How to Obtain an FAA Medical Certificate

Getting a medical certificate is a mandatory part of getting an FAA pilot license. Ask any aviator and they will quickly tell you how much they dread their flight physical, but don’t let it scare you. Every airman has gone through the process and despite occasional problems, most are able to obtain at least a basic certification to fly for recreation at the least. Do understand, though, that the reality is: you can’t be cleared to fly until you have been deemed fit by an FAA qualified medical professional. The only exception to this is the sport pilot certificate which requires only a valid drivers license. The more common licenses require an airmen to go through the standard medical process. Here is a basic overview as well as some helpful tips to ensure you experience as few issues as possible obtaining your medical.

Step 1: Determine which type of medical you will need

Before beginning your flight training, it is important that you first determine which type of medical certificate you will need. I recommend going for the highest possible certification the first time if you are not sure of which license you will ultimately pursue. This can be helpful in the future in the case you that you decide to go professional with your flying. Approaching it this way can give you the peace of mind that you know you already qualify for a specific tier of medical certificate. Here are the 4 types of medical certifications:

Step 2: Visit with your Primary Care Provider FIRST!

My reasoning behind this important suggestive step is to help avoid future issues with your real FAA exam. Explain to your doctor of your intent to learn to fly. Ask for their assistance in helping you to prepare for your FAA exam by discussing all relevant health conditions, previous conditions, concerns, or unresolved medical issues that may hinder you from being deemed as fit to fly. Specifically, ask your doctor to perform an in-depth assessment of your vision; including depth perception, color vision, as well as basic acuity. If you are over 35, and you plan to obtain a first class medical, you may want to inquire about an EKG. The key is to discover, and/or rectify, any medical deficiencies early and address possible problems before your FAA flight physical. In the event you find that you have a medical condition, knowing this ahead of time can save you significant time and money during the certification process. Prepare yourself by researching your condition to determine if it is allowed under FAA fitness standards. Most importantly, do not be discouraged. Many health conditions have a waiver process. You may find it helpful to discuss your concerns with a flight instructor. They sometimes can provide helpful insight on any specific steps you may need to take for your medical. The biggest thing is to not discover these problems during your FAA medical exam as these will be placed into permanent records which can make getting through the process far more cumbersome. 

Step 3: Complete the Online Application

After you have completed a screening assessment, and ensured your qualification for your applicable certificate, you should then complete your online medical application for the real FAA medical exam. This is completed on the FAA’s online system known as Medexpress. You will need to create an account to access this application. Be sure to keep this login information in a safe place as you will need it when you go to renew your medical in the future. When completing the application, it is imperative that you answer each question to the best of your knowledge, ESPECIALLY if this is your first exam. Include all medical history and conditions that appear in your medical records. Failure to disclose a medical condition can result in revocation of your medical and flying privileges. When disclosing any significant diagnoses, be sure to include all necessary information regarding the state of your current health and continuation of care. Obtain medical documentation of the status of the condition or how the isolated medical occurrence was resolved from the provider who rendered your care. Bring these documents to your exam. In the event your Aviation Medical Examiner would like to review an item on your application in more detail, you will already be prepared with the needed records. Once you have completed all of the required fields in the medexpress application, electronically submit the form. You will not be able to make changes to the application once you have pressed submit. Be sure to print a hard copy to bring with you to your exam. I also recommending keeping a copy for your personal records. 

Step 4: Find an Aviation Medical Examiner (AME)

Your physical exam must be completed with a specialized medical professional qualified to administer airmen medical exams. Known as Aviation Medical Examiners, the FAA has an online database to help find an AME near you. The list has addresses, phone numbers, and basic details about the provider and is a good place to start in your search for an examiner. I would also recommend asking local pilots and flight instructors about the AME they visit. This can provide useful insight and may help you avoid a bad experience. Once you have found an examiner, it is suggested that you stay with that examiner as they will be most familiar with your prior medical history and can make future visits less intense.

Step 5: The Examination

Several factors will be checked during the test. The areas of primary focus will be your vision, hearing, urine sample (to check for diabetes), your overall health, as well as address relevant medical history in your Medexpress application. All standards for the physical exam are available in the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 67. Be sure to bring glasses to your exam if needed. Contact lenses are not allowed during the evaluation. 

You’ll be surprised with how quick the exam typically takes! Once you’ve completed your flight physical, the doctor will provide you with your official FAA medical certificate. It is essential that you carry this with you any time you are executing your airman privileges. For student pilots, this is especially important during solo flight operations.

In the event you are unable to qualify for your applicable medical certificate. Your doctor will address the specific reasons of why you were not able to qualify. He or she will explain what steps you will need to take to obtain your medical. This is typically in the form of a “deferral” which is not the same; however, as a “denied” medical. Denial of any medical certificate is difficult to reverse; however, if “deferred”, the review process can result in what is known as a Special Issuance Medical.

Conditions that typically constitute a Denial or Deferral of a medical certificate include:

• Psychiatric disorders such as Bipolar disorder, ADHD, psychosis, and depression.
• Cardiac and vascular disorders (including heart attacks and high blood pressure)
• Diabetes
• Substance abuse or DUI
• Any disturbances in cognitive reasoning, consciousness, or other major illness.

Understand that failing the AME examination does not necessarily preclude you from flying forever; it may just change the timeline and type of license you will be able to exercise the privileges of. In general, if documentation can be provided demonstrating that your disqualifying condition does not affect the safety of flight, you will most likely be granted at least a special issuance medical certification. Do understand; however, that this may entail a lengthy review process and may involve specific limitations to your flying privileges.

Conclusion

Getting your medical can be stressful, but it is a reality that every airman must go through. The most important part of the process is going into your exam prepared. Visit your AME informed with FAA documentation and deep understanding of possible disqualifying conditions. If you’re not sure whether you have a medical condition that could hinder you from becoming a pilot, consider using the AOPA’s resource, TurboMedical, for guidance. The process of going through your FAA medical, while stressful, should be quick and easy. Just be sure to do your research, and most importantly, obtain that certificate before hopping into the cockpit for your flight training!

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does an FAA exam cost?

The FAA doesn’t have a standard price for the medical certificates. This means that every doctor will charge you what they deem fit. The cost of the exam is determined by several factors, such as where you are, the doctor performing the exam, and the type of examination being performed. The type of medical certificate you apply for can affect the price of the visit. First-class exams typically cost approximately $200. For Second Class Exams, you should expect to pay $150. Third class aviation medical exams usually run between $75 to $150.

If your medical is deferred, it may be necessary to pay for additional visits with other providers to address medical factors effecting your fitness to fly. This can be rather expensive. Costs associated with these visits are highly variable and depend predominately on the type of medical diagnosis needing reviewed for further evaluation.

When is it necessary to get a medical certificate?

The medical certificate is required to be taken before a student’s first solo flight; though, it is recommended to complete the medical certification process before the start of training.

What are some specific examples of conditions that are disqualifying?

Generally speaking, any kind of mental health, heart, or neurological disorder is immediately disqualifying for all FAA medical types. Other conditions, while disqualifying, can be reviewed by the FAA through a medical review process known as a deferral. The FAA describes the following conditions as disqualifying:

• Heart replacement
• Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
• Permanent cardiac pacemaker
• Personality disorder that is severe enough to have repeatedly manifested itself by overt acts
• Psychosis
• Substance abuse
• Substance dependence
• Transient loss of control of nervous system function(s) without satisfactory explanation of cause.

What is a Deferred Medical?

A deferred medical is a medical review process in which the Aviation Medical Examiner is unable to approve a medical certification under his or her own authority. The application is redirected to the Regional Flight Surgeon or the FAA’s main medical office in Oklahoma city where a board of aviation medical professionals review the applicants medical condition to determine if the applicant qualifies for a “Special Issuance” medical certification. Under a deferred medical, a pilot may, with permission from an AME, continue to fly under the previously issued certificate under specific restrictions while the medical is in review.

What is a Denied Medical?

Known informally as “failing your medical”, this determination results in revocation of all flying privileges. In the cases of this circumstance, the airmen must appeal the FAA’s decisions through a lengthy review process through the FAA’s medical review process in in Oklahoma City. This usually entails visiting several medical professionals to obtain medical documentation to “combat” the FAA’s decision with hopes of reinstatement. Denials are generally quite difficult to reverse; however, it has been done. Consider HIV, which used to be a disqualifying condition, but has since (after many appeals and reviews) resulted in the FAA changing its position to now allow for a Special Issuance Medical.

What is a Special Issuance Medical?

A Special Issuance Medical is a medical certificate that does not meet the general fitness certification requirements, but the applicant has still been found able to exercise the privileges of such a medical certificate.  Special Issuance Medicals are given on a case by case basis and typically involve some proof via medical documentation of the applicants fitness to fly. It may take as long as 2 months to a year to successfully obtain a Special Issuance appeal from the FAA.

What is a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA)?

According to the FAA, a Statement of Demonstrated Ability, or SODA, “is issued at the discretion of the Federal Air Surgeon… to a person whose disqualifying condition is static or nonprogressive and who has been found capable of performing airman duties without endangering public safety. A SODA does not expire…”

There are many examples of airmen with SODAs. These types of situations include airmen with unchanging medical conditions such as deficiencies in color vision, physical deformities, or even missing limbs which may require a prosthetic. The key is that the medical condition does not change over the course of time. The application process for this is rather unforgiving. It involves an evaluation which is typically only permitted one-time. In the exam, the person seeking a SODA must successfully demonstrate that they are safely able to perform the required airmen functions necessitated by a specific license. SODAs are issued with operational limitations and may limit an aviator to a specific type of medical certificate (usually a third class). Once a SODA is obtained, it never expires; however, the airmen will still need to obtain a regular medical certificate on the normal basis required by all pilots.