Third-Class Medical Standards

FAR 67.313 — Third-Class Medical Standards

FAR 67.313 sets the general medical standards for a third-class airman medical certificate, covering diabetes, disqualifying conditions, and medications.

In Plain English

FAR 67.313 lays out the general medical standards for a third-class airman medical certificate — the medical most private pilots and student pilots hold. Unlike vision or hearing, this section addresses your overall health, medications, and treatments. It matters because even if you pass the specific tests, an underlying condition or a prescribed drug can still disqualify you.

To meet the standard, you must have:

No established medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus that requires insulin or any other hypoglycemic drug for control.
No other organic, functional, or structural disease, defect, or limitation that the Federal Air Surgeon determines either makes you unable to safely perform airman duties, or could reasonably be expected to do so during the certificate's validity.
No medication or other treatment that the Federal Air Surgeon similarly finds unsafe for, or expected to interfere with, the duties and privileges of the certificate.

Operationally, this means you must self-disclose conditions and medications on MedXPress, and the AME or Federal Air Surgeon makes a judgment call about your fitness to fly.

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Regulation Text

14 CFR § 67.313

§ 67.313 General medical condition. The general medical standards for a third-class airman medical certificate are: (a) No established medical history or clinical diagnosis of diabetes mellitus that requires insulin or any other hypoglycemic drug for control. (b) No other organic, functional, or structural disease, defect, or limitation that the Federal Air Surgeon, based on the case history and appropriate, qualified medical judgment relating to the condition involved, finds— (1) Makes the person unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the airman certificate applied for or held; or (2) May reasonably be expected, for the maximum duration of the airman medical certificate applied for or held, to make the person unable to perform those duties or exercise those privileges. (c) No medication or other treatment that the Federal Air Surgeon, based on the case history and appropriate, qualified medical judgment relating to the medication or other treatment involved, finds— (1) Makes the person unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of the airman certificate applied for or held; or (2) May reasonably be expected, for the maximum duration of the airman medical certificate applied for or held, to make the person unable to perform those duties or exercise those privileges.

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Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask

Q1What are the general medical standards for a third-class medical certificate?

Per FAR 67.313, you must have no diagnosis of diabetes requiring insulin or other hypoglycemic drugs, no other disease or defect the Federal Air Surgeon finds disqualifying, and no medication or treatment that would make you unable to safely exercise airman privileges.

Q2If a pilot is diagnosed with diabetes, does that automatically disqualify them from a third-class medical?

Not automatically. FAR 67.313(a) only disqualifies diabetes that requires insulin or another hypoglycemic drug for control; diet- or lifestyle-controlled diabetes does not fall under this specific bar, though it may still be evaluated under other provisions.

Q3Who decides whether a particular medication or condition disqualifies an applicant under the general standards?

Under FAR 67.313(b) and (c), the Federal Air Surgeon makes that determination based on the case history and qualified medical judgment relating to the specific condition or medication involved.

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Private Pilot Requirements

Including medical certificates

How to Become a Pilot

Medical class explained

Related Sections in Part 67

§ 67.1

Medical Certificate Applicability

§ 67.101

First-Class Medical Eligibility