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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to your FAA questions.
No. The certificate does not expire. Completion of the appropriate online ALC training course renews the pilot’s recency of aeronautical knowledge for 24 calendar months. You must be able to show a copy of your certificate of completion as proof of currency.
No. An employer is obligated under 14 CFR §§ 120.109(e) and 120.217(e) to conduct a return-to-duty drug or alcohol test prior to returning an employee to work following a violation. The type of return-to-duty test an employer must conduct depends on what type of violation triggered the requirement for the test. For example, if an employee tested positive on a random drug test, an employer is obligated to only conduct a return-to-duty drug test under direct observation and have a negative result prior to returning the employee to work. In accordance with 49 CFR § 40.305(a), the return-to-duty test cannot occur until after the Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) has determined that the employee has successfully complied with the prescribed education and/or treatment.
The SAP must provide the employer’s Designated Employer Representative (DER) with a follow-up drug and/or alcohol testing plan; however, it is not the SAP’s responsibility to direct return-to-duty testing to an employer. If a SAP instructs an employer to conduct drug and alcohol follow-up testing, the employer must conduct both tests in accordance with 49 CFR § 40.309, 14 CFR §§ 120.109(f)(3) and 120.217(f)(3), and the SAP Guidelines.
If you have any further questions or need guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our Web site to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
49 CFR § 40.305(a)
49 CFR § 40.309
14 CFR § 120.109(e)
14 CFR § 120.217(e)
No. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Clearinghouse is a database that contains information pertaining to violations of DOT controlled substance and alcohol testing under 49 CFR part 382 for holders of commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs). The Clearinghouse does not apply to an FAA-regulated employee that performs safety-sensitive functions listed under 14 CFR part 120.
If you are an FAA-regulated employer, you are only obligated to enter a violation into the Clearinghouse if your employee holds a CDL to operate a motor vehicle and you conduct testing under 49 CFR part 382. If you do not employ an individual that meets these criteria, you are prohibited from entering information into the Clearinghouse. For questions about or assistance with the Clearinghouse, please contact the FMCSA at FMCSAdrugandalcohol@dot.gov or 202-366-2904.
In accordance with 49 CFR § 40.25, you must request the drug and alcohol testing information from a motor carrier if you are hiring an individual to perform aviation-related functions and the individual previously performed covered duties for a motor carrier. You are prohibited from querying the Clearinghouse to obtain drug and alcohol information, and the motor carrier is obligated under § 40.25(h) to immediately release the requested information to you after reviewing the written release. According to the FMCSA's frequently asked question, the motor carrier is prohibited from referring you to the Clearinghouse to obtain the information.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about the program.
Applicable regulations:
49 CFR § 40.25
14 CFR § 120.105
14 CFR § 120.215
49 CFR part 382
A NOTAM is not required under Part 107 flights. They are only required if you have a Certificate of Authorization (COA) to fly under Part 91 as a public aircraft and part of the COA has a requirement to issue a NOTAM.
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No. The FAA does not require you to notify us when your service agents change, unless the change means the information listed in 14 CFR §§ 120.117 and 120.225 and on your program registration, Letter of Authorization, or Operations Specifications is no longer valid.
Although you are not required to update the FAA when your DER or program manager changes, it can be helpful to have current contact information for future correspondence. If you wish to report your new DER or program manager information, please write to the Drug Abatement Division at drugabatement@faa.gov and provide the new DER or program manager’s name and title, physical address, telephone and fax numbers, and email address.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA’s Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about the program.
Applicable Regulations:
No. Because the FAA and U.S. Military are not considered employers, as defined in 14 CFR § 120.7, the requirement to conduct a drug and alcohol records check described in 49 CFR § 40.25 would not apply if the applicant who previously worked for the FAA or the U.S. Military.
If you wish to request the testing records for a former FAA employee, you may send your request to the FAA’s Internal Substance Abuse Program (ISAP) by faxing your written release to 202-267-3262. If you have questions, please contact the ISAP Office directly at 202-267-0238.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our Web site to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
UAS Facility Maps are provided to assist applicants who want to operate in the United States. Operators must comply with the operational rules of the country in which they are operating. The FAA may only issue airspace authorizations in the United States.
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Yes. Although the requirement to renew a contractor registration is not included in our regulation, we have implemented a renewal procedure and added an expiration date to our form. The suggested registration format includes a box to indicate that the submission is for purposes of renewal. Although we will attempt to notify companies in advance of their expiration dates, we expect companies to keep track of when they must ask for renewal of their registrations.
If your current contractor registration does not include an expiration date, please send a renewal request to the FAA Drug Abatement Division as soon as possible. You can find the registration format, including specific instructions for submission, on our website.
We do not normally invalidate or terminate an employer's registration, unless it is expired and the registered employer did not renew it. If you contract with an employer that has a program registration without an expiration date, you may continue to use that contractor and its employees. When this happens, we would ask that you encourage the contractor to renew its program registration. If the program registration were expired, we would recommend that you not use that contractor until the registration is renewed.
For assistance with the registration process, or if you have any further questions, please contact the FAA's Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Please refer to the state and local fact sheet available on the FAA's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) page. Generally, local governments are able to exercise already existing authorities when it comes to drone operations.
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Yes. The definition of maintenance in 14 CFR Part 43 includes these types of repairs/maintenance. Therefore, an employer must ensure that these individuals are included in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated drug and alcohol testing program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review the FAA Flight Standards Service's Guidance Alert on Maintenance or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR part 43
14 CFR part 120
Yes. The definition of maintenance in 14 CFR Part 43 includes these types of repairs/maintenance. Therefore, an employer must ensure that these individuals are included in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated drug and alcohol testing program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review the FAA Flight Standards Service's Guidance Alert on Maintenance or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
14 CFR part 43
14 CFR part 120
Yes. The definition of maintenance in 14 CFR Part 43 includes these types of repairs/maintenance. Therefore, an employer must ensure that these individuals are included in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated drug and alcohol testing program.
Employers who need more information about the definition of maintenance or preventive maintenance should review our Safety-Sensitive Job Categories Alert or consult directly with their FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector or local Flight Standards District Office. The Flight Standards Service is the expert in clarifying maintenance or preventive maintenance duties. Please visit the FAA's website to find the Flight Standards District Office closest to you.
If you have any further questions or need additional guidance that is more specific to your situation, please contact the FAA Drug Abatement Division at (202) 267-8442 or drugabatement@faa.gov.
Please visit our website to learn more about our program.
Applicable Regulations:
Yes, pilots must show their logbook, on request, to:
- An FAA official
- An authorized representative from the National Transportation Safety Board
- Any federal, state, or local law enforcement officer
You can find the complete regulation in 14 CFR 61.51(i).
Public agencies can operate either under a remote pilot certificate (Part 107) or as a public aircraft operator (Part 91).
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There are no grants for drones through the FAA, but you should independently check with DHS and DOJ (if law enforcement) to see if there is funding that they can provide.
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The FAA provides videos, webinars, websites, support staff, and other resources to support public safety. Please contact the FAA at uashelp@faa.gov to request assistance.
Still can't find what you are looking for? Please feel free to contact the UAS Support Center for general questions and comments.
If you plan to use federal funds to buy airport equipment, you must follow the guidance provided in FAA advisory circulars (ACs). In most cases, these ACs provide specifications that equipment must meet but they do not list specific “certified” products.
However, FAA does have a certification program for airport lighting equipment. You can find a list of third-party-approved airport lighting equipment in AC 150/5345-53C, Airport Lighting Equipment Certification Program.
You can find ACs about airport lighting and other airport-related equipment on our website.
No. To obtain a student pilot certificate you must pass the medical exam discussed earlier. (Before the first solo, you must pass a written exam administered by your flight instructor (14 CFR section 61.87). To obtain a higher certificate you must pass a knowledge and practical test. The knowledge test is administered by computer and is good for a period of two years. The practical test examines your flying skills and ability against a published standard during an examination flight with a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) in the category and class of aircraft in which you are getting your pilot certificate. Part of the practical test is an oral examination administered by the DPE.
Yes. A deaf pilot's certificate will include the limitation, "Not Valid for Flights Requiring the Use of Radio" (14 CFR section 61.13).
Yes, Both the medical certificate and the SODA will have the limitation "Not valid for flying where radio use is required." Additional limitations may be placed on the medical certificate and SODA by the Aeromedical Certification Division as appropriate to the class of medical certificate.