Regulation Text
§ 61.35 Knowledge test: Prerequisites and passing grades.
(a) An applicant for a knowledge test must have:
(1) Received an endorsement, if required by this part, from an authorized instructor certifying that the applicant accomplished the appropriate ground-training or a home-study course required by this part for the certificate or rating sought and is prepared for the knowledge test;
(2) For the knowledge test for an airline transport pilot certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating, a graduation certificate for the airline transport pilot certification training program specified in § 61.156; and
(3) Proper identification at the time of application that contains the applicant's—
(i) Photograph;
(ii) Signature;
(iii) Date of birth, which shows:
(A) For issuance of certificates other than the ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating, the applicant meets or will meet the age requirements of this part for the certificate sought before the expiration date of the airman knowledge test report; and
(B) For issuance of an ATP certificate with an airplane category multiengine class rating obtained under the aeronautical experience requirements of § 61.159 or § 61.160, the applicant is at least 18 years of age at the time of the knowledge test;
(iv) If the permanent mailing address is a post office box number, then the applicant must provide a current residential address.
(b) The Administrator shall specify the minimum passing grade for the knowledge test.
[Docket 25910, 62 FR 16298, Apr. 4, 1997, as amended by Amdt. 61-104, 63 FR 20286, Apr. 23, 1998; Amdt. 61-124, 74 FR 42548, Aug. 21, 2009; Amdt. 61-130, 78 FR 42373, July 15, 2013; Amdt. 61-130B, 78 FR 77573, Dec. 24, 2013; Amdt. 61-149, 86 FR 62087, Nov. 9, 2021]
Research Notes
Research Notes — § 61.35 Knowledge Test Prerequisites and Passing Grades
Overview
Section 61.35 sets the gatekeeping conditions for knowledge tests: instructor endorsement (where required), proper identification, and age verification. Paragraph (b) delegates the minimum passing grade to the Administrator — the FAA has set this at 70% for virtually all written knowledge tests under Part 61.
The Instructor Endorsement Requirement
Paragraph (a)(1) requires an endorsement from an authorized instructor for most knowledge tests — but note the qualifier "if required by this part." Not all Part 61 knowledge tests require an endorsement. The specific endorsement requirements appear in the certificate and rating subparts (e.g., § 61.103(d) for private pilots, § 61.65(b)(1) for instrument ratings). The ATP written is a notable exception where the endorsement requirement is less direct and the graduation certificate requirement under (a)(2) applies instead.
Reference: AC 61-65J, Certification: Pilots and Flight and Ground Instructors, Appendix 1 (endorsement list). Available at FAA Advisory Circulars.
Acceptable ID at the Testing Center
The identification must have a photo, a signature, and a date of birth. In practice, a government-issued ID — driver's license, passport, or military ID — satisfies all three. Testing centers (PSI, CATS) will not admit an applicant without compliant ID; they verify it against the authorization from the instructor endorsement. Bring a backup ID if your primary ID has an unusual format (e.g., a vertical license).
Age Requirements — When Must They Be Met?
The age requirement does not have to be met at the time of the knowledge test — it must be met before the expiration date of the knowledge test report (24 calendar months for most certificates). A 15-year-old can sit the Private Pilot knowledge test; they just can't exercise the certificate until age 17. The ATP exception in (a)(3)(iii)(B) is different: for the ATP with airplane category multiengine class, the applicant must be at least 18 at the time of the knowledge test itself.
The 70% Passing Grade
The FAA has set 70% as the minimum passing grade for knowledge tests under 14 CFR § 35.3 (general test standards), and this standard is consistently applied across all Part 61 written tests. The knowledge test results report (AKTR) shows the actual score and any question areas missed; an instructor must review missed areas and endorse the applicant before the practical test. Reference: § 61.39(a)(1)(iii).
Home-Study Courses
Paragraph (a)(1) allows home-study courses as an alternative to formal ground training with an instructor, if the course is "required by this part" for the certificate or rating. In practice, this means the applicant must complete an FAA-accepted home-study course (like ground school courses from Sporty's, King Schools, or similar) and receive the required instructor endorsement verifying preparation. The instructor does not have to deliver the training — they attest that the applicant completed appropriate training and is prepared for the test.
Recent Amendment (2021)
Amdt. 61-149 (2021) was the most recent amendment to § 61.35, effective December 2021. It related to the ATP certification training program changes following the Pilot Certification and Improvement Act provisions. Always confirm current text at eCFR § 61.35.
Amendment History
Amendment History Coming Soon
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AOA Notes
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CFI Commentary
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