Types of pilot licenses
Every FAA pilot certificate, what it lets you do, and how many hours it takes.
The FAA calls a pilot license a pilot certificate. There are six, from student to airline transport pilot, and each one lets you do more. Ratings (like instrument or multi-engine) are added on top of a certificate.
The pilot certificates
| Certificate | Minimum age | Minimum flight time | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student | 16 (14 for gliders and balloons) | None | Fly solo with your instructor's endorsements, while you train |
| Sport | 17 (16 for gliders and balloons) | 20 hours | Fly light-sport category aircraft, day or with added training at night, with limits on passengers |
| Recreational | 17 | 30 hours | Fly within 50 nm of your home airport with one passenger. Rarely used. |
| Private | 17 | 40 hours | Fly almost anywhere, with passengers, but not for pay |
| Commercial | 18 | 250 hours | Get paid to fly |
| Airline transport (ATP) | 23 (21 restricted) | 1,500 hours (fewer for a restricted ATP) | Act as captain at an airline |
Sources: 14 CFR Part 61, subparts C to G (61.109, 61.129, 61.159). Flight times are Part 61 minimums; most pilots log more.
Ratings you add along the way
- Instrument rating: fly in clouds under IFR. Most pilots add it right after private. See instrument requirements.
- Multi-engine: fly airplanes with more than one engine.
- Flight instructor (CFI): a separate certificate that lets you teach. You need a commercial certificate first. See how to become a CFI.
Which one should you get?
For most people it's the private pilot certificate: it's the foundation for every career path and lets you fly friends and family. Compare it with sport in sport pilot vs private pilot.
Private pilot requirements
The full 40-hour checklist
Open →Airline pilot career path
From zero to the airlines
Open →Common questions
What is the easiest pilot license to get?
The sport pilot certificate needs the fewest hours (20), but it has more limits than a private pilot certificate.
How many hours do you need to fly for an airline?
1,500 hours for an unrestricted ATP certificate, or fewer for a restricted ATP through certain military or university programs.
Is a pilot license a certificate?
Yes. The FAA's official term is pilot certificate.
Sources, review & change history
- Published
- Oct 26, 2026
- Review status
- Written from the FAA sources linked in the text. Not yet re-checked line by line or reviewed by a flight instructor.
- Changes
- Oct 26, 2026: first published.
Study aid only. Your instructor, current 14 CFR and the FAA's handbooks and ACS have the final word.