Getting started
What Does a Part 107 Certificate Cost?
✓ Reviewed against current FAA sources on October 22, 2026
In this guide
In short
The FAA does not charge for the remote pilot certificate itself. The cost is the knowledge test fee, which is set and collected by the testing vendor PSI rather than by the FAA and is commonly reported at $175, plus drone registration at $5 per aircraft under Part 107 and whatever you choose to spend on study materials.
The certificate is free. Everything people describe as the cost of a Part 107 license is either a vendor fee or a choice about how to prepare.
The knowledge test fee
The Unmanned Aircraft General - Small test is administered at testing centers operated by PSI, and the fee is set by the vendor rather than by the FAA. It is commonly reported at $175 for 2026. Because it is a vendor fee rather than a regulatory one, confirm the current amount with PSI when you schedule.
The fee is charged per attempt. A retest after a failure means paying it again, in addition to the 14 calendar day wait under Section 107.71 (opens in a new tab).
The certificate itself
There is no FAA charge for the remote pilot certificate. After you pass, you apply through IACRA and the certificate is issued without a further fee.
Registration
Aircraft registration under Part 48 carries a small fee per aircraft. Note that under Part 107 the aircraft must be registered whatever its weight, so this applies even to very small aircraft used for work. The weight exemption in Section 48.15 (opens in a new tab) reaches only aircraft flown exclusively under the recreational exception, as we set out in do I need to register my drone.
Study materials, which are the variable
This is the part that ranges from nothing to several hundred dollars. The FAA's own source documents are free to download, and a determined self-studier can prepare from them. What paid materials buy is organization: the same content in test order, with the reasoning explained and practice questions attached.
Recurrent training is free
Unlike the initial test, recurrent training under Section 107.65 (opens in a new tab) is completed online at no charge. A remote pilot certificate does not expire, so there is no renewal fee. We cover the currency requirement in Part 107 recurrent training.
A realistic total
For a first-time candidate who passes on the first attempt, the unavoidable costs are the test fee and the registration fee. Everything else is a decision about how much structure you want to buy.
Sources: 14 CFR 107.65 (opens in a new tab), 107.71 (opens in a new tab); 14 CFR Part 48 (opens in a new tab); FAA Airman Knowledge Testing information. Testing fees are set by the testing vendor and can change.