Can I combine experience from different jobs?

Yes. Section III of the 8610-2 has a row for each job, with dates, employer and the type of work. The FSDO adds up the time. Use exact dates so the total is easy to check.

Does my job title count as proof?

No. The form's instructions say job titles are not a description of the type of work performed. Describe the actual work, like inspecting landing gear or replacing cylinders.

What if I only have airframe experience?

You can apply for the Airframe rating alone with 18 months of airframe work. You can add the Powerplant rating later when you have that experience.

Guide

A&P experience requirements and Form 8610-2

How to qualify for the A&P with work experience: the 18 and 30 month rules, what proof the FSDO wants, and how to fill out Form 8610-2.

By Austin Stout, Founder and EditorReview pendingUpdated Oct 30, 20267 min read

How much experience do you need for an A&P?

You need 18 months of hands-on experience for one rating, Airframe or Powerplant. For both ratings at once, you need 30 months doing both kinds of work at the same time. The work has to use the tools, materials and methods that mechanics use on real aircraft. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.77(b)]

You want	Minimum experience
Airframe rating only	18 months of airframe work
Powerplant rating only	18 months of powerplant work
Both ratings	30 months doing both at the same time

Notice the word "concurrently" in the rule for both ratings. Thirty months means 30 months of mixed airframe and powerplant work. It is not 18 months of one plus 12 months of the other.

Technical details: § 65.77 in fullShow

Each applicant for a mechanic certificate or rating must present either (a) an authenticated document from a certificated aviation maintenance technician school in accordance with § 147.21; or (b) documentary evidence, satisfactory to the Administrator, of (1) at least 18 months of practical experience with the procedures, practices, materials, tools, machine tools, and equipment generally used in constructing, maintaining, or altering airframes or powerplants, appropriate to the rating sought; or (2) at least 30 months of practical experience concurrently performing the duties appropriate to both the airframe and powerplant ratings. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.77]

What counts as proof?

The rule asks for "documentary evidence, satisfactory to the Administrator." In plain words: papers that show what you did and when, that an FAA inspector will accept. The rule does not list the exact papers. Your FSDO decides what is enough. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.77(b)]

People commonly bring:

Letters from employers or supervising mechanics that list dates and the work you did
Logbook pages or work orders with your name on them
Pay stubs or tax records that show the dates you worked there

Bring more than you think you need. A letter that says "worked here 2 years" is weak. A letter that says "inspected and repaired landing gear, replaced cylinders, rigged flight controls, from March 2024 to May 2026" is strong.

How do you fill out Form 8610-2?

Form 8610-2 is the application for the mechanic certificate. Experience applicants fill out the top section and Sections I to IV. Section II is where you pick civil or military experience. Section III is your work history. An FAA inspector fills out Section V. [FAA Form 8610-2, Instructions, p. 5]

Section	What goes there
Top section	Certificate and ratings you are applying for
I. Applicant information	Name, address, birth date, citizenship
II. Application basis	Box A for civil experience, box B for military (mark both if you have both)
III. Record of experience	One row per job: dates from and to, employer and location, type of work
IV. Applicant's certification	Your signature and date
V. FAA endorsement	Signed by the inspector if you meet § 65.77

The instructions are clear on one point: "Job titles are not a description of the type of work performed." Write what you did with your hands, not what your badge said. [FAA Form 8610-2, Section III, column 4, p. 5]

Use exact dates. The form asks for month and year. It also says to give the full day (MM/DD/YYYY) when the count is close, so the FSDO can count the days. [FAA Form 8610-2, Section III note, p. 5]

What happens at the FSDO?

You bring the 8610-2 and your proof to your local Flight Standards District Office. An inspector reviews it. If your experience meets § 65.77, they sign Section V. That signed form is your ticket into the test center. [FAA Form 8610-2, Section V, p. 6] [FAA-G-ACS-1, Ch. 3, p. 12]

Keep the original. The test center makes a copy for its records. [FAA-G-ACS-1, Ch. 3, p. 12]

Before any test you also need an FAA Tracking Number from IACRA, the FAA's online application system. [FAA-G-ACS-1, Ch. 4, p. 15]

Can you take the General written before you have the experience?

Not on the experience route. The rule says you pass the written "after meeting the applicable experience requirements." The early General written is only for Part 147 school students who have finished the General part of the course. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.75(a) and (c)]

You can study before you qualify. That is the smart move. Once the FSDO signs your form, the 24-month window starts with your first passed test, so be ready. [14 CFR Part 65, § 65.71(a)(3)]

Next steps

Run the eligibility checker to see which route fits and what proof to bring.
Served in the military? Read the military route.
Back to the full guide: how to get your A&P license.

Questions people ask

Can I combine experience from different jobs?: Yes. Section III of the 8610-2 has a row for each job, with dates, employer and the type of work. The FSDO adds up the time. Use exact dates so the total is easy to check.
Does my job title count as proof?: No. The form's instructions say job titles are not a description of the type of work performed. Describe the actual work, like inspecting landing gear or replacing cylinders.
What if I only have airframe experience?: You can apply for the Airframe rating alone with 18 months of airframe work. You can add the Powerplant rating later when you have that experience.

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
- § 65.71 Eligibility requirements: General, p. 65.71
- § 65.75 Knowledge requirements, p. 65.75
FAA Form 8610-2: Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application: Mechanic and Parachute Rigger (07-23)
- Instructions, Section II Application Basis, Section III Record of Experience, p. 5
- Form page 1, Section V FAA Endorsement, p. 6
FAA-G-ACS-1: Airman Certification Standards Companion Guide for Aviation Mechanics (with Changes 1 and 2)
- Chapter 1, Mechanic Certificate Eligibility Requirements, p. 8
- Chapter 3, documents that authorize testing, p. 12
- Chapter 4, Step 1. Obtain an FAA Tracking Number, p. 15