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FAA Scheduling Guide

How to Schedule an FAA Written Test in 2026

As of July 17, 2026, FAA written-test scheduling is a five-step sequence: get an FTN in IACRA, create a PSI account, select the test and center, choose a time, and pay. “Written test” is the common name; the FAA calls it an airman knowledge test.

Open the official PSI scheduler Check your test code
Official sequence
5 scheduling steps
Required identifier
1 FAA Tracking Number
Booking vendor
FAA PSI portal

Primary-source check: FAA Airman Testing, FAA ACS Companion Guide for Pilots, Knowledge Testing Authorization Requirements Matrix, and FAA PSI scheduler; Last verified: 2026-07-17; date_retrieved: 2026-07-17.

Booking Flow

FAA written exam sign up: the five-step flow

Finish each dependency in order. An FTN or name mismatch at step one can block the PSI profile later, while a wrong test code can produce a perfectly valid booking for the wrong exam.

  1. 1

    Get your FAA Tracking Number

    Register or sign in through IACRA and locate your FTN before opening PSI.

    Use the IACRA login guide
    Result
    One permanent FAA identifier for the testing and certification process.
  2. 2

    Create your PSI account

    Use the FAA PSI portal. A new account needs the FTN, and the current portal requires multi-factor authentication.

    Open the official PSI scheduler
    Result
    A PSI profile matched to the name and FTN supplied by IACRA.
  3. 3

    Choose the test and testing center

    Select the exact FAA test code and an authorized center. Private Pilot Airplane applicants normally choose PAR, not a similarly named rating test.

    Compare PAR, IRA, CAX, and UAG
    Result
    The correct knowledge test attached to a location you can reach.
  4. 4

    Select an available time

    Pick a date and time from the availability shown for that center. Review the confirmation details before continuing.

    Read the FAA registration steps
    Result
    A specific appointment rather than an unscheduled test purchase.
  5. 5

    Pay in the PSI portal

    Complete payment only after the test code, center, legal name, and appointment time are correct. Use the amount shown at checkout rather than an old third-party fee quote.

    Verify current checkout details
    Result
    A paid booking and confirmation for the selected FAA knowledge test.
Readiness Matrix

What to verify before you pay

ItemReady whenWhy it matters
FAA Tracking NumberFTN is visible in IACRA and entered in PSI.The FAA registration system requires an FTN before scheduling.
Exact legal nameIACRA and identification use the same name and spelling.PSI receives the name from IACRA and does not provide the correction path.
Correct test codePAR, IRA, CAX, UAG, or another code matches the certificate or rating.Similar test names have different eligibility and authorization rules.
Authorization documentThe current FAA testing matrix lists the document you plan to present.Requirements vary by first attempt, retest, certificate, and rating.
Center, slot, and paymentConfirmation shows the intended location, local time, and test.The FAA sequence treats these as separate choices before payment.
Scheduling Troubleshooter

Fix the handoff, not the symptom

PSI cannot match the FTN

Confirm the FTN and exact name in IACRA, then refresh the PSI account.

Source owner: IACRA for name/FTN data; PSI for portal access.

The test names look interchangeable

Use the FAA testing matrix and identify the exact test code before paying.

Source owner: FAA authorization matrix.

You are unsure which endorsement to bring

Check the row for your test and attempt type; do not copy another rating’s rule.

Source owner: FAA authorization matrix and your instructor.

A portal change appears while booking

Return to the FAA Airman Testing page and follow its current scheduling link.

Source owner: FAA Airman Testing announcements.

FAA Written Test Scheduling FAQ
Q1FAA written exam sign up: where do I start?
Start in IACRA by obtaining or locating your FAA Tracking Number. Then create or sign in to the FAA PSI account, select the correct knowledge-test code and center, choose a time, and pay in the portal.
Q2How do I schedule an FAA written test with PSI?
Use the scheduling link on the FAA Airman Testing page or the FAA PSI portal. The current FAA companion guide describes five steps: FTN, PSI account, test and center, available time slot, and payment.
Q3Do I need an FTN before I schedule the FAA knowledge test?
Yes. The FAA companion guide states that the knowledge-test registration system requires an FAA Tracking Number, obtained through IACRA, before an applicant creates the matched PSI account and schedules.
Q4How do I find FAA written test centers?
Choose the test in the FAA PSI portal, then use the authorized-center selection in the scheduling flow. Center availability and appointment times are shown together, so verify both before payment.
Q5How much does the FAA written test cost?
Use the price shown in the official PSI checkout for the selected test and center. This guide does not publish a universal fee because an old quoted price can outlive a vendor or policy change.
Q6What if my name is wrong in PSI?
Correct the name in IACRA first. The FAA companion guide says PSI receives the applicant name from IACRA and does not let the applicant edit it directly; sign back in and refresh the PSI account after the IACRA correction.

Book the right test, then prepare against its code

Scheduling and studying are separate checks. Confirm the authorization in the FAA matrix, use the matching practice-test route, and keep the Airman Knowledge Test Report for ACS-code remediation after the exam.

Choose an FAA practice testRead the Private Pilot ACS guide