To replace a lost pilot’s license, request a new certificate through the FAA’s Airmen Online Services portal at amsrvs.registry.faa.gov, pay the $2 fee, and download the emailed temporary authority that lets you keep flying for up to 60 days while the plastic card is produced.1Federal Aviation Administration. Requesting Replacement Certificates Online Private, commercial, and ATP certificates don’t expire, so a lost card isn’t a race against a clock; the concern is that federal rules expect you to have your certificate on you when exercising pilot privileges.
Keep Flying While You Wait
A pilot whose certificate is lost or destroyed can obtain a temporary document that serves as a legal substitute for up to 60 days.2eCFR. 14 CFR 61.29 – Replacement of a Lost or Destroyed Airman or Medical Certificate or Knowledge Test Report The FAA delivers this temporary authority by email through the same Airmen Online Services portal you use to order the replacement.3Federal Aviation Administration. Requesting Temporary Authority to Exercise Certificate Privileges Online Print it or keep it on your phone, and it functions as your certificate until the new one arrives.
The system automatically checks your record for a valid address and physical description. If something doesn’t match, you’ll get a message directing you to contact the Airmen Certification Branch. Pilots holding a U.S. certificate issued on the basis of a foreign license cannot use the online temporary authority process and must contact the branch by phone or mail.3Federal Aviation Administration. Requesting Temporary Authority to Exercise Certificate Privileges Online
Order the Replacement Online
The fastest route is the Airmen Online Services portal.4Federal Aviation Administration. Airmen Services Create an account if you don’t already have one, select “Order a Replacement Certificate,” confirm your personal details, and pay the $2 fee by credit card.1Federal Aviation Administration. Requesting Replacement Certificates Online The fee applies per certificate, so a pilot who also holds, say, a ground instructor certificate and needs both replaced pays $4.
One thing that trips people up: the FAA’s other system, IACRA at iacra.faa.gov, is for new certifications and rating applications, not replacements. If you end up there, you’re in the wrong place.
Order the Replacement by Mail
If you’d rather submit a paper request, download and complete FAA Form AC 8060-56, the Application for Replacement of Lost, Destroyed, or Paper Airman Certificate.5Federal Aviation Administration. Form AC 8060-56 – Application for Replacement of Lost, Destroyed, or Paper Airman Certificate(s) Include a check or money order for $2 per certificate made payable to the FAA.6Federal Aviation Administration. Replace an Airmen Certificate
Mail everything to:
Federal Aviation Administration
Airmen Certification Branch
P.O. Box 25082
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-00827Federal Aviation Administration. Contact the Airmen Certification Branch
Use a trackable mailing method. If your application gets lost in transit you’ll have no proof you sent it, and the 60-day temporary authority runs from the date of your request.
Watch the form number. Form AC 8060-55 is for address changes, not replacements, and submitting the wrong one causes delays.
Information You’ll Need
Whether you apply online or by mail, 14 CFR 61.29 requires:2eCFR. 14 CFR 61.29 – Replacement of a Lost or Destroyed Airman or Medical Certificate or Knowledge Test Report
- Your full legal name exactly as it appears on the certificate.
- Your permanent mailing address with ZIP code. If that address is a P.O. box, include your residential address as well.
- Your date and place of birth.
- The grade of your certificate (Private, Commercial, ATP, and so on), the certificate number, and the date of issuance if you have them.
If you don’t remember the certificate number, the FAA can find your record by name and date of birth.
How Long the Replacement Takes
The FAA says processing and mailing a permanent replacement takes roughly six to eight weeks.8Federal Aviation Administration. How Long Does It Take the FAA to Send Out a Permanent License (Certificate)? That range applies whether you file online or by mail, though online skips the postal transit both ways. This is exactly why the 60-day temporary authority matters: it covers the gap between your request and the arrival of the card.
Change Your Name Before You Replace
If your legal name has changed since your certificate was issued, ordering a replacement alone won’t update it. A name change requires an in-person visit to an FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) with identification and one of the following: a photocopy of a marriage license, a court order reflecting the name change, or another legal document verifying it.9Federal Aviation Administration. Report a Change in Your Name, Nationality/Citizenship Handle this first, or the replacement will come back under your old name and need to be replaced again.
Drop Your Social Security Number From the Card
Older pilot certificates used the holder’s Social Security number as the certificate number. The FAA no longer does this, but a replacement is reissued with the same number unless you ask for a change.10Federal Aviation Administration. Change Your Airman Certificate Number Given the identity theft risk of carrying a card with your SSN on it, requesting a unique replacement number when you order the new certificate is worth the small extra step. You can do it through the online portal or by mailing Form AC 8060-67.
Foreign-Based Certificates
If your U.S. certificate was issued based on a foreign license under 14 CFR 61.75 or 14 CFR 63.42, you can’t order the replacement online. You’ll need to complete a Verification of Authenticity of Foreign License, Rating, and Medical Certification form, submit it to the Airmen Certification Branch, and then appear at a FSDO for positive identification before the replacement can be issued.1Federal Aviation Administration. Requesting Replacement Certificates Online Budget extra time, especially if the nearest FSDO isn’t close.
Your Medical Certificate Is Separate
Your airman certificate and your medical certificate are different documents issued by different FAA divisions. If your medical is also missing, that replacement goes through the Aerospace Medical Certification Division, not the Airmen Certification Branch, using Form AC 8060-56 mailed separately.11Federal Aviation Administration. Request a Copy of Your Medical Certificate The fee is $2, paid through Pay.gov rather than included with the request, and the medical division can fax a temporary record valid for up to 60 days while yours is processed.12Federal Aviation Administration. I Lost My Medical Certificate; How Can I Obtain a Copy?