Part 107 test day: what to bring and what to expect

The one thing you can't forget on test day is photo ID issued by a government (FAA: Become a Drone Pilot). You'll sit the Unmanned Aircraft General - Small (UAG) test at a knowledge testing center approved by the FAA (FAA: Become a Drone Pilot): 60 scored questions, a 2-hour limit and a 70% pass mark (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 15). You get your score report before you leave (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-5). Here's what happens before, during and after.

Before the day

1. Get an FAA Tracking Number (FTN). It comes from setting up a profile in IACRA, the FAA's online application system, and you need it before you can register for the test (FAA: Become a Drone Pilot). Your FTN is printed on your test report (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 1).
2. Book the test. You can register online or by phone, choose a testing center, and register several weeks in advance; cancellations follow the testing center's policy (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-2). The fee is about $175 and is set by the testing provider, so check what it is when you book. Our guide to what Part 107 costs lists the other costs.
3. No sign-off needed. The UAG test requires no instructor endorsement or other written authorization (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 15).
4. Read the candidate bulletin. There is a Candidate Information Bulletin for the UAG test, linked from the FAA's testing advisory, covering how to register and schedule, what happens when you arrive, test authorization and test content (FAA testing advisory, August 2026, p. 11). Go by what it says today rather than by secondhand advice.

What to bring

Your photo ID has to be issued by a government (FAA: Become a Drone Pilot), and Part 107 spells out what it must show: your photograph, your signature, your date of birth and your permanent mailing address. A post office box as the mailing address isn't enough on its own; the ID then also needs your current residential address (14 CFR 107.67(b)). The FAA's testing matrix adds that the ID must be valid and current, and lists examples for US citizens and resident aliens, such as a driver's license, a government ID card, a military ID or a passport (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 1). A post office box isn't accepted as a residential address. If your ID doesn't show your current residential address, the matrix lists other ways to prove it (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 1).

If you're under 18 and don't have an acceptable ID, a parent or legal guardian must come with you, show their own ID and confirm who you are (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 1). The Remote Pilot ACS lists 14 as the minimum age to take the test (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-2), but you must be 16 to hold the certificate (14 CFR 107.61), and your date of birth must show you'll meet that age before your test report expires (14 CFR 107.67(b)(3)).

Leave study notes behind. Handwritten, printed or electronic written materials aren't allowed, and neither are dictionaries (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-3). Using an aid that isn't authorized, or giving or getting help, can lead to a 1-year bar on applying for any FAA certificate and on taking any FAA test (14 CFR 107.69).

What you may use during the test

• The testing supplement. The proctor provides the supplement book (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-3). For the UAG that's FAA-CT-8080-2H (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 15). No date has been set to remove printed supplements, and you keep access to yours until then (FAA testing advisory, August 2026, p. 5).
• A basic calculator. Aviation calculators and small calculators that only do arithmetic are on the acceptable list, but testing centers may provide calculators or refuse personal ones (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-3).
• Plotting tools. Scales, straightedges, protractors, plotters and navigation computers are acceptable when they're directly related to the test. The proctor makes the final call on any aid (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-3).
• A printed copy of a graph. For a question that uses a graph, you may ask for a printed copy to mark up. You hand it and all other notes back at the end (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-4).

At the testing center

The proctor scans and verifies your ID (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 3). Before the test starts, the testing center gives you a chance to practice with the test software. This tutorial may include sample questions, so you can try selecting an answer, marking a question for review and checking the time left (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-3).

Only 60 questions are scored. You may also see validation questions that carry no score either way, and the 2 hours already include the time to answer them (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 2). That works out to about 2 minutes a question, a little less if validation questions are added, which is enough if you keep moving.

Tests from October 26, 2026 onward add new image-based questions taken from current FAA charts, and those images are not printed in the testing supplement (FAA testing advisory, August 2026, p. 6). For any question that calls for measuring tools, the FAA says you will have them (FAA testing advisory, August 2026, p. 5). Our guide to the October 26, 2026 test changes has the details.

Tactics that help

The FAA's own test tips (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-4) boil down to a few habits:

• Read each question fully before you look at the answer choices.
• Only one answer is complete and correct. A choice that is partly right is still wrong.
• If a question is hard, mark it for review, answer the easier ones, then come back.
• For a calculation, read all the notes that go with it.

Spot a question that looks faulty? You can comment on it during the test; the FAA has subject matter experts who review those comments (FAA testing advisory, August 2026, p. 3) (FAA Airman Testing FAQ, p. 4).

After you finish

You get a printed Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) with your score as soon as you finish (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-5). It shows your name, FTN, score and the codes for any questions you answered incorrectly (FAA Airman Testing FAQ, p. 3). Keep the original. A passing report is valid for 24 calendar months for applying for your certificate (Remote Pilot ACS, p. A-5).

If you passed, the FAA's next steps are (FAA: Become a Drone Pilot):

1. Allow up to 48 hours for your test to appear in IACRA.
2. Fill in FAA Form 8710-13 in IACRA and give your 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID.
3. Wait for the TSA security background check. An email then explains how to print a temporary certificate from IACRA.
4. Your permanent certificate comes by mail.

The temporary certificate lasts up to 120 calendar days (14 CFR 107.64). Passing the test isn't enough to fly as remote pilot in command; you need to hold a certificate first (14 CFR 107.12(b)). Our step-by-step certification guide covers the whole process.

If you didn't pass, you can retest after 14 calendar days (14 CFR 107.71). Bring the failed report with you (FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, p. 15). Read what to do after failing the Part 107 test for a plan.

A quick checklist

• FTN from your IACRA profile, created before you booked.
• A valid, current government-issued photo ID with your photo, signature, date of birth and address (or one of the matrix's other proofs of address).
• No notes or study material, on paper or on a device.
• A basic calculator if you want one, knowing the center may supply its own or refuse yours.
• A last look at the Part 107 key numbers the day before, not a cram session the morning of.

Want a dress rehearsal? Take the free 20-question Part 107 practice test, or read the free test-day lesson from Part 107 Complete. The course ($39 one-time) has 15 timed mock exams in the same 60-question, 2-hour format, so the real clock won't feel new.

Questions people ask

What do I need to bring to the Part 107 test?

Photo ID issued by a government. Part 107 requires it to include your photo and signature, your date of birth, and your permanent mailing address, plus your current residential address if the mailing address is a post office box. The FAA testing matrix lists acceptable IDs.

Can I bring a calculator to the Part 107 test?

The Remote Pilot ACS lists aviation calculators and small calculators that only do arithmetic as acceptable. Testing centers may provide calculators or refuse personal ones, and the proctor makes the final call.

When do I get my Part 107 test results?

Right after you finish. The testing center gives you a printed Airman Knowledge Test Report with your score and the codes for any questions you answered incorrectly. It can take up to 48 hours for the test to appear in IACRA.

Do I need an instructor endorsement to take the Part 107 test?

No. The FAA testing matrix says the UAG test needs no instructor endorsement or other written authorization, including for a retest after failure.