 CFR 61.23(d).
Does my first-class medical become useless when it expires?
No. A higher-class certificate steps down: after the first-class window ends it remains valid for second-class privileges through the 12th month, and for third-class privileges through the 60th month (under 40) or 24th month (40+), per 14 CFR 61.23(d). Whether a given operation is allowed depends on the FAA's rules for that operation.
Does it expire on the exam date or the end of the month?
The end of the month. A certificate is valid through the end of the last day of the applicable month after your exam — not the exact calendar date of the exam, per 14 CFR 61.23(d).
This guide describes the FAA's own rule (14 CFR 61.23) in plain language. It is an information resource — not medical, legal, or FAA compliance advice, and it is not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA. The class of medical you need, and whether a certificate covers a given operation, is determined by the FAA's regulations. Always rely on the official FAA sources linked above.