How the FAA Part 107 knowledge test works

The FAA Part 107 initial knowledge test—officially Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG)—has 60 multiple-choice questions, allows two hours, and requires a 70 percent score to pass. First-time applicants take it in person at an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center after obtaining an FAA Tracking Number.

The FAA says testing centers charge approximately $175, but check the current amount when scheduling. Passing the test is not the last step: you then apply for the Remote Pilot Certificate through IACRA and complete the required security-vetting process.

This guide uses the FAA's current Remote Pilot Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-10B), testing matrix, and remote-pilot certification steps. PilotWrittenPrep is an independent prep product, not the FAA or the official test.

Part 107 test facts at a glance

For the initial UAG knowledge test:

• Questions: 60 objective, multiple-choice questions
• Answer format: one correct response for each question
• Time: up to two hours
• Passing score: 70 percent
• Delivery: appointment at an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center
• Price: approximately $175 according to the FAA; the center controls the actual charge
• Authorization: no instructor endorsement is required for an initial UAG attempt

The FAA's testing matrix is the best place to confirm test-code logistics close to your appointment. Delivery details can change even when the underlying ACS knowledge areas remain stable.

Who needs to take the initial test

A first-time applicant who does not qualify through the existing Part 61 pilot path normally takes and passes the UAG test before applying for a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating.

To qualify for the certificate, the FAA says you must:

• be at least 16 years old;
• be able to read, speak, write, and understand English;
• be in a physical and mental condition to operate a small UAS safely; and
• pass the initial aeronautical knowledge test.

Existing Part 61 certificate holders with a current flight review follow a different initial path using FAA online training. Check the FAA's current certification page rather than assuming that a course or test used by another pilot applies to you.

What the 60 questions cover

The ACS provides a blueprint by content area. The current ranges are:

• Regulations: 15–25 percent
• Airspace classification and operating requirements: 15–25 percent
• Weather: 11–16 percent
• Loading and performance: 7–11 percent
• Operations: 35–45 percent

Those are ranges, not a promise that every test has the same number of questions from each subtopic. Operations has the largest overall share, but no major area can be ignored. Regulations and airspace together can represent a large part of the test, and weather alone can account for roughly one question in six at the top of its range.

Use the Part 107 test outline to see the subject map in the app.

The ACS is your real study checklist

The ACS is more useful than a random list of “common questions.” Each knowledge item has a code, such as:

• UA.II.B.K1 for basic weather minimums;
• UA.III.A.K2 for METARs;
• UA.III.A.K3 for TAFs; and
• UA.V.D.K5 for hazard identification and risk assessment.

After the test, the Airman Knowledge Test Report uses ACS codes to identify deficient areas. During preparation, use those same codes to organize review. If you miss a weather question, “study weather more” is vague. “Practice UA.III.A.K3 TAF valid periods and change groups” is actionable.

The ACS also lists primary references for each task. That helps you check an explanation against FAA material instead of memorizing unsupported wording from a practice bank.

Weather is more than decoding abbreviations

Weather questions can test sources and effects. You may need to:

• decode a METAR observation;
• build a timeline from a TAF;
• apply 3 SM visibility and cloud-clearance minimums;
• connect wind and gusts to aircraft control;
• understand density-altitude effects; or
• identify hazards from fog, thunderstorms, icing, or unstable air.

Start with our Part 107 weather guide, then practice the focused METAR, TAF, and cloud-clearance lessons.

What to do before scheduling

1. Create an IACRA profile and obtain an FTN

The FAA Tracking Number identifies you in the airman certification and testing systems. Create your profile in the FAA's Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application system and record the information exactly as required.

2. Find an approved testing center

Use the links on the FAA certification page to locate and schedule with an FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center. Confirm the appointment details, current fee, accepted identification, arrival time, and center policies during booking.

3. Study against the current ACS

Do not use question count as the only readiness metric. You should be able to explain why the correct choice is correct and why each distractor fails. Mixed practice should come after focused lessons, not replace them.

4. Review permitted testing aids

The knowledge-testing rules define what applicants may bring and use. Confirm the current policy before the appointment rather than relying on a forum post or an old test-day video.

A practical study plan

First pass: build the map

Read the ACS and group every item into the five blueprint areas. Learn the language of charts, weather, and regulations before racing through full exams.

Second pass: practice one skill at a time

Work focused sets on airspace, sectional charts, weather reports, operating rules, loading, and decision-making. When you miss a question, write the ACS code and the rule or concept that resolves it.

Third pass: take timed mixed exams

The real test gives two hours for 60 questions—an average of two minutes per question. Practice managing that time without turning every item into a speed contest. Answer clear questions, mark uncertain ones, and return with remaining time.

Final pass: review errors, not answer letters

Rework reports, charts, and calculations from a clean page. If you remember only that “B was right,” you have learned the practice set rather than the concept.

Try the free demo to see the question style, then use the Part 107 prep course for structured practice and progress tracking.

What test day is like

Arrive with the identification and appointment information the testing center requires. The test is computer-delivered and consists of independent multiple-choice questions. One question's answer does not control another.

Use a deliberate process:

1. Read what the question actually asks.
2. Identify the relevant rule, chart, report, or risk principle.
3. Check units—AGL versus MSL, statute versus nautical miles, UTC versus local time.
4. Eliminate choices that conflict with the rule or supplied facts.
5. Mark and revisit a question if it is consuming disproportionate time.

The FAA periodically updates test delivery. Its June 2026 Airman Testing Community Advisory announced further use of images embedded directly in UAG questions beginning October 27, 2026. If your appointment is on or after that date, review current notices and the official sample-question experience. Do not assume an old screenshot shows the interface you will receive.

How the 70 percent score works

A 70 percent score is the passing threshold. With 60 questions, focus on understanding the full blueprint rather than trying to calculate an exact “allowed misses” strategy: test scoring and administration are governed by the FAA, and your goal should be a repeatable margin above the minimum.

If you do not pass, the FAA testing matrix requires a 14-day waiting period before a retest after failure. Use the ACS codes on the report to rebuild the weak areas before paying for another attempt.

What happens after you pass

Passing produces an Airman Knowledge Test Report, but it does not by itself make you a certificated remote pilot. For the first-time-pilot path, the FAA's current sequence includes:

1. completing the Remote Pilot application in IACRA;
2. entering the Knowledge Test Exam ID when prompted;
3. electronically signing and submitting the application;
4. completing the TSA security background process; and
5. receiving instructions for a temporary certificate, followed by the permanent certificate.

The FAA notes that it may take up to 48 hours after the test for the record to appear in IACRA. Follow the current on-screen and FAA instructions rather than submitting duplicate applications.

Your certificate and recurrent training

The Remote Pilot Certificate itself does not become current forever just because you passed the initial test once. To exercise Part 107 privileges, certificate holders must maintain aeronautical knowledge recency. The FAA currently requires completion of the applicable online recurrent training within the previous 24 calendar months.

Keep the certificate accessible during operations and keep your knowledge current as regulations, airspace tools, publications, and test delivery evolve.

What good preparation looks like

You are ready when you can:

• navigate the ACS rather than relying on a secret-question list;
• explain airspace and authorization requirements from a chart scenario;
• decode weather and apply it to a drone decision;
• distinguish altitude, visibility, and cloud-clearance rules;
• reason through operations and risk-management scenarios; and
• finish timed mixed exams with a stable passing margin.

That is a stronger target than recognizing repeated wording. The official test is designed to sample knowledge areas, while a real remote-pilot decision has consequences beyond a score.

Official references used

• Remote Pilot — Small UAS Airman Certification Standards, FAA-S-ACS-10B
• FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix
• Become a Certificated Remote Pilot
• FAA answer on Remote Pilot Certificate cost
• FAA Part 107 study-material guidance

References checked July 21, 2026. Confirm current FAA and testing-center requirements when you schedule.