If you got your FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate a couple of years ago, you may be wondering whether it's about to expire, what you have to do to keep flying, and how much it's going to cost you this time around. The short version: staying current is free, it's done entirely online, and there's no trip to a testing center involved. The rules changed in 2021, and a lot of pilots are still working from outdated advice about paying for an in-person recurrent test that no longer exists. This guide walks through exactly what "renewing" your Part 107 means today, how to do it in an afternoon, and what happens if you've already let it lapse.
You don't retake the Part 107 exam to stay current. You complete a free online recurrent training course every 24 calendar months. No testing center, no fee, no TSA re-vetting. If you've lapsed, the fix is the same course, with no penalty.
Does the Part 107 certificate actually expire?
This is the first point of confusion, and it's worth clearing up. Your Remote Pilot Certificate itself does not have an expiration date printed on it the way a driver's license does. What expires is your aeronautical knowledge recency: the FAA requires you to refresh your knowledge every 24 calendar months to keep exercising the privileges of the certificate. So the card in your wallet stays valid, but if your recency lapses, you are not legally allowed to fly under Part 107 until you bring it current again.
In practice, "renewing your Part 107" and "completing your recurrent training" mean the same thing. The clock runs on calendar months, so if you complete training in March, you're current through the end of March two years later.
What changed in 2021
Before April 2021, staying current meant going back to an FAA-approved testing center every two years and paying for a recurrent knowledge test, much like the initial exam. That requirement is gone. The FAA replaced it with a free online course you can take from your couch. If someone tells you to budget around $150 to renew or to book a seat at a PSI center, they're describing the old system. There is nothing to pay and nowhere to drive.
How to renew, step by step
The entire process lives on the FAA's safety training site and takes most pilots about two hours.
- Go to FAASafety.gov and sign in. If you've never used the site, create an account using the same name and email that match your FAA records.
- Find the recurrent course. The course for a standard Part 107 pilot is titled "Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent" (course ALC-677). Pilots who also hold a Part 61 manned-aircraft certificate take a different, shorter course instead.
- Work through the training. It covers the aeronautical knowledge topics you need to stay sharp on, with a focus on anything that has changed since your last training.
- Pass the completion quiz. The course ends with a 45-question multiple-choice review. You have 90 minutes, you can reference the course material as you go, and you can retake it as many times as you need at no cost.
- Save your completion certificate. When you finish, download and keep the certificate. That document is your proof of currency, and you must have it available (digitally or on paper) whenever you fly.
This is not a high-stakes exam. Unlike the initial Part 107 knowledge test, the recurrent course is open-material and unlimited-retake. The goal is to refresh your knowledge, not to trip you up, so there's no need to book a prep course or buy study software just to stay current.
What the recurrent training covers
The course is lighter than the initial exam, but it still touches the core knowledge areas. The emphasis is on keeping you current with the rules and refreshing the topics pilots most commonly get rusty on between flights.
| Area | What it refreshes |
|---|---|
| Regulations | Updates to Part 107 rules and operating requirements since your last training |
| Airspace & charts | Airspace classifications and reading sectional charts |
| Weather | Sources of weather data and how conditions affect safe operations |
| Operations | Crew responsibilities, emergency procedures, and safe operating practices |
| Night operations | Requirements for flying at night, which are now part of standard currency |
What if you already let it lapse?
Good news: there is no penalty for letting your recency expire, and no separate reinstatement process. Whether you're a month past due or several years past due, you renew exactly the same way, by completing the free recurrent course. There's no fee, no return to a testing center, and no need to sit the full initial exam again. Once you finish, your 24-month clock restarts from that completion date.
You cannot fly under Part 107 while your recency is lapsed. The certificate stays valid, but the privileges do not. If your last training was more than 24 calendar months ago, ground your commercial operations until you've completed the recurrent course and have a fresh completion certificate in hand. Flying lapsed is a violation, even though renewing is free and quick.
A simple way to never miss it
Because the requirement runs on a 24-month calendar cycle, the easiest thing you can do is set a reminder for about a month before your due date. That gives you a comfortable window to complete the training without any interruption to your flying. Two years is long enough that it's easy to forget, and the only real cost of lapsing is the downtime while you catch back up.
Managing a team of pilots? Track everyone's recency dates in one place and renew as a group. If you're bringing on new operators who aren't certificated yet, that's a different process. Our Part 107 exam prep course gets new team members certified for the first time, while everyone already certificated just needs the free recurrent training above.
While you're current, is your gear?
Renewal season is a natural time to take stock of the rest of your operation. If it's been two years since you thought hard about your setup, it's worth checking that your aircraft firmware is current, your batteries are still holding healthy cycles, and your payloads still match the work you're taking on. If you're due for an upgrade, browse our drones and payloads, or reach out and we'll help you spec a platform for what you're flying today. And if you want to keep up with rule changes, new equipment, and tips between renewal cycles, our blog is a good place to check in.
Frequently asked questions
How often do I have to renew my Part 107?
Every 24 calendar months. You complete the free online recurrent training to reset your aeronautical knowledge recency. The clock runs on calendar months, so training completed in a given month keeps you current through the end of that same month two years later.
How much does it cost to renew?
Nothing. The recurrent training is a free online course on FAASafety.gov. The old paid recurrent knowledge test at a testing center was discontinued in 2021.
Do I have to go back to a testing center?
No. Renewal is done entirely online. There's no appointment, no proctor, and no testing-center fee. You also don't repeat TSA security vetting.
What happens if my recency has lapsed?
You simply complete the same free recurrent course. There's no penalty and no extra step for a lapsed certificate. Note that you can't legally fly under Part 107 until you've finished the training and restored your currency.
Is the recurrent course as hard as the original exam?
No. It's a refresher, not a gatekeeping test. The completion quiz is open-material and you can retake it as many times as you need. Most pilots finish the whole thing in about two hours.
Do I need to carry proof that I'm current?
Yes. Keep your recurrent training completion certificate available, on your phone or printed, whenever you operate. It's your evidence of current aeronautical knowledge recency if the FAA ever asks.
I have new pilots who were never certificated. Do they take the recurrent course?
No. The recurrent course is only for pilots who already hold a Part 107 certificate. Anyone getting certificated for the first time needs to pass the initial FAA knowledge test. Our Part 107 exam prep course handles that.
Staying current on your Part 107 is one of the easier obligations in aviation: free, online, and doable in an afternoon every two years. The most common mistakes are assuming it still costs money, and forgetting the date until you've already lapsed. Set a reminder, keep your completion certificate handy, and you'll never have to ground your operation. And when renewal rolls around, it's a good moment to make sure the rest of your kit is as current as your certificate.
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