Reference Source

first-class medical certificate

For first-class medical certificate, occupation / regulator is pilot (FAA); age / service condition is Age 40 or older; operation / activity covered is a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver's license as medical qualification); valid for is 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate; citation is 14 CFR 61.23, recorded from its source on 2026-08-11.

Occupation / regulator
pilot (FAA) our reading
Certificate and class
first-class medical certificate verified
Age / service condition
Age 40 or older verified
Operation / activity covered
a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver's license as medical qualification) verified
Valid for
24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate verified
Citation
14 CFR 61.23 verified
Sourceecfr.gov
Verified
Review by
DatasetHow long medical certificates last for pilots, commercial drivers and merchant mariners — by class, age and service type

Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.

What the source says

(1) A first-class medical certificate | (i) Under age 40 | an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, or for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | | (ii) Age 40 or older | an airline transport pilot certificate for pilot-in-command privileges, for second-in-command privileges in a flag or supplemental operation in part 121 requiring three or more pilots, or for a pilot flightcrew member in part 121 operations who has reached his or her 60th birthday. | 6th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | | (iii) Any age | a commercial pilot certificate (other than a commercial pilot certificate with a balloon rating when conducting flight training), a flight engineer certificate, or an air traffic control tower operator certificate | 12th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | | (iv) Under age 40 | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver's license as medical qualification) | 60th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate. | | (v) Age 40 or older | a recreational pilot certificate, a private pilot certificate, a flight instructor certificate (when acting as pilot in command or a required pilot flight crewmember in operations other than glider or balloon), a student pilot certificate, or a sport pilot certificate (when not using a U.S. driver's license as medical qualification) | 24th month after the month of the date of examination shown on the medical certificate.

ecfr.gov, retrieved 2026-08-11

Source

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