Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
Total cost over period
$300
Number of renewals in period
2
Base exam cost
$300
Special issuance costs
$0
Average annual cost
$30
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How to use this
- 1Enter medical pathway.
- 2Enter exam / physician fee ($).
- 3Enter period to project (yrs).
- 4Enter extra special-issuance testing cost (if any) ($/yr).
- 5Read your total cost over period on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
Pilots choosing between a 3rd/2nd/1st class FAA medical, BasicMed, and sport pilot self-certification face very different cost and renewal-frequency tradeoffs, and the cheapest headline exam fee isn't always the cheapest long-run option once renewal frequency and any special issuance costs are factored in. This calculator projects total cost over a chosen period given the exam fee, renewal interval, and an allowance for special issuance follow-up testing that some pilots need for specific conditions.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Medical pathway: 3rd class FAA medical
- Exam / physician fee: 150 $
- Period to project: 10 yrs
- Extra special-issuance testing cost (if any): 0 $/yr
Results
- Total cost over period: $300
- Number of renewals in period: 2
- Base exam cost: $300
- Special issuance costs: $0
- Average annual cost: $30
What each field means
Inputs
- Medical pathway
- Pick the option that matches your situation — the maths changes per option. Choices: 3rd class FAA medical, 2nd class FAA medical, 1st class FAA medical, BasicMed, Sport pilot (driver's license).
- Exam / physician fee ($)
- The exam / physician fee used in the calculation, measured in $. Starts at 150 $ so you have a working example on load.
- Period to project (yrs)
- The period to project used in the calculation, measured in yrs. Starts at 10 yrs so you have a working example on load. Accepted range: 1–40 yrs.
- Extra special-issuance testing cost (if any) ($/yr)
- The extra special-issuance testing cost (if any) used in the calculation, measured in $/yr. Starts at 0 $/yr so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Total cost over period
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Number of renewals in period
- Returned as a whole number. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Base exam cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Special issuance costs
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Average annual cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
What's the actual renewal interval for each class?
3rd class is valid 60 months (5 years) under age 40, 24 months (2 years) at 40 or older. 2nd class is valid 12 months for commercial privileges, reverting to 3rd class duration for private privileges after. 1st class is valid 12 months for airline transport pilot privileges under age 40, 6 months at 40+. This calculator uses the simplified under-40 durations; older pilots should model shorter intervals.
How does BasicMed compare in cost and hassle?
BasicMed requires a one-time FAA medical exam in your history, then a physician's exam using an FAA-provided checklist every 4 years plus an online medical education course every 2 years, at whatever your regular doctor charges (often $150-300, sometimes covered by insurance as a routine physical). It avoids the FAA's certification process entirely but restricts you to smaller, slower aircraft and specific operating limitations.
Why would someone with special issuance costs stick with an FAA medical instead of BasicMed?
If your qualifying condition requires ongoing special issuance under the standard FAA medical process, moving to BasicMed generally requires having held a valid medical (regular or special issuance) at some point after July 14, 2006, and once on BasicMed you don't do a repeat FAA special issuance for that condition. But some pilots stay on FAA medicals because they need first or second class privileges, which BasicMed doesn't provide.
Is sport pilot self-certification really free medically?
Yes — sport pilots operating under 61.23(c)(2) can use a valid U.S. driver's license instead of any FAA medical or BasicMed process, provided they've never been denied or had an FAA medical revoked/suspended. This is the cheapest pathway medically but restricts you to light sport aircraft with specific weight, speed, and seating limitations.
Accuracy and limitations
- Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.
- Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.
- This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Pilot Medical Certificate Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pilot-medical-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pilot-medical-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pilot Medical Certificate Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Pilot Medical Certificate Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/pilot-medical-cost) (2026).