Aircraft mechanic requirements come from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and the list is shorter than most people expect. An applicant must be at least 18 years old, able to read, write, speak, and understand English, able to pass all prescribed tests within a 24-month window, and able to meet the experience and skill standards for at least one rating. The FAA states plainly that it does not prescribe any general education requirements, and its certification steps apply whether or not an applicant is a U.S. citizen.
The FAA Eligibility Standards
The Aviation Mechanic certificate carries two ratings: Airframe (A) and Powerplant (P). Holding both is what people mean by an A&P certificate, though the FAA does not require an applicant to pursue both.
| Requirement | Standard |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Language | Read, write, speak, and understand English |
| Testing window | All prescribed tests passed within 24 months |
| Experience or education | Met for at least one rating |
| General education | None prescribed by the FAA |
| Medical certificate | Not required |
| U.S. citizenship | Not required |
Two of those entries correct assumptions that circulate widely. The FAA issues no medical certificate requirement for mechanics, and a disability disqualifies an applicant only where it affects the eligibility standards themselves. Individual employers set their own hiring criteria, which often include a high school diploma or GED even though the FAA does not.
Applicants who are not U.S. citizens but are located in the United States meet the same standards as citizens. AIM maintains a separate international students admissions process for applicants coming from outside the country.
Two Routes to the Experience Requirement
The FAA recognizes more than one way to qualify for testing.
Documented practical experience. An applicant needs 18 months of experience with the procedures, materials, tools, and equipment used in constructing, maintaining, or altering an airframe or a powerplant, appropriate to the single rating sought. Qualifying for both ratings takes 30 months of concurrent experience covering the duties of each. The FAA bases these periods on a typical full-time 40-hour week and does not accept compressed schedules as a substitute. Someone working 60-hour weeks for a year has not met an 18-month requirement, regardless of total hours logged.
Documentation matters as much as the time. The FAA accepts pay receipts for tasks completed, or logs signed by a certificated supervisor detailing hours, the specific task experience, and the registration number of the aircraft worked on.
Graduation from an FAA-approved school. Completing the course at an FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School substitutes for the experience requirement and serves as authorization to test. Graduates present a graduation certificate at the testing center rather than routing an application through a Flight Standards District Office.
Military personnel have a third path through the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council, which also allows eligible service members, veterans, dependents, and DoD civilians to take the knowledge tests at no cost.
The Examination Sequence
Certification ends in testing, and the order is fixed.
- Three knowledge tests. Written, multiple-choice, covering the general, airframe, and powerplant subject areas. Applicants have two hours for each and need a score of 70 percent or higher.
- Oral and practical tests. A Designated Mechanic Examiner administers both after the knowledge tests are passed.
A failed section carries a 30-day wait before retesting, which an applicant can shorten by presenting a signed statement from a certificated airman confirming additional instruction in the failed subjects. All sections must land inside the same 24-month window.
The FAA charges nothing to issue the certificate itself, though the testing centers and examiners charge their own fees. Once issued, the certificate stays valid until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked, with no renewal cycle. This walkthrough of getting an A&P license covers the application paperwork in more detail, and the cost breakdown covers testing fees.
Skills the Work Demands
BLS identifies the qualities the occupation calls for, and they are concrete rather than aspirational. Mechanics adjust parts to exact specifications, often using precision tools to torque fasteners to a stated tension. They coordinate finger and hand movements to grasp and assemble components in confined spaces. They read and interpret manufacturer instructions, recognize engine sounds, read gauges, and diagnose faults across systems that interact with one another.
The physical side is real. BLS notes mechanics may carry or move heavy equipment and aircraft parts, climb on airframes, and hold uncomfortable positions such as crouching or reaching overhead for extended periods. Noise and vibration are common, particularly during engine testing.
Certain positions add screening beyond the certificate. Work on government fleets or in secured facilities can involve background investigation, covered in this look at security clearance requirements for aircraft mechanics.
Pay and Demand
BLS reported a median annual wage of $78,680 for aircraft mechanics and service technicians as of May 2024. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,790 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $120,080. Avionics technicians reported a median of $81,390 over the same period.
Industry drives much of that spread. Median wages ran $95,320 in air transportation and $66,960 in support activities for air transportation, a gap of $28,360 for the same certificate.
On demand, BLS projects 5 percent employment growth for aircraft and avionics equipment mechanics and technicians from 2024 to 2034, with roughly 13,100 openings each year on average across the decade. Many of those openings trace to workers retiring or moving into other occupations rather than to newly created positions.
Certificates That Extend the Certificate
The A&P is the entry credential, not the end of the list.
The Inspection Authorization (IA) goes to A&P mechanics who meet additional FAA experience requirements. It allows the holder to review and approve major repairs and alterations and to return an aircraft to service after an annual inspection.
A repairman certificate works differently. An FAA-certificated repair station, commercial operator, or air carrier recommends an employee for it, and it covers specified duties at that employer. It requires 18 months of practical experience in the specific job or completion of an FAA-approved training course, and it does not transfer to another employer.
Avionics work sits outside this structure. The FAA requires no additional certification to work on avionics equipment, though employers commonly set their own qualification standards, and many prefer candidates holding the Airframe rating.
Meeting the Requirements Through a Program
The aviation maintenance program at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance covers the general, airframe, and powerplant subject areas the FAA tests, and it runs at all 15 campuses. Aviation Institute of Maintenance is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), with FAA-approved aviation maintenance programs where applicable.
Entry standards for the program itself are separate from FAA certification standards, and this guide to school prerequisites covers what enrollment involves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a college degree to be an aircraft mechanic?
No. The FAA does not prescribe any general education requirements for the Aviation Mechanic certificate. BLS lists the typical entry-level education for the occupation as a postsecondary nondegree award. Some employers ask for a high school diploma or GED as a hiring standard of their own.
Do you have to be a U.S. citizen to get an A&P certificate?
No. The FAA applies the same certification steps whether or not an applicant is a U.S. citizen. Foreign applicants located in the United States meet the same requirements as citizens. A maintenance license issued by another country does not transfer, so those applicants still meet FAA eligibility standards and pass the required tests.
Can you qualify through work experience instead of school?
Yes. The FAA accepts 18 months of documented practical experience for a single rating, or 30 months of concurrent experience for both. The experience must be full-time by the FAA’s definition and supported by pay receipts or supervisor-signed logs.
How long do you have to pass the tests?
All prescribed tests must be passed within a 24-month period. Knowledge tests come first, then the oral and practical tests with a Designated Mechanic Examiner. A failed section carries a 30-day retest wait unless a certificated airman signs a statement confirming additional instruction.
Does an aircraft mechanic certificate expire?
No. The certificate stays valid until it is surrendered, suspended, or revoked. There is no renewal cycle and no fee for the FAA to issue it.
Ready to work toward the certificate? Review the aviation maintenance program curriculum and campus locations, compare tuition and aid options, then request program information to speak with an admissions representative.
