FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification

The Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) certificate is the FAA's primary credential authorizing individuals to inspect, repair, and approve aircraft for return to service. Governed by 14 CFR Part 65, this certification directly affects the airworthiness of every certificated civil aircraft operating in the United States. Understanding the certificate's structure, privileges, and limitations is essential for anyone working in aviation maintenance or managing a Part 145 repair station.

Definition and Scope

The AMT certificate, issued under 14 CFR Part 65 Subpart D, grants the holder authority to perform maintenance on civil aircraft and, upon completion, to approve that aircraft for return to service. The certificate comes in two rating categories: Airframe and Powerplant, commonly referred to together as an "A&P" certificate. Each rating can be held independently or in combination.

The FAA further authorizes a sub-credential called the Inspection Authorization (IA), which is an add-on privilege — not a separate certificate — that allows a certificated A&P technician to conduct annual inspections and approve major repairs and alterations. An IA is governed by 14 CFR §65.91 through §65.95 (eCFR §65.91) and must be renewed annually.

The scope of the AMT certificate covers civilian aircraft only. Military aircraft maintenance is governed by separate Department of Defense standards, and military experience may satisfy certain FAA experience requirements but does not substitute for the certificate itself.

How It Works

Earning an AMT certificate follows a structured sequence of eligibility, examination, and practical demonstration:

1. Eligibility requirements — Applicants must be at least 18 years old, read, write, speak, and understand English, and hold either 18 months of practical experience for a single rating (Airframe or Powerplant) or 30 months of concurrent experience for both ratings. Alternatively, graduation from an FAA-approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School (AMTS) under 14 CFR Part 147 satisfies the experience requirement.

2. Knowledge tests — Applicants must pass three written knowledge tests per rating: General, Airframe, and Powerplant. Tests are administered at FAA-approved testing centers and require a passing score of at least 70 percent (14 CFR §65.75).

3. Oral and practical tests — Following the knowledge tests, applicants undergo oral questioning and hands-on practical demonstrations administered by an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) or a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME). The practical test standards are published in FAA Order 8900.2.

4. Certificate issuance — Upon successful completion, the FAA issues the certificate through its Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA) system. The AMT certificate has no expiration date, but currency of privileges depends on continued activity.

The FAA aviation maintenance technician framework is one component of the broader FAA safety regulations overview, which encompasses airworthiness standards, aircraft registration, and airworthiness certification requirements. Visitors seeking broader context on FAA regulatory authority can start at the FAA Authority home page.

Common Scenarios

Airframe-only vs. Powerplant-only certification — A technician holding only an Airframe rating may perform and sign off on structural repairs, avionics installations, and aircraft systems work, but cannot perform engine overhauls or approve powerplant work for return to service. A Powerplant-only holder faces the inverse restriction. The full A&P combination is the standard credential for most shop and line maintenance positions.

Part 145 Repair Station employment — Most commercial maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities operate under FAA Part 145 certificates. In this environment, not every technician performing work holds a full A&P; the repair station's quality system governs which certificate holders can approve work. A technician's individual AMT privileges interact with, but do not replace, the repair station's own authorization structure.

IA holders performing annual inspections — An IA-holder may conduct the annual inspection required by 14 CFR §91.409 on aircraft not used in air carrier operations. Without an IA, even a fully rated A&P technician cannot sign off an annual inspection — the IA privilege is specifically required for that function.

Military transition — Veterans with aircraft maintenance experience may use their service records to satisfy the 30-month experience requirement under 14 CFR §65.77. The FAA's Aviation Safety Hotline and local Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs) evaluate the equivalency of military training records on a case-by-case basis.

Decision Boundaries

The AMT certificate structure creates precise legal dividing lines that govern who may approve work and under what conditions:

• Approval authority vs. performance authority — Any person may perform maintenance under the supervision of a certificated technician, but only the certificate holder may approve the work for return to service. This distinction is foundational to Part 43 compliance (14 CFR Part 43).

• Major vs. minor repairs and alterations — Only IA holders may approve major repairs and major alterations (as classified in 14 CFR Part 43 Appendix A) on certificated aircraft not maintained under an air carrier certificate. A standard A&P certificate covers minor repairs and minor alterations only.

• Air carrier maintenance programs — Airlines operating under 14 CFR Part 121 maintain FAA-approved continuous airworthiness maintenance programs (CAMPs). Within a CAMP, the air carrier's authorization structure — not the individual AMT certificate alone — governs return-to-service approval. An A&P certificate remains a prerequisite for employment but does not independently confer sign-off authority within a Part 121 operation.

• Certificate currency — Unlike pilot certificates, the AMT certificate carries no expiration date, but privileges may be questioned if a technician cannot demonstrate recent experience. The IA, by contrast, expires on March 31 each year and must be renewed through the local FSDO under the criteria in 14 CFR §65.93.