FAR 67.407 — Medical Certificate Delegation
FAR 67.407 explains how the FAA delegates medical certification authority to the Federal Air Surgeon, AMEs, and Regional Flight Surgeons.
In Plain English
FAR 67.407 explains who actually has the legal authority to issue, deny, or reconsider your medical certificate. While the law (49 U.S.C. 44703) gives this power to the FAA Administrator, it's delegated downward so the system can function day-to-day.
Here's how the delegation flows:
- The Federal Air Surgeon is delegated authority to examine applicants, issue/deny medicals, and grant or withdraw Special Issuance Authorizations and Statements of Demonstrated Ability (SODA).
- Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) and authorized FAA representatives are further delegated the authority to examine pilots and issue, renew, or deny medicals.
- The Federal Air Surgeon, the Manager of the Aeromedical Certification Division, and Regional Flight Surgeons can reconsider an AME's decision.
Why it matters operationally: a medical issued by your AME is considered affirmed unless an authorized FAA official reverses it within 60 days of issuance — or within 60 days of receiving additional medical info they requested. So your medical isn't truly "final" the moment you walk out of the AME's office.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 67.407§ 67.407 Delegation of authority.
(a) The authority of the Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 44703 to issue or deny medical certificates is delegated to the Federal Air Surgeon to the extent necessary to—
(1) Examine applicants for and holders of medical certificates to determine whether they meet applicable medical standards; and
(2) Issue, renew, and deny medical certificates, and issue, renew, deny, and withdraw Authorizations for Special Issuance of a Medical Certificate and Statements of Demonstrated Ability to a person based upon meeting or failing to meet applicable medical standards.
(b) Subject to limitations in this chapter, the delegated functions of the Federal Air Surgeon to examine applicants for and holders of medical certificates for compliance with applicable medical standards and to issue, renew, and deny medical certificates are also delegated to aviation medical examiners and to authorized representatives of the Federal Air Surgeon within the FAA.
(c) The authority of the Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 44702, to reconsider the action of an aviation medical examiner is delegated to the Federal Air Surgeon; the Manager, Aeromedical Certification Division; and each Regional Flight Surgeon. Where the person does not meet the standards of §§ 67.107(b)(3) and (c), 67.109(b), 67.113(b) and (c), 67.207(b)(3) and (c), 67.209(b), 67.213(b) and (c), 67.307(b)(3) and (c), 67.309(b), or 67.313(b) and (c), any action taken under this paragraph other than by the Federal Air Surgeon is subject to reconsideration by the Federal Air Surgeon. A certificate issued by an aviation medical examiner is considered to be affirmed as issued unless an FAA official named in this paragraph (authorized official) reverses that issuance within 60 days after the date of issuance. However, if within 60 days after the date of issuance an authorized official requests the certificate holder to submit additional medical information, an authorized official may reverse the issuance within 60 days after receipt of the requested information.
(d) The authority of the Administrator under 49 U.S.C. 44709 to re-examine any civil airman to the extent necessary to determine an airman's qualification to continue to hold an airman medical certificate, is delegated to the Federal Air Surgeon and his or her authorized representatives within the FAA.
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1Who has the authority to issue or deny your medical certificate?
Per FAR 67.407, the Administrator's authority is delegated to the Federal Air Surgeon, and further delegated to AMEs and authorized FAA representatives to examine applicants and issue, renew, or deny medical certificates.
Q2After your AME issues your medical, can the FAA still take it away? How long do they have?
Yes. Under FAR 67.407(c), an authorized official (Federal Air Surgeon, Manager of Aeromedical Certification Division, or Regional Flight Surgeon) may reverse the issuance within 60 days of the issue date, or within 60 days after receiving additional medical information they requested.
Q3Who can grant a Special Issuance Authorization or Statement of Demonstrated Ability?
FAR 67.407(a) delegates authority to issue, renew, deny, and withdraw Special Issuance Authorizations and Statements of Demonstrated Ability to the Federal Air Surgeon.
Studying for a checkride?
Related Sections in Part 67
§ 67.1
Medical Certificate Applicability
§ 67.101
First-Class Medical Eligibility
§ 67.103
First-Class Medical Eye Standards
§ 67.105
First-Class Medical ENT Standards
§ 67.107
First-Class Medical Mental Standards
§ 67.109
First-Class Medical Neurologic Standards
§ 67.111
First-Class Medical Cardiovascular
§ 67.113
First-Class Medical Standards