IACRA, Your FTN, and the Road to the Test
Getting Part 107 certified is a paperwork pipeline with exactly one hard part in the middle: the knowledge test. Here's the full sequence, in order, so nothing catches you off guard.
Step 1: Create Your IACRA Account and Get Your FTN
Before you can schedule anything, the FAA needs to know you exist. That happens through IACRA — the FAA's online portal for airman certification. You create a free account, enter your personal info exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID, and the system assigns you an FTN: your FAA Tracking Number.
Think of the FTN as your permanent ID inside the FAA's system. Every step that follows — scheduling the test, taking the test, applying for your certificate — gets tied to that one number. You'll be asked for it when you book your exam, so write it down somewhere you won't lose it.
One account, one FTN, for life. Don't create a second account later if you forget your login — recover the original instead. Duplicate records are the kind of paperwork snag that can stall your application.
Step 2: Study, Then Schedule the Knowledge Test
With your FTN in hand, the next phase is the part that actually takes effort: studying. The Part 107 knowledge test covers airspace, weather, regulations, loading and performance, and operations — the same material this Academy walks you through module by module.
When you're consistently scoring well on practice questions, schedule your exam at an FAA-approved testing center. You'll give them your FTN when you book, and you'll show up with your government-issued photo ID on test day.
The test itself: 60 multiple-choice questions, 2 hours on the clock, and you need 70% to pass. That's 42 correct answers. Two hours was far more time than I needed — I finished with plenty to spare — and if you've put in honest study time, it likely will be for you too.
Enter your name in IACRA exactly as it reads on the photo ID you'll bring to the testing center. A mismatch between the two — even a missing middle name — is a classic self-inflicted delay, and one of the easiest ones to avoid.
Step 3: Pass, File Form 8710-13, and Get Your Certificate
Passing the test doesn't make you certified yet — it earns you the right to apply. You log back into IACRA and complete FAA Form 8710-13, the application for your Remote Pilot Certificate. Your test results link to your FTN, so the system already knows you passed.
After you submit, the TSA runs a security background check. Once that clears, you can print a temporary certificate right from IACRA — and yes, that temporary certificate lets you fly commercially while you wait. The permanent card arrives by mail later.
From there, staying legal is simple: complete the free online recurrent training every 24 calendar months and your certificate stays current. The certificate itself never expires — only your currency does.
KNOWLEDGE CHECK · 1
You're ready to get certified so you can legally sell aerial photos of listings in your area. What's the correct FIRST step before you can even schedule the knowledge test?
Key takeaways
- IACRA account first — it generates your FTN, the ID number that follows you through every step.
- The knowledge test is 60 questions, 2 hours, 70% to pass — booked with your FTN at an FAA-approved testing center.
- Passing earns you the right to apply: file Form 8710-13 in IACRA, clear the TSA check, then print your temporary certificate.
- Your certificate never expires — free recurrent training every 24 calendar months keeps you current.
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