How to Get an FAA Third-Class Medical as a Student Pilot

If you're training for a private pilot certificate, you need at least a third-class medical certificate before you fly solo (14 CFR 61.23). The only alternative, BasicMed, requires having held an FAA medical before, so it isn't an option if you've never had one (more below). You can take a discovery flight (an introductory lesson with a flight instructor) and start your lessons before you have it. We still suggest applying early, so there's time if anything in your history needs a closer look from the FAA.

The FAA medical for student pilots takes three steps: an online application in MedXPress, an appointment with an aviation medical examiner (AME), and the exam itself.

Which medical class do you need?

The FAA issues three classes of medical certificate, and the minimum you need depends on the privileges you're using (14 CFR 61.23(a)):

• Third class: student, recreational and private pilot privileges, plus taking your private pilot checkride in the airplane.
• Second class: commercial pilot privileges.
• First class: pilot-in-command privileges on an airline transport pilot (ATP) certificate, the certificate airline captains fly under.

First class vs. third class

You don't need an ATP certificate to hold a first-class medical (FAA AME Guide), but the standards are stricter in places. Distant vision, for example, must be 20/20 or better in each eye for a first class (glasses or contacts are allowed), versus 20/40 for a third class (14 CFR 67.103 and 67.303). First-class applicants also need an EKG at their first exam after turning 35 and every year after 40 (14 CFR 67.111).

A first-class certificate still covers student and private flying for as long as a third class would. If you're aiming for a flying career, we suggest getting a first-class exam from the start, so you learn early whether you meet the standard you'll eventually need.

How to get a third-class medical certificate, step by step

Step 1: Fill out MedXPress

MedXPress is the FAA's online version of the medical application, FAA Form 8500-8, and you need only a valid email address to create an account (FAA). When you submit, you'll get a confirmation number. Save it, because your AME can't open your application without it.

Two rules to know (FAA MedXPress FAQ):

• You have 60 days. After you submit, you must complete the AME exam within 60 days, or the application is deleted. An application you start but never submit is removed 30 days after you create it.
• Answer completely and honestly. If you're unsure about a question, the FAA says to ask your AME at the exam, and the AME can correct entries. Once the process is complete, the FAA keeps your application on file indefinitely.

If you have any current or past medical condition, or take any medication, the FAA highly recommends researching it in the Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners before your exam (FAA). The FAA's Know Before You Go guide shows how to look up a condition and see which records to bring. Since the 60-day clock starts when you submit, it can help to do that homework first. An AME or a pilot advocacy group can also help.

Step 2: Find an aviation medical examiner near Philadelphia

An AME is a physician with specific training in FAA exams. Search the FAA's AME locator for examiners near you, whether you live in Philadelphia, the suburbs or South Jersey. The FAA also suggests asking local flight schools for recommendations, so feel free to ask us. Choose whichever office is easiest to reach from home or work; it doesn't have to be near Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE).

The FAA doesn't set exam fees; each AME does (FAA AME Guide). In our October 2026 Private Pilot cost estimate, we budget $100–$200 for the medical, but your AME's price is the one that counts. Ask for the fee when you book, and book early, since availability varies from office to office. Our training options and pricing page covers the rest of the training budget.

Step 3: Go to the exam

Bring these to your appointment (FAA):

• Your MedXPress confirmation number
• A government-issued ID
• Copies of any medical records related to your history

For some conditions, the FAA may require a current, detailed Clinical Progress Note from a visit with your treating physician no more than 90 days before the exam. A patient-portal after-visit summary isn't sufficient, so ask your doctor's office for the actual note.

At the appointment, the AME or their staff will collect your vitals (height, weight, pulse and blood pressure), test your vision (acuity, depth perception and color), check your hearing, test a urine sample and run an EKG if one is required. The AME then reviews your medical history with you and performs the physical exam.

Issued, deferred or denied: what happens after the exam

The FAA describes these outcomes (FAA):

• Issued. If your documentation is complete and you meet the standards in 14 CFR Part 67, the AME issues your certificate. For some conditions, the AME may be able to issue it right away if you bring the correct documentation.
• Deferred. For some conditions, or when required documents are missing, the AME must defer the exam to the FAA. You'll get a letter, usually asking for medical records, and the FAA says sending them through your AME is the fastest route.
• Denied. The FAA says AME denials are very rare. If you're denied, you can appeal, and in many cases you may still qualify through a special issuance (14 CFR 67.401), which takes more documentation and usually comes with a more limited duration.

We can't predict how long an FAA review will take, because that depends on your history and what the FAA asks for, which is why we suggest starting early. And we're flight instructors, not doctors, so for questions about your own health history, talk with an AME.

How long does the medical last?

For student and private pilot privileges, a third-class medical lasts until the end of the 60th month after the month of your exam if you were under 40 on the exam date. If you were 40 or older, it lasts until the end of the 24th month (14 CFR 61.23(d)).

For example, a 25-year-old examined in October 2026 is covered through October 31, 2031. A 45-year-old examined the same month is covered through October 31, 2028.

Your student pilot certificate is a separate document, and student pilot certificates issued after April 1, 2016 don't expire (FAA). Your medical does, so keep an eye on the date.

Can a student pilot use BasicMed instead?

BasicMed lets some pilots fly without an FAA medical certificate. Its core requirements are (14 CFR 61.23(c)(3); FAA BasicMed):

• A valid U.S. driver's license
• An FAA medical certificate held at any point after July 14, 2006
• A comprehensive exam by a state-licensed physician, using the FAA's checklist, within the previous 48 calendar months
• A BasicMed medical education course within the previous 24 calendar months

A student pilot can fly solo under BasicMed only by meeting those same requirements (14 CFR 61.89(d)). So if you've never held an FAA medical, BasicMed can't replace your first one: you'll need at least a third-class medical. And without a U.S. driver's license (say, as an international student with only a foreign license), BasicMed isn't an option at all.

If you held an FAA medical after July 14, 2006, perhaps from earlier training, BasicMed may be open to you. Your most recent medical can be expired but can't have been suspended or revoked, your most recent medical application can't have ended in a denial, and a few other conditions apply (14 CFR 61.23(c)(3)), so talk it through with your instructor first.

Fitting the medical into your training

Here's what you need in place before your first solo flight:

• Your medical: at least third class, or BasicMed if you qualify.
• Your student pilot certificate: you apply in IACRA, your instructor reviews and signs off the application, and the FAA says the card arrives by mail in approximately three weeks.
• Both documents with you on every solo flight, as the FAA requires (FAA).

Every student moves at a different pace, so we can't promise when you'll solo. The safest plan is to finish the medical well before it matters. If your medical history leaves you unsure, it can make sense to settle that question before you invest heavily in flight training.

If you're a parent: students must be at least 16 to enroll with us, which is also the FAA's minimum age for an airplane student pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.83). A parent or guardian signs consent paperwork for students under 18.

Next steps

• Book a discovery flight: an introductory Part 61 flight lesson at Northeast Philadelphia Airport (KPNE) with one of our FAA-certificated instructors. You don't need your medical yet.
• Read our start-training checklist for the medical, the student pilot certificate and the rest of the getting-started paperwork.
• Book a free phone consultation to talk through your plan and where the medical fits in.