Regulation Text
§ 61.37 Knowledge tests: Cheating or other unauthorized conduct.
(a) An applicant for a knowledge test may not:
(1) Copy or intentionally remove any knowledge test;
(2) Give to another applicant or receive from another applicant any part or copy of a knowledge test;
(3) Give assistance on, or receive assistance on, a knowledge test during the period that test is being given;
(4) Take any part of a knowledge test on behalf of another person;
(5) Be represented by, or represent, another person for a knowledge test;
(6) Use any material or aid during the period that the test is being given, unless specifically authorized to do so by the Administrator; and
(7) Intentionally cause, assist, or participate in any act prohibited by this paragraph.
(b) An applicant who the Administrator finds has committed an act prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section is prohibited, for 1 year after the date of committing that act, from:
(1) Applying for any certificate, rating, or authorization issued under this chapter; and
(2) Applying for and taking any test under this chapter.
(c) Any certificate or rating held by an applicant may be suspended or revoked if the Administrator finds that person has committed an act prohibited by paragraph (a) of this section.
Research Notes
Research Notes — § 61.37 Knowledge Tests: Cheating or Other Unauthorized Conduct
Regulatory Context
Section 61.37 is the enforcement backbone of the knowledge testing system. It enumerates seven specific prohibited acts and establishes two tiers of consequence: a one-year bar on applying for any certificate, rating, or test (paragraph (b)), and potential suspension or revocation of certificates already held (paragraph (c)). The consequences apply whether the person is the initiator or merely assists another.
The Seven Prohibited Acts
The prohibited conduct is specific and broad: copying or removing test material; sharing test content with another applicant; giving or receiving assistance during the test; taking the test on behalf of another person; being represented by or representing another person; using unauthorized materials or aids; and causing, assisting, or participating in any of the above. The last item — "intentionally cause, assist, or participate" — reaches anyone in the chain, not just the person sitting the test.
The "Authorized Materials" Exception
Paragraph (a)(6) allows use of materials if "specifically authorized to do so by the Administrator." In practice, this covers the materials and aids listed on the Airman Knowledge Testing Supplement (AKTS) for each test — charts, diagrams, and flight computers that the FAA has pre-authorized. The testing center will inform applicants of permitted materials. Nothing else is permitted.
Consequence Severity
A finding of cheating triggers a mandatory one-year bar from the entire Part 61 and Part 141 test and application system — not just the specific test on which the violation occurred. This affects all pending applications. If the person already holds certificates, those certificates may be separately suspended or revoked under paragraph (c). The FAA treats knowledge test integrity violations as serious; enforcement actions under § 61.37 are not reduced to warnings.
FAA Enforcement References
Knowledge test cheating violations are pursued under 14 CFR § 13.19 (the FAA's general certificate action authority) and can result in civil penalty actions under 49 U.S.C. § 46301. The FAA's Enforcement Procedures are documented in FAA Order 2150.3C, FAA Compliance and Enforcement Program.
Practical Reality — Testing Center Security
FAA-authorized testing centers (PSI and CATS) use biometric check-in, monitored testing environments, and strict materials controls. Test content is encrypted and updated regularly. The "copying or removing any knowledge test" prohibition is effectively enforced through technical controls, but the legal prohibition applies regardless.
Amendment History
AOA Notes
These notes correspond to the highlighted phrases in the regulation text above. Each one flags something worth knowing — a common misread, a checkride gotcha, or a practical pro tip.
CFI Commentary
Highlighted phrases in the regulation text above link to instructor notes at the bottom of this page. Look for the amber or blue highlights — each one flags a gotcha or a pro tip worth knowing.