FAR 61.113 — Private Pilot Privileges
FAR 61.113 explains private pilot privileges and limitations as PIC: compensation rules, pro rata cost sharing, charitable flights, and BasicMed conditions.
FAR 61.113 defines what a private pilot can and cannot do as pilot in command (PIC). The general rule: you may not act as PIC for compensation or hire, nor carry passengers or property for compensation or hire. The rest of the section lists the exceptions you can use.
Key privileges and limits:
- Business flights: You may fly for business if the flight is incidental to that business and you don't carry passengers/property for hire.
- Pro rata share: When flying with passengers, you must pay at least your equal share of fuel, oil, airport fees, or rental costs — you can't pay less.
- Charitable/community events: Allowed under § 91.146 if you and the sponsor follow its rules.
- Search and rescue: You may be reimbursed for fuel, oil, airport fees, or rental when sanctioned by a government agency or SAR organization.
- Aircraft sales demo: With 200+ hours, you may demo aircraft to prospective buyers.
- Glider/ultralight towing: Permitted if you meet § 61.69.
- BasicMed (paragraph i): You may fly without a Part 67 medical using a valid U.S. driver's license, in aircraft with ≤7 occupants and ≤12,500 lbs MTOW, ≤6 passengers, below 18,000 ft MSL, and at ≤250 KIAS.
This section matters because misusing privileges — especially accepting compensation — is a common path to certificate action.
Five FAA-written-style questions. Instant explanations, every answer cites its source — no account needed.
You are flying VFR in Class E airspace at 8,500 feet MSL during the day. What are your minimum visibility and cloud clearance requirements?
Q1As a private pilot, can you share flight expenses with your passengers? If so, how?
Q2Can a private pilot fly for their employer in connection with a business?
Q3What are the operating limitations for a private pilot exercising BasicMed privileges?
Private pilot privileges and limitations under § 61.113
Under 14 CFR § 61.113(c), a private pilot may share flight costs with passengers but must pay no less than a pro-rata share of only four expenses — fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees (verified 2026-07-05). Every other privilege in § 61.113 is a narrow exception to the § 61.113(a) rule that a private pilot cannot fly for compensation or hire. Work the table below as a purpose-of-the-flight test.
| Citation | Privilege / limit | What the rule allows | DPE trap |
|---|---|---|---|
| § 61.113(a) | Compensation or hire | No acting as PIC of an aircraft carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire, and no being paid to act as PIC. | “For compensation or hire” is about the purpose of the flight, not just cash — logging PIC time toward a rating is fine; getting paid to move people or cargo is not. |
| § 61.113(b) | Business or employment | May be compensated when the flight is only incidental to that business or employment and carries no passengers or property for compensation or hire. | “Incidental” means flying is not the reason you are paid; if transporting people or cargo is the business purpose, it fails even with no separate flying fee. |
| § 61.113(c) | Sharing expenses with passengers | May share operating expenses if the pilot pays no less than a pro-rata share, and only fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees are shared. | Needs a bona fide common purpose; advertising / holding out, or paying less than your pro-rata share, turns it into illegal common carriage. |
| § 61.113(d) | Charitable & community events | May act as PIC of a § 91.146 charitable, nonprofit, or community-event flight when both the sponsor and the pilot meet § 91.146. | Only within the § 91.146 conditions (PIC-time floor, passenger briefing, sponsor notification) — not any flight you call a “charity flight.” |
| § 61.113(e) | Search & location operations | May be reimbursed for fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees directly related to search-and-location operations sanctioned by a government agency or search organization. | Reimbursement is limited to those direct expense categories — it is not a fee for piloting services. |
| § 61.113(f) | Aircraft salesperson | With at least 200 hours of logged flight time, may demonstrate an aircraft in flight to a prospective buyer. | Both the 200-hour floor and “prospective buyer” matter; it is a demonstration privilege, not a general charter privilege. |
| § 61.113(g) | Towing gliders / ultralights | May act as PIC towing a glider or unpowered ultralight vehicle after meeting the § 61.69 tow endorsement and experience. | Towing needs the separate § 61.69 currency and endorsement — the private certificate alone does not grant it. |
| § 61.113(i) | Driver-license (BasicMed) medical | May act as PIC without an FAA medical under § 61.23(c)(3): 6 or fewer passengers, 12,500 lb or less, no faster than 250 KIAS, and at or below 18,000 ft MSL. | BasicMed only substitutes for the medical certificate — it relaxes none of the § 61.113(a)-(h) privilege limits above. |
Expense sharing under § 61.113(c) only works with a bona fide common purpose and no holding out. If you advertise the flight, choose the destination for the passenger, or pay less than your pro-rata share, the FAA treats it as illegal common carriage — not a private pilot privilege.
The § 61.113(i) driver-license medical path caps the operation at 6 or fewer passengers, 12,500 lb or less, 250 KIAS, and 18,000 ft MSL. It substitutes only for the medical certificate — it does not expand any privilege. Text current through the 2025 amendment (Amdt. 61-159).
Private pilot privileges and limitations FAQ
What are private pilot privileges and limitations under 14 CFR § 61.113?
Section 61.113(a) starts with the core limitation: a private pilot may not act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers or property for compensation or hire, and may not be paid to act as PIC. Paragraphs (b) through (i) then carve out narrow privileges — business flights only incidental to employment, pro-rata expense sharing, charitable § 91.146 flights, search-and-location reimbursement, aircraft-sales demonstrations with 200+ hours, glider/ultralight towing under § 61.69, light-sport production flight testing, and the BasicMed driver-license medical path.
Can a private pilot be paid to fly?
Generally no. Under § 61.113(a) a private pilot cannot be compensated to act as PIC or carry passengers or property for hire. The only paid exception in § 61.113(b) is a flight that is only incidental to a business or employment and carries no passengers or property for compensation — for example, flying yourself to a work site rather than being hired to fly people there.
Can a private pilot share flight expenses with passengers?
Yes, within § 61.113(c). The pilot must pay no less than a pro-rata share of the flight, and the only expenses that may be shared are fuel, oil, airport expenditures, or rental fees. There must be a bona fide common purpose for the trip, and the pilot cannot advertise or hold out — doing so becomes illegal common carriage.
Can a private pilot fly for their own business?
Only if the flight is incidental to that business or employment and carries no passengers or property for compensation or hire (§ 61.113(b)). If transporting people or cargo is the actual purpose of the trip, it is not incidental and is not allowed under a private pilot certificate.
Can a private pilot fly without an FAA medical certificate?
Section 61.113(i) lets a private pilot act as PIC without a Part 67 medical using BasicMed, provided they hold a valid U.S. driver license, meet § 61.23(c)(3), and stay within the limits: 6 or fewer passengers, aircraft 12,500 lb or less, no faster than 250 knots indicated airspeed, and at or below 18,000 feet MSL.
How many hours does a private pilot need to demonstrate an aircraft for sale?
At least 200 hours of logged flight time. Section 61.113(f) allows a private pilot who is an aircraft salesperson and has 200+ hours to demonstrate an aircraft in flight to a prospective buyer.