Keeping Your Part 107 Certificate Current: Recurrent Training (2026)

An FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate does not expire, but to exercise its privileges you must keep your aeronautical knowledge current. Since 2021, the FAA has replaced the old in-person recurrent knowledge test with a free online recurrent training course. This guide explains how recurrency works today and how it fits New York City's requirements.

The Old Rule vs. Today

Before 2021, Part 107 holders had to retake a proctored recurrent knowledge test at a testing center every 24 months, with a fee. The FAA changed this: recurrency is now satisfied by completing an online recurrent training course at no cost. It is training with knowledge checks, not a pass/fail proctored exam.

How Recurrency Works Now

• Complete the appropriate recurrent training course through the FAA's official training portal.
• The course must be completed within the previous 24 calendar months to keep your knowledge current.
• On completion you receive a certificate of completion — keep it with your records.
• There is no fee and no in-person testing center visit for recurrency.

If You Also Hold a Part 61 Pilot Certificate

If you hold a manned-aircraft pilot certificate under 14 CFR Part 61 and have completed a flight review, a different recurrent training course applies. Most drone-only operators use the standard small-UAS recurrent course.

Why the FAA Changed the Rule

The shift from a proctored in-person retest to free online training was intended to reduce cost and friction while keeping operators current on safety knowledge. The change reflects how many recreational and commercial pilots now share the same low-altitude airspace: the priority is widespread, up-to-date knowledge rather than a one-time hurdle. The recurrent course refreshes the same core areas as the initial test — airspace, weather, operating rules, and emergency procedures.

A Simple Recurrency Habit

Because recurrency runs on a rolling 24-month window, a practical approach is to set a reminder a few months before your last completion date, finish the online course early, and file the completion certificate with your other flight records. That way your authority to fly commercially is never interrupted, and you always have proof on hand if the FAA or law enforcement asks.

Records and Carrying Documents

You must make your Remote Pilot Certificate, photo ID, and evidence of current recurrent training available to the FAA, NTSB, or law enforcement on request. Lapsed recurrency means you may not exercise Part 107 privileges until you complete the current training.

Recurrency Does Not Replace NYC Authorization

Keeping your Part 107 certificate current is a federal requirement, but it does not authorize a flight in New York City. Almost all of NYC is Class B airspace requiring an FAA airspace authorization, and NYC Administrative Code § 10-126 requires an NYPD take-off/landing permit. Commercial flying in NYC is legal but requires authorization in addition to a current certificate.