Free FAA practice tests

The pathway to a Private Pilot certificate includes many training requirements, including ground school, in-airplane flight training, and a few FAA tests. While it’s the time in the air with your instructor that makes the experience magical, there will be an equal amount of time studying on the ground in preparation for each lesson and for the required tests.

The first test you will take is the FAA Knowledge Test, which consists of 65 multiple-choice questions completed on a computer at an official PSI testing center (five are considered validation questions, so only 60 of the questions are scored).

This will test your understanding of the ground and flight topics covered during your home study and training at the airport. You must earn a minimum score of 70% to pass.

You can take this test at any point in your training, but our general recommendation is to focus on the written test after your first solo flight and during the cross-country flying phase of your training. You must receive an endorsement to take the test from a CFI or a home study system like Sporty’s Learn to Fly Course.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) utilizes a third-party testing provider, PSI Services, to administer all written exams. PSI exams are available at a number of testing locations throughout the US and abroad and can be scheduled online. Locating a written testing center is accomplished as part of the test registration process.

The first step to scheduling your FAA written exam is to visit https://faa.psiexams.com/faa/login. First time users will be required to create an account. You may also review exam eligibility requirements from the link on the homepage.

Read more on scheduling your FAA Knowledge Test.

An applicant must present state or federal government-issued photo identification as proof they are at least the minimum eligibility age required for the requested knowledge test. Acceptable forms of identification are noted in the table below. In the case of an applicant under the age of 18, who does not possess an acceptable form of identification, a parent or legal guardian is required to accompany the applicant, and after presenting identification as described in the below table, may attest to the applicant's identity.

You must also present an acceptable authorization or endorsement to take the exam. That can include:

• A certificate of graduation from a home-study course developed by the aeronautical enterprise providing the study material
• A written statement or logbook endorsement from an FAA-certified ground or flight instructor, certifying that you have satisfactorily completed the required ground instruction
• Logbook entries by an FAA-certified ground or flight instructor, certifying satisfactory completion of the required ground instruction
• A certificate of graduation from a pilot training course conducted by an FAA-approved pilot school, or a statement of accomplishment from the school certifying the satisfactory completion of the ground-school portion of such a course

When you arrive at your chosen test facility, your documents (authorization and identification) will be reviewed by the test proctor and you will be checked in for the exam. The test proctor will review the testing requirements and procedures and provide you with the opportunity to ask questions. The test will be taken at a computer terminal and will consist of multiple-choice test questions. You can mark questions for further consideration, as the questions will not be scored until you make a final submission. The minimum passing score is 70%.

The private Pilot and Instrument Rating exams each consist of 60 questions and you are given two hours to complete it. The Commercial Pilot exam has 100 questions and you are given 2.5 hours to complete the test. Here are a few testing tips:

• Incorrect alternatives may be attractive if you do not understand the question, so take your time and ensure you understand the question before considering the possible answers.
• You'll find it helpful to only look at the choices once you understand what the question is asking.
• Don't linger too long on any one question. Answer the questions you readily know and then go back to the ones you find difficult.

After submitting the test, the results will be given to you immediately, and you'll want to hold on to them because you'll need to give them to the FAA examiner when you take your practical test.

Applicants may use test aids such as scales, straightedges, protractors, plotters, navigation computers, log sheets, and all models of aviation-oriented calculating devices directly related to the test. In addition, applicants may use any test materials provided with the test. Manufacturers' permanently inscribed instructions on the font and back of such aids, e.g. formulas, conversions, regulations, signals, weather data, holding pattern diagrams, frequencies, weight and balance formulas, and air traffic control procedures are also permissible.

Please note the test proctor may deny the use of their personal calculating devices if the applicant's device does not have a screen that indicates all memory has been erased.

You should study the materials identified by your flight instructor or included in a home-study course. Sporty's online courses feature dedicated test preparation modules with interactive tools. Users may create unlimited study sessions from a proprietary database of thousands of test questions. Plain English explanations are written by Sporty's team of CFIs. Detailed analytics show users which areas need the most help, and allow you to study only the questions you’ve missed. Then, you may take an unlimited number of practice tests that simulates the real knowledge exam.

While failing an exam is rare, you may retake the test. Your instructor should review your knowledge test report with you and cover the deficient areas. When you are ready to retake the test, you must present either the Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR), or an airman computer test report (if the test was taken at an FAA-designated computer testing center).

The applicant must also present an endorsement from an instructor who provided the additional training. This endorsement may be in the form of a signed written statement, logbook entry, or by completing the Authorized Instructor’s Statement portion of the failed AKTR.

Sporty’s publishes regular written test question updates for its test preparation module. While the FAA does not publish actual test questions, representative test questions are available, and new questions released by Sporty’s represent emphasis areas that you will likely encounter on the test.

• June 2024 update
• March 2024 update
• January 2024 update

The written test may include validation questions used to accumulate data for statistical analysis of test question validity and performance. Validation questions are NON-scored questions and do NOT count against the applicant’s final test score.

A knowledge test expires 24 calendar months after the month it was taken. Another knowledge test must be taken if a practical test is not completed during that period.

This Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement is the reference book used for the written exam. Questions that require referencing figures or charts will reference these documents.

• Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Sport Pilot, Recreational Pilot, Remote Pilot, and Private Pilot
• Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Instrument Rating
• Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement for Commercial Pilot

You may log into your PSI account and print a duplicate or expired test report.

https://faa.psiexams.com/faa/login

To suggest an airman knowledge test question, please send an email to afs630comments@faa.gov. You'll need to include the applicable knowledge test, topic, proposed question, correct answer, suggested distractor answers, reference document, and contact information.