How long does it take the FAA to review a deferred medical?
Asked by: Moses Aufderhar | Last update: July 28, 2025Score: 4.3/5 (67 votes)
What if your flight physical is deferred to the FAA by your examiner? Once that happens, a lot depends on what you do next. If you do nothing, the FAA will typically review your application over the course of several months and respond with a letter requesting additional information from your doctors.
How long does a FAA medical deferral take?
Unfortunately, deferrals often take several months to obtain a response from the FAA. The FAA response letters frequently request the pilot provide additional medical information to support the application.
How long does the FAA take to review medical?
We will process your application for medical certification (excluding special issuance cases) within 30 working days of receipt of all necessary medical information from your medical provider(s). We will respond to your request for duplicate medical certificates within 3 working days of receipt.
What happens if the FAA denies your medical?
An applicant whose medical certification is denied by an AME may request reconsideration of the decision by the Manager, FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD) or an FAA Regional Flight Surgeon (RFS).
Can the FAA see your medical history?
But, sooner or later, most pilots will develop a medical condition that they cannot hide. When that happens, your whole medical history will come under review. If you ever need to submit medical records to the FAA, they will review everything you give them.
ACP366 Your Medical Has Been Deferred Now What
What makes you fail a FAA medical?
These medical conditions include a personality disorder manifested by overt acts, a psychosis, alcoholism, drug dependence, epilepsy, an unexplained disturbance of consciousness, myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and diabetes requiring medication for its control.
What shows up on a FAA background check?
- Identity verification. ...
- Criminal history check. ...
- Employment and education verification. ...
- Financial history check. ...
- Security clearances. ...
- Application and consent. ...
- Information gathering. ...
- Verification and investigation.
How many FAA medicals are denied?
The FAA makes exceptions every day as long as the applicant can prove that they can perform the duties required without endangering public safety. With more than 400,000 applications received and processed every year for medical certificates by the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, only 0.1 percent end up denied.
How do I get my FAA medical back?
You must include a check or money order for $2.00 made payable to the FAA. The Aerospace Medical Certification Division can fax you a record of your certificate that is valid for no more than 60 days, which should be enough time to receive your replacement certificate.
What drugs disqualify you for FAA medical?
Opiates, such as Morphine, Codeine, Lortab, Percodan, Oxycontin. Muscle relaxants, such as Soma, Sonata, Flexeril. Anicholinergics, such as Levsin, Bnetyl, Transderm Scop. Sedating antihistamines, such as Benadryl, Chlorpheniramine, Zyrtec.
How long should a medical review take?
A short-form disability update review may take 1-3 months. A long-form review with a full medical CDR takes longer, ranging from 6 months to over a year. Several factors affect processing time. This is why you should contact a disability attorney for specific information on your case.
What not to do before FAA medical?
Before Your FAA Medical Examination
Avoid foods/beverages with caffeine, sodium or carbohydrates/sugar at least 8 hrs prior to the exam. Avoid eating at least 4 hrs prior to the exam.
How long can a deferral be?
“Deferred admission is an option that allows an admitted student to postpone their enrollment at a college or university for a specified period, typically one year,” says Victoria Romero, vice president for enrollment at Scripps College in California.
What is the FAA 7 day rule?
(d) No pilot may fly more than 32 hours during any seven consecutive days, and each pilot must be relieved from all duty for at least 24 consecutive hours at least once during any seven consecutive days.
How long does a deferred VA rating take?
Typical Duration of a Deferred VA Claim
The VA aims to complete deferred claims within 125 days; however, this target isn't always met. The waiting period can extend to several months, or in some complicated cases, even years.
What happens when FAA medical is deferred?
Currently, at the time of this writing, when an applicant's FAA medical application is deferred by an AME to the FAA for further reivew, the FAA will typically send an informational request letter to the applicant, allowing the applicant anywhere from 30 to 90 days to provide requested medical records and/or evaluation ...
How long does a FAA medical review take?
In the best case, they may issue you a certificate. Frequently, the review and submission process can repeat itself for several iterations. The process generally takes up to six months, but we have heard from a number of pilots who have spent more than a year stuck in the review and submission loop.
What happens if my FAA medical is denied?
If you have been denied for a condition which is not a “specifically disqualifying” condition, the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) will offer an applicant an opportunity to request reconsideration of a FAA medical denial by the Federal Air Surgeon.
What happens if I fail my FAA medical?
Denied – If the examiner finds you don't meet the medical requirements of the class you're testing for, they can deny your application. You are still allowed to appeal to the FAA, however, so a denial doesn't necessarily mean you're cut off from flying for good.
Can you fly without an FAA medical?
You need a medical certificate before flying solo in an airplane, helicopter, gyroplane, or airship.
How does the FAA revoke a medical?
An Airman Medical Certificate revocation may be initiated under many circumstances. The US Code of Federal Regulations Section 67.403(c)(1) provides for revocation or suspension of a medical certificate if you entered an incorrect statement on an application for a medical certificate, upon which the FAA relied.
How far back do FAA background checks go?
Since the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) doesn't go back a specific number of years when conducting background checks, a DUI over 10 years ago may make an FAA medical certificate harder to get.
What shows up on Pria?
It stands for the FAA's Pilot Records Improvement Act of 1996. It's a way for the FAA and employers to track records relating to pilot qualifications, experience, performance, drug and alcohol testing, and your driving record.
What disqualifies you from a FAA background check?
- Espionage or conspiracy to commit espionage.
- Sedition or conspiracy to commit sedition.
- Treason or conspiracy to commit treason.
- A federal crime of terrorism as defined in 18 U.S.C. ...
- A crime involving a TSI (transportation security incident).