The medical certificate
Second class, validity periods, and why BasicMed is not enough here.
13 min read · Commercial privileges and the checkride
After this lesson you can
- State which medical class is required to exercise commercial privileges.
- Compute how long a second-class certificate authorizes commercial privileges, and what it steps down to afterward.
- Explain why BasicMed cannot cover a commercial pilot getting paid to fly.
- Describe the pilot's ongoing self-certification duty, independent of a valid certificate.
The medical certificate is the one document in the commercial file that expires on its own, without warning, and whose expiration turns a legal flight into a violation instantly. It deserves to be understood in its mechanics, which are less simple than they look.
The central point is that a medical certificate does not expire all at once: it steps down in stages. A second-class certificate stops authorizing commercial privileges after 12 calendar months, but keeps authorizing private pilot privileges for a longer period that depends on the holder's age at the time of the medical exam.
The second point is that BasicMed, the alternative widely used by American private pilots, does not cover commercial privileges. A commercial pilot who switches to BasicMed keeps the right to fly, but loses the right to be paid for it.
1.Which class covers which privilege
The general rule is that the medical class required matches the privileges actually being exercised on that flight, not the certificate held. A commercial certificate holder flying purely for personal enjoyment is not exercising commercial privileges: a third-class certificate is enough for that flight.
Exercising commercial privileges, on the other hand, requires at least a second-class certificate. First class is required only for exercising airline transport pilot privileges, and it is issued after a more demanding exam, notably on the cardiovascular side.
This logic of privilege actually exercised explains why holding a first-class certificate serves no purpose for a pilot only exercising commercial privileges: the renewal burden is heavier and the medical standard stricter, with no benefit.
| Privileges exercised | Minimum class |
|---|---|
| Airline transport pilot | First class |
| Commercial pilot | Second class |
| Private pilot, student, recreational instructor | Third class |
| Glider, free balloon | No medical certificate required |
A commercial pilot must hold a Second Class medical certificate (or First Class, which downgrades to Second). The Second Class is valid for 12 months for commercial privileges, then downgrades to Third Class (private pilot privileges) for another 24 months. First Class is required for ATP. Medical certificates are issued by an AME (Aviation Medical Examiner) after a physical exam covering vision, hearing, mental health, and cardiovascular health.
2.Stepping down through the classes
A second-class certificate authorizes commercial privileges for 12 calendar months from the date of the exam, regardless of the holder's age. Past that point, the certificate does not vanish: it continues to authorize third-class privileges.
The length of that second stage depends on the holder's age at the date of the medical exam, not the holder's current age. A pilot examined before turning 40 keeps third-class privileges for 60 calendar months total; a pilot examined at 40 or older keeps them for 24 calendar months total.
The same mechanism applies to a first-class certificate, with one extra stage: airline transport pilot privileges for a shorter period, then commercial privileges, then private privileges. This staircase structure is the source of most validity miscalculations.
| Age at exam | Commercial privileges | Then third-class privileges |
|---|---|---|
| Under 40 | 12 calendar months | 60 calendar months total |
| 40 or older | 12 calendar months | 24 calendar months total |
The regulation says
Durations are counted in calendar months from the last day of the month of the exam. An exam taken on March 3 therefore covers through March 31 of the following year for a 12-month stage.
Quick check
A pilot's second-class certificate is 14 months old. The pilot was 35 at the time of the exam. What privileges, if any, remain valid?
3.What BasicMed allows and does not allow
BasicMed is an alternative pathway to the medical certificate, open to pilots who have held an FAA medical certificate after a reference date. It relies on an exam by a state-licensed physician using a required checklist, together with a periodically renewed online education module.
The decisive point for a commercial pilot is that BasicMed authorizes only private pilot privileges. It does not permit acting as pilot in command for compensation, or carrying persons or property for compensation.
BasicMed also imposes its own limitations tied to the aircraft and the operation: number of occupants, maximum weight, capped altitude and speed, and a prohibition on flying outside the United States without the permission of the country overflown. These limits should be checked against the current text, since they have been revised over time.
Caution
A commercial pilot whose second-class certificate has fully expired, and who is operating under BasicMed, can still fly for pleasure. Accepting any compensation under those conditions is a violation, regardless of holding an otherwise valid commercial certificate.
4.The special case of the flight instructor
The flight instructor occupies an unusual position. Instructing is a paid aeronautical activity, which requires at minimum a commercial certificate, but the instructor is not necessarily the pilot in command of every flight conducted: when a qualified student is acting as pilot in command, the instructor may be aboard as a required crewmember without being the PIC.
FAA legal interpretations have addressed the medical class implications of this situation for the instructor. The answer depends on who is acting as pilot in command and on the exact nature of the flight.
This is not a point to guess from memory. An instructor considering flying without a valid second-class certificate should verify the exact situation against current regulations and interpretations, because the answer changes with the configuration of the flight.
Pilot tip
In practice, most instructors simply keep a valid medical certificate current: the legal safety margin is well worth the cost of an annual exam.
5.What invalidates a certificate that is still current on paper
A medical certificate can be valid on paper and meaningless in practice. The regulations prohibit acting as a crewmember for anyone who knows, or has reason to know, of a medical condition or a medication that would make them unable to meet the standards required for their certificate.
This self-assessment duty is continuous and rests entirely on the pilot. It covers temporary conditions as well as lasting ones, and it covers the effects of medications, including those available without a prescription.
There is also a list of specifically disqualifying medical conditions in the regulations. If one of those appears, the pilot must stop flying and resolve the situation with the FAA before resuming.
- Continuous duty — The pilot must self-assess before every flight: the certificate attests to a condition observed on a given day, not a permanent state.
- Medications — An over-the-counter drug can be disqualifying. The list of acceptable substances is published and changes over time.
- Reporting — Certain conditions require reporting to the FAA and prohibit flying until a decision is issued.
Quick check
A pilot holds a valid second-class medical certificate but has just started a new over-the-counter medication that causes drowsiness. May the pilot act as pilot in command?
What to remember
- The class required depends on the privileges exercised during the flight, not the certificate held.
- Second class for commercial privileges, first class for airline transport privileges, third class for private privileges.
- A second-class certificate authorizes commercial privileges for 12 calendar months, regardless of age.
- It then continues to authorize third-class privileges: 60 months total if the exam was before age 40, 24 months if at or after.
- All durations are counted in calendar months, so an expiration always falls on the last day of the relevant month.
- BasicMed authorizes only private pilot privileges: no compensation is possible under it.
- A valid certificate never removes the duty to self-assess before every flight.
Key terms
Try to recall each definition before turning the card.
FAA sources for this lesson
- 14 CFR 61.23 - Medical certificates: Requirement and duration
- 14 CFR 61.53 - Prohibition on operations during medical deficiency
- 14 CFR 61.113(i) - Private pilot privileges under BasicMed
- 14 CFR part 67 - Medical standards and certification
- 14 CFR part 68 - Requirements for operating certain small aircraft without a medical certificate
- PHAK Chapter 17 - Obtaining a Medical Certificate
End-of-lesson quiz
1.A 35-year-old pilot passes a second-class exam in June. Until when can commercial privileges be exercised?
2.The same pilot, 13 months after the exam, can still fly:
3.A commercial pilot operating under BasicMed may:
4.What class of medical certificate does a commercial certificate holder need for a purely personal, non-compensated flight?
5.A pilot holding a valid second-class certificate takes an over-the-counter medication that causes drowsiness. What does the regulation say?