Exercise of Privilege

FAR 61.2 — Exercise of Privilege

FAR 61.2 explains when you may exercise privileges of a pilot certificate, rating, or medical — and when surrender, suspension, revocation, or expiration stops you.

In Plain English

FAR 61.2 governs when you can — and cannot — actually use the privileges of your airman credentials. The rule has two parts.

Paragraph (a) — Status of the credential. You may not exercise privileges if the underlying document is surrendered, suspended, revoked, or expired. This applies to:

Your pilot certificate, rating, endorsement, or authorization issued under Part 61
A flight instructor certificate
A foreign pilot certificate used to fly a foreign-registered aircraft under § 61.3(b)
A U.S. certificate issued under § 61.75 or authorization under § 61.77, if the foreign certificate it was based on is no longer valid
A medical certificate issued under Part 67, per the duration rules in § 61.23(d)
A driver's license used to satisfy Part 61 requirements (e.g., BasicMed or sport pilot)

Paragraph (b) — Currency and medical fitness. Even with valid paperwork, you must also meet the recent flight experience and medical requirements appropriate to the operation. Foreign license holders operating in the U.S. must meet the recency and medical rules of the country that issued their license.

Operationally: before every flight, confirm both that your documents are current AND that you are legally current to act as PIC for that specific operation.

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Regulation Text

14 CFR § 61.2

§ 61.2 Exercise of Privilege. (a)No person may: (1) Exercise privileges of a certificate, rating, endorsement, or authorization issued under this part if the certificate, rating or authorization is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired. (2) Exercise privileges of a flight instructor certificate if that flight instructor certificate is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired. (3) Exercise privileges of a foreign pilot certificate to operate an aircraft of foreign registry under § 61.3(b) if the certificate is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired. (4) Exercise privileges of a pilot certificate issued under § 61.75, or an authorization issued under § 61.77, if the foreign pilot certificate relied upon for the issuance of the U.S. pilot certificate or authorization is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired. (5) Exercise privileges of a medical certificate issued under part 67 to meet any requirements of part 61 if the medical certificate is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired according to the duration standards set forth in § 61.23(d). (6) Use an official government issued driver's license to meet any requirements of part 61 related to holding that driver's license, if the driver's license is surrendered, suspended, revoked or expired. (b)No person may: (1) Exercise privileges of an airman certificate, rating, endorsement, or authorization issued under this part unless that person meets the appropriate airman recent experience and medical requirements of this part, specific to the operation or activity. (2) Exercise privileges of a foreign pilot license within the United States to conduct an operation described in § 61.3(b), unless that person meets the appropriate airman recent experience and medical requirements of the country that issued the license, specific to the operation. [Docket FAA-2006-26661, 74 FR 42546, Aug. 21, 2009, as amended by Docket FAA-2023-0825, Amdt. 61-155, 89 FR 80049, Oct. 1, 2024]

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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1Can you exercise the privileges of your pilot certificate if your medical has expired?

No. Per FAR 61.2(a)(5), you may not exercise privileges of a medical certificate that is surrendered, suspended, revoked, or expired under the duration standards of § 61.23(d), and 61.2(b)(1) requires meeting medical requirements appropriate to the operation.

Q2Beyond holding a valid certificate, what else does FAR 61.2 require before you exercise its privileges?

FAR 61.2(b)(1) requires that you also meet the appropriate airman recent experience and medical requirements specific to the operation or activity you intend to conduct.

Q3If a pilot's foreign license is suspended, can they still use a U.S. certificate issued under § 61.75 based on that license?

No. FAR 61.2(a)(4) prohibits exercising privileges of a § 61.75 certificate or § 61.77 authorization if the foreign pilot certificate it was based on is surrendered, suspended, revoked, or expired.

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§61.113 Privileges & Limits

Private pilot compensation, pro-rata sharing, and BasicMed limits

§61.57 Recent Flight Experience

90-day passenger, night, and instrument currency rules

§61.89 Student Pilot Limitations

Solo student limits: no passengers, no compensation, minimum visibility

§61.51 Pilot Logbooks

Logging training, aeronautical experience, and recency for certificates

§61.23 Medical Certificate Duration