How to Become an A&P Mechanic in 2026: FAA Paths and Tests
The FAA issues a mechanic certificate with Airframe and Powerplant ratings. Compare the Part 147 school, civilian experience and military routes, then follow the test sequence.
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Updated July 16, 2026
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An “A&P licence” is common industry shorthand, but the FAA structure is more precise: the agency issues an Aviation Mechanic certificate with an Airframe rating, a Powerplant rating or both. A mechanic who holds both ratings is commonly called an A&P mechanic.
In 2026, there are three practical eligibility routes: graduate from an FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School, document sufficient civilian practical experience, or use qualifying military training and experience. Every route still leads to FAA testing and a certificate with the rating or ratings earned.
The baseline FAA requirements
14 CFR 65.71 requires an applicant to be at least 18, meet the English-language requirement and pass the prescribed tests within a 24-month period. The same subpart contains the rating, knowledge, experience and skill rules.
The FAA's current mechanic overview and test-requirements page describe the core paths:
- One rating through experience: at least 18 months of practical experience appropriate to Airframe or Powerplant.
- Both ratings through concurrent experience: at least 30 months performing duties appropriate to both Airframe and Powerplant.
- School route: graduate from an FAA-certificated Aviation Maintenance Technician School, commonly called a Part 147 school.
- Military route: qualifying applicants may use the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council pathway or documented experience reviewed by the FAA.
Age 18 is the certificate-eligibility threshold, not necessarily the earliest age at which training can begin. School admission rules, employer requirements and military documentation are separate questions.
Route 1: FAA-certificated maintenance school
The FAA experience guide describes an Aviation Maintenance Technician School (AMTS) as a facility certificated under Part 147. A school may offer Airframe, Powerplant or both, and may also offer avionics coursework.
For most Part 147 schools, the FAA says estimated completion is 18 to 24 months depending on the ratings sought. That is not a universal program length. Each school controls its schedule, admission requirements, tuition, attendance standards and any degree option.
Before enrolling, verify:
- the school's current FAA certificate and approved ratings;
- whether the program leads to Airframe, Powerplant or both;
- total published charges, tools, books and testing fees;
- completion and placement data with definitions;
- housing and transport needs;
- when graduates become eligible for each test; and
- whether credits transfer if the student leaves early.
An associate degree may be available through some institutions, but the FAA mechanic certificate does not universally require a college degree. Do not confuse an individual school's admission requirement with the federal certificate rule.
Route 2: civilian on-the-job experience
The experience route replaces school with documented practical work. Under section 65.77, the applicant presents documentary evidence satisfactory to the FAA of 18 months for one rating or 30 months of concurrent experience for both.
The FAA says an Aviation Safety Inspector reviews whether the evidence covers the procedures, practices, materials, tools and equipment normally used for the rating sought. Time alone is not the full test. Repetitive work on a narrow task may fail to show the breadth required for Airframe, Powerplant or both.
Maintain a contemporaneous record of dates, hours, aircraft or components, tasks, supervisors and supporting employment or training documents. Before assuming the experience qualifies, arrange the FAA review process described on the current experience page. A commercial “prep course” can help with test preparation, but it does not manufacture missing practical eligibility.
This route can work well where a repair station, operator, manufacturer or general-aviation shop provides broad supervised experience. Its value depends on task breadth, documentation and the organisation's ability to give the trainee work appropriate to the ratings.
Route 3: military experience
Military maintenance experience may support eligibility, but a military job title alone does not automatically equal both civilian ratings. The FAA reviews the applicant's training and practical record against the rating requirements.
The FAA mechanic pages identify the JSAMTCC training course as one eligibility route for military personnel and provide separate guidance on documenting military experience. Service members should preserve training records, duty history and task evidence before separation and follow the current FAA process rather than relying on an informal equivalency claim.
The test sequence
The FAA says applicants for both ratings complete three knowledge tests: General first, followed by Airframe and Powerplant. The certificate process also requires oral and practical testing covering the knowledge, risk-management and skill elements in the current Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards.
A typical sequence is:
- Complete an eligible school, experience or military path.
- Obtain the required graduation or FAA experience documentation.
- Pass the General knowledge test.
- Pass the Airframe and/or Powerplant knowledge test.
- Complete the applicable oral and practical test with an authorised examiner.
- Ensure the prescribed tests fall within the applicable 24-month window.
The FAA's test page links the current handbooks and testing information. Applicants should use those current resources and the current Airman Certification Standards, not an old question bank as the sole study plan.
Airframe, Powerplant and Inspection Authorization are different
The Airframe rating covers the privileges and limitations assigned to airframe mechanics; the Powerplant rating does the same for powerplants. Holding both creates the common A&P combination, but it does not authorise every aviation-maintenance task in every setting.
Inspection Authorization is a later, separate authorisation for mechanics who meet additional requirements. It is not part of the initial A&P test sequence. Repairman certificates are also different: they are tied to specified work and an employing organisation rather than being a portable substitute for A&P ratings.
What the career data says — and what it does not
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics groups aircraft mechanics and avionics technicians in its Occupational Outlook Handbook. For May 2024 it reported:
- $78,680 median annual pay for aircraft mechanics and service technicians;
- $81,390 for avionics technicians;
- 5% projected growth for the combined occupation from 2024 to 2034; and
- about 13,100 openings per year on average, many created by replacement rather than net job growth.
Those are national occupation statistics, not a starting-wage promise. Employer, shift, union agreement, location, airframe, specialisation and experience can produce large differences. BLS also notes that the work may involve nights, weekends, holidays, noise, outdoor conditions and physically awkward positions.
Before choosing a school or employer, compare actual local job postings and speak with maintenance organisations about the work new certificate holders perform, the shifts they cover and the training they receive.
A practical decision rule
Choose the route that can produce both qualifying breadth and clean evidence with acceptable cost and timing:
- A Part 147 school offers a defined curriculum and direct graduation evidence.
- Civilian OJT can reduce classroom cost and provide paid experience, but it requires enough task breadth and disciplined records.
- Military experience can be substantial, but it still needs to map to the FAA rating standard.
Then decide whether one rating fits the immediate role or whether both ratings are the sensible target. Many employers prefer the flexibility of A&P, but the applicant should base the decision on the work sought and the realistic route to eligibility.
The durable path is not “find the fastest A&P course.” It is: select the ratings, choose an FAA-recognised eligibility route, document it properly, pass the current knowledge/oral/practical sequence and enter the occupation with a clear picture of the actual work.
