Guide
How much does an A&P license cost?
What an A&P license costs: $175 per written test at PSI, examiner fees for the oral and practical, retests, and school. Typical totals for both routes.
What do you pay for to get an A&P?
Getting an A&P costs money in five places: the written tests, the oral and practical with an examiner, any retests, study tools, and school if you go that way. On the experience route there is no school bill, because your job is your training. Most people on that route pay roughly $1,300 to $1,800 in test fees. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.77]
| Cost | Who you pay | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| Part 147 school | The school | School route only |
| Written tests (General, Airframe, Powerplant) | PSI, the FAA's testing company | Everyone |
| Oral and practical tests | The Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) | Everyone |
| Retests | PSI or the DME | Anyone who fails a test |
| Study tools | Your choice | Optional |
| Travel to the test center and DME | You | Everyone |
What does a typical A&P cost in total?
For both ratings, plan on about $525 for the three writtens plus $800 to $1,300 for the oral and practical. That is about $1,325 to $1,825 before travel, study tools and retests. The school route adds tuition on top, and tuition varies too much to guess. Ask the school.
| Cost | Experience route | School route |
|---|---|---|
| School tuition | None | Varies widely. Ask the school. |
| 3 written tests at $175 each | About $525, plus tax | About $525, plus tax |
| Oral and practical, both ratings | About $800 to $1,300 | About $800 to $1,300 |
| Typical total, test fees only | About $1,325 to $1,825 | Tuition plus about $1,325 to $1,825 |
Written test fee: PSI, as of October 2026. [PSI-FAA-TESTING, Organizational vouchers, p. 3] Oral and practical: fees reported by examiners and schools, as of October 2026. Ask your DME. [AVTECH-PRICING, Oral and Practical, p. 2] [CAROLINA-AERO-TUITION, DME Oral & Practical Examinations, p. 3] [APFASTRACK-COURSE, Oral & Practical Examiner's Fee, p. 2]
How much do the written tests cost?
PSI lists $175 per test, plus tax, as of October 2026. PSI is the company the FAA uses for knowledge tests. You need three writtens for both ratings, so about $525. Each test is booked and paid for on its own, and a retest costs the full fee again. [PSI-FAA-TESTING, Organizational vouchers, p. 3]
You make an account with PSI, pick a test center, and pay when you schedule. [FAA-G-ACS-1, Ch. 4, p. 15] Prices change, so check PSI's site before you book.
How much does the oral and practical cost?
The DME (Designated Mechanic Examiner) sets the fee, so it changes from one examiner to the next. Examiners and schools reported about $800 to $1,300 for both ratings, as of October 2026. Ask your DME for a quote before you book, and ask what it covers.
| Who reported it | Fee they list | Both ratings |
|---|---|---|
| AvTech Exams (school) | About $267 to $300 for each of the 3 sections | About $800 to $900 |
| Carolina Aeronautical (school) | $650 per exam, plus a $40 DME registration fee | $1,300 |
| A&P Fastrack (school with an on-site DME) | $1,000 for one rating | $1,300 |
Fees reported by examiners and schools, as of October 2026. Ask your DME. [AVTECH-PRICING, Oral and Practical, p. 2] [CAROLINA-AERO-TUITION, DME Oral & Practical Examinations, p. 3] [APFASTRACK-COURSE, Oral & Practical Examiner's Fee, p. 2]
A list of DMEs is on faa.gov or at your local FSDO. Ask each one about the fee, what it covers, and how long the test takes. [FAA-G-ACS-1, Ch. 6, p. 20]
What does failing cost you?
Every failed test means paying again. You also wait 30 days to retest, unless a mechanic with the rating signs off that you got more training. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.19]
Failing is common. In 2025, about 3 in 10 people failed the General written, and close to 4 in 10 failed Powerplant. [FAA-AKT-VOL-CY2025, CY2025, p. 1] At $175 a try, passing the first time is the cheapest way through.
There is also a time cost. All your tests must be passed within 24 months of the first one. Run out of time and you start over. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.71(a)(3)]
How can you keep the cost down?
- Use the free FAA books. The FAA handbooks and the ACS are free to download from faa.gov. Our sources page links to each one.
- Study before you test. A retest costs as much as the first try.
- Book the writtens close together. Fewer trips, and the material is fresh.
- Get quotes from more than one DME. Ask what is included.
Want to know where you stand before paying $175 for a test? Take the free 20-question General diagnostic.
Questions people ask
- How much is the A&P written test?
- PSI lists $175 per test, plus tax, as of October 2026. You take three writtens for both ratings (General, Airframe, Powerplant), so about $525. A retest costs the same again.
- How much does the A&P oral and practical cost?
- The examiner sets the fee. Examiners and schools reported about $800 to $1,300 for both ratings as of October 2026. Ask your DME for a quote and what it covers.
- Is the A&P license free if I qualify by experience?
- You skip school costs, but you still pay for the written tests and the oral and practical. The work experience itself is your job, so it pays you instead of costing you.
Sources
Every fact above comes from one of these FAA or eCFR documents. Page numbers are the PDF page unless marked. The full list of what we use is on the sources page.
- 14 CFR Part 65: 14 CFR Part 65: Certification: Airmen Other Than Flight Crewmembers (eCFR current as of 2026-10-28)
- § 65.77 Experience requirements, p. 65.77
- § 65.19 Retesting after failure, p. 65.19
- § 65.71 Eligibility requirements: General, p. 65.71
- FAA-G-ACS-1: Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide for Aviation Mechanics (with Changes 1 and 2)
- Chapter 4, How to Register for an FAA Airman Knowledge Test, p. 15
- Chapter 6, The Oral and Practical (O&P) Test Process, p. 20
- Knowledge test volume and pass rates, CY2025, p. 1
- Organizational vouchers, cost (web snapshot 2026-10-30), p. 3
- Oral and Practical fee note (web snapshot 2026-10-30), p. 2
- FAA DME's A&P Oral & Practical Examinations (web snapshot 2026-10-30), p. 3
- Oral & Practical Examiner's Fee (web snapshot 2026-10-30), p. 2