Many people with a medical condition can still become pilots. The FAA does not keep a simple list of banned diagnoses. Part 67 of the federal aviation regulations sets the medical standards, names a handful of conditions as disqualifying, and then lets the Federal Air Surgeon grant a special issuance to someone who does not meet them but can fly safely. For a long list of common conditions, an examiner can issue a medical certificate on the spot once a worksheet is completed.
This guide explains how that system works for a private pilot, what the FAA's own documents say about the conditions people ask about most, and where the lines fall. It does not replace an examination, and it does not predict an outcome.
Key Takeaways
Part 67 lists the standards. Section 67.401 lets the FAA issue an authorization or a Statement of Demonstrated Ability to someone who does not meet them.
For 29 conditions, the FAA's Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) worksheets let an examiner issue without contacting the FAA when every criterion is met.
Glasses, contact lenses, LASIK, color blindness, high blood pressure and BPPV are all handled by FAA tables with specific rules, covered below.
Medications matter as much as diagnoses. The FAA keeps Do Not Issue and Do Not Fly medication lists.
If you hold a medical certificate, you cannot fly while you know of a condition that would stop you meeting the standards (14 CFR 61.53). BasicMed does not remove that rule.
Read this first. This page is an educational summary of public FAA documents. It is not medical, legal or aeromedical advice, and it cannot tell you whether you will be certified. Only an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and the FAA decide that, and the answer depends on your records.
FAA rules and AME Guide pages change. Every statement below names the FAA page or regulation it comes from, and each page's own "last updated" date is given where the FAA shows one. Never start, stop or change a medication because of something you read here. Talk to your treating doctor, and if you hold a medical certificate, read 14 CFR 61.53, which bars you from acting as pilot in command while you know of a condition that would stop you meeting the medical standards.
What Medical Certificate Does a Private Pilot Need?
A private pilot needs at least a third-class medical certificate, unless the flight is flown under the BasicMed rules (14 CFR 61.23). How long the certificate lasts depends on age on the date of the exam. For a private pilot it expires at the end of the 60th month after the exam if the pilot was under 40, and at the end of the 24th month if the pilot was 40 or older (14 CFR 61.23(d)). Any AME may perform second- and third-class exams (14 CFR 67.405).
BasicMed is the alternative. Under 14 CFR 61.113(i) a private pilot can fly without a Part 67 medical certificate if they hold a valid U.S. driver's license, complete a medical education course, have a comprehensive exam from a state-licensed physician using the FAA checklist, and stay within the limits: an aircraft with no more than 7 seats and 12,500 pounds maximum takeoff weight, no more than 6 passengers, no higher than 18,000 feet, no faster than 250 knots indicated, and inside the United States unless the other country authorizes it.
BasicMed has a gate for some conditions. Under 14 CFR 68.9, a pilot with an established history or diagnosis of certain mental health conditions (a severe personality disorder, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or substance dependence in the previous 2 years), certain neurological conditions (epilepsy, or an unexplained disturbance of consciousness or loss of nervous system control) or certain heart conditions (heart attack, coronary heart disease that needed treatment, valve replacement, heart replacement) must first have gone through the FAA's special issuance process. For the heart conditions it is a one-time special issuance for each diagnosis.
These are the standards a private pilot applicant is measured against, summarized from the regulations. The wording in the regulation controls.
Third-class medical standards, 14 CFR 67.303 to 67.313
Area
What the regulation says
Eyes (67.303)
Distant and near vision of 20/40 or better in each eye separately, with or without correction. If glasses or contacts are needed, the certificate carries a condition that they be worn. The ability to perceive the colors necessary for safe performance of duties. No eye condition that interferes with function or is likely to progress or be aggravated by flying.
Ears, nose, throat and balance (67.305)
Acceptable hearing shown by one of three tests: hearing an average conversational voice at 6 feet with the examiner behind you, at least 70 percent speech discrimination, or pure-tone audiometry within the regulation's table. No disease that interferes with speech communication, and none manifested by vertigo or a disturbance of equilibrium.
Mental (67.307)
No established history or diagnosis of a personality disorder severe enough to have repeatedly shown itself in overt acts, a psychosis, a bipolar disorder, or substance dependence (unless there is clinical evidence of recovery, including sustained total abstinence for at least the preceding 2 years). No substance abuse in the preceding 2 years, as the regulation defines it.
Neurologic (67.309)
No established history or diagnosis of epilepsy, a disturbance of consciousness without a satisfactory medical explanation, or a transient loss of nervous system control without a satisfactory explanation. No other neurologic condition the Federal Air Surgeon finds makes you unable to fly safely.
Heart and circulation (67.311)
No established history or diagnosis of a heart attack, angina, coronary heart disease that required treatment (or, if untreated, was symptomatic or clinically significant), cardiac valve replacement, a permanent pacemaker, or a heart replacement.
General medical (67.313)
No diabetes mellitus that requires insulin or another hypoglycemic drug for control. No other disease, defect or limitation, and no medication or treatment, that the Federal Air Surgeon finds makes you unable to fly safely or may be expected to do so for the life of the certificate.
Failing one of these is not the end. Section 67.315 sends anyone who does not meet 67.303 to 67.313 to the discretionary issuance process in 14 CFR 67.401.
A 12-lead electrocardiogram. Heart conditions are among those the FAA evaluates case by case.
Three Ways the FAA Handles a Condition
The examiner issues. If nothing disqualifying is found, or a CACI worksheet is met in full, the AME can issue the certificate.
Special issuance or a Statement of Demonstrated Ability. Under 14 CFR 67.401(a), the Federal Air Surgeon may grant an Authorization for Special Issuance, valid for a specified period, if the person shows the duties can be performed without endangering public safety. Under 67.401(b), a Statement of Demonstrated Ability (SODA) may be granted instead when the condition is static or nonprogressive. A SODA does not expire and lets an examiner issue a certificate if the condition has not adversely changed. The FAA may consider operational experience and may order a medical flight test.
Deferral. When a condition needs an FAA decision, the examiner defers and sends the records to the FAA. The FAA's Guide for Aviation Medical Examiners says an examiner must not issue a certificate for a condition that requires deferral, or for a condition not listed that could cause sudden or subtle incapacitation, without consulting the FAA.
The FAA also runs AME Assisted Special Issuance (AASI) for some conditions. After the FAA grants the first authorization, the examiner can re-issue under it. For third class, the AASI list covers coronary heart disease, including angina, bypass surgery, a heart attack, angioplasty, stenting and valve replacement.
29 Conditions an Examiner Can Often Handle Directly
The FAA's Conditions AMEs Can Issue (CACI) program lets an examiner issue the certificate on the first exam, or the first time the condition is reported, if the applicant meets every parameter on the condition's worksheet and is otherwise qualified. The examiner notes it in Block 60 of the application and keeps the supporting documents on file. If any requirement is not met, the examiner must defer. The FAA page listing the worksheets was last updated April 29, 2026 and names these conditions:
Arthritis
Asthma
Bladder cancer
Breast cancer
Carotid or vertebral artery stenosis
Chronic immune thrombocytopenia (C-ITP)
Chronic kidney disease
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma
Colitis
Colon or colorectal cancer
Eosinophilic esophagitis
Essential tremor
Glaucoma
Hepatitis C, chronic
Hypertension
Hypothyroidism
Low testosterone (hypogonadism)
MASH or NASH (liver)
Migraine and chronic headache
Mitral valve repair
Polycystic ovarian syndrome
Prediabetes
Primary hemochromatosis
Prostate cancer
Psoriasis
Renal cancer
Retained kidney stone(s)
Testicular cancer
Weight loss management
The worksheets set the specifics for each condition. For example, the prostate cancer worksheet asks for a current, detailed clinical progress note from a visit no more than 90 days before the exam. A CACI is not a waiver. It is a checklist, and an examiner who cannot tick every box has to defer.
A color vision test plate. Since January 1, 2025 the FAA requires approved computer-based tests for pilot exams.
Condition by Condition: What the FAA's Own Pages Say
The table summarizes the FAA's AME Guide pages as they stood when this page was written. They are written for examiners, so the details vary by case and class. Treat each row as a map of the process, not a verdict.
Common conditions and the FAA process, per the AME Guide (checked October 22, 2026)
Condition
What the FAA says
ADHD
Evaluated through Fast Track or Standard Track, and ADHD medication is treated as incompatible with flying. We cover it in full in our ADHD guide.
Anxiety, depression and related conditions
The AME Guide says use of a psychotropic drug is disqualifying, with exceptions. Since April 24, 2024 the FAA's Antidepressant Protocol allows special issuance consideration for SSRIs (citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine, sertraline), the SNRIs desvenlafaxine, duloxetine and venlafaxine, and bupropion (added May 31, 2023). The examiner may not issue while you take one; it is decided case by case. Criteria include at least 3 continuous months of stability on a stable dose, a diagnosis such as mild to moderate major depression, dysthymia or adjustment disorder, one medication only, and no history of psychosis, suicidal ideation, electroconvulsive therapy or multiple concurrent antidepressants. The pilot is then evaluated by a HIMS-trained AME. A pilot who stops the medication must wait at least 60 days and supply a favorable physician report. A separate disposition table (June 26, 2024) lets an examiner issue for up to two listed, uncomplicated conditions treated with therapy or with a single medication last taken at least two years ago, if the decision tool is clear. Major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, seasonal affective disorder, recurrent episodes, more than one medication at a time, or earlier special issuance for an antidepressant go to the FAA with a clinical progress note.
Diabetes
Diabetes that needs insulin or another hypoglycemic drug is named in 67.313(a). The FAA still considers it. Diet-controlled diabetes is eligible for all classes if there is no associated disqualifying heart, nerve, kidney or eye disease. Diabetes treated with a medication other than insulin needs an FAA authorization: the examiner defers, and the pilot supplies a progress note or status report and a hemoglobin A1C test within 90 days (the FAA states an initial consideration target of an A1C below 9.0). Insulin treatment can be considered if the person has been clinically stable on the regimen for 6 months or more. Third-class applicants may use a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) protocol or a non-CGM protocol. Insulin pumps are acceptable.
Epilepsy and seizures
Epilepsy is named in 67.309. The FAA seizure protocol (AME Guide) describes review for a possible special issuance after set recovery periods with a neurologist's evaluation, an MRI, a sleep-deprived EEG and an FAA seizure questionnaire. Epilepsy by history: seizure-free for 10 years and off medication for the last 3. A single unprovoked seizure: a 4-year recovery period, the last 2 without anticonvulsant medication. A single seizure with a corrected, known cause: a 1-year recovery period. A single simple febrile seizure at age 5 or younger with no recurrence and no medication can be handled by the examiner.
Concussion and head injury
A head injury with no brain injury, no neurological symptoms and full recovery can be issued by the examiner. A concussion or mild brain injury four or more years ago, with no seizure, can be issued if the FAA decision tool is entirely clear. A mild injury within the past four years (loss of consciousness under one hour, no seizure) needs a 6-month recovery period and a clinical progress note sent to the FAA. A moderate brain injury needs a 12-month recovery period and a neurologist's evaluation. The FAA table was updated September 30, 2026.
Migraine and headaches
A mild tension headache controlled with over-the-counter medicine, with fewer than two headache days a month, can be issued by the examiner. Migraine with aura and chronic headache fall under a CACI worksheet and can be issued with no time limit if every criterion is met. Disabling visual symptoms, retinal or vestibular migraine, chronic daily headache and post-traumatic headaches go to the FAA with a neurological evaluation and a brain MRI.
Heart conditions
Heart attack, angina, treated coronary heart disease, valve replacement, a permanent pacemaker and a heart replacement are named in 67.311. The FAA can still grant a special issuance, and the third-class AASI list covers coronary heart disease. Hypertension and mitral valve repair are CACI conditions. Rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation have their own FAA protocols.
Sleep apnea
The FAA calls sleep apnea disqualifying for medical certification and says certification may be considered once effective treatment is shown. Examiners screen with body mass index and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine risk criteria. Applicants at high risk get a specification sheet and a letter from the Federal Air Surgeon with 90 days to supply the assessment. The page was updated May 28, 2026.
Color vision
Section 67.303(c) requires the ability to perceive the colors necessary for safe duties. For exams on or after January 1, 2025 the FAA requires an approved computer-based test taken in person (the Colour Assessment and Diagnosis test, the Rabin Cone Test or the Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test). Printed or virtual versions are not allowed. A first-time applicant who cannot pass any approved test can still be issued a third-class certificate, with limitation 104: valid for day visual flight rules only. A returning pilot who passed an earlier FAA-approved test does not need to retest. Color-correcting lenses such as X-Chrom are not accepted.
Glasses, contacts and hearing
Vision of 20/40 or better in each eye, with or without correction, meets 67.303. If you need glasses or contacts, the certificate requires wearing them. Hearing can be shown by a conversational voice test, speech discrimination or audiometry (67.305).
Autoimmune and other chronic conditions
There is no single rule. The standards in 67.313 apply, and the FAA lists CACI worksheets for arthritis, colitis, psoriasis, C-ITP and hypothyroidism, among others. For a condition not listed that could cause sudden or subtle incapacitation, the AME Guide tells the examiner not to issue without consulting the FAA.
Alcohol and drugs
Section 67.307 bars substance dependence unless there is clinical evidence of recovery, including at least 2 years of sustained abstinence, and bars substance abuse in the preceding 2 years as the regulation defines it. The FAA has a separate Substances of Dependence and Abuse protocol.
A blood glucose meter. Diabetes treated with medication goes through the FAA special issuance process.
Glasses, Contact Lenses and LASIK
Needing glasses or contacts is not disqualifying. The medical standard is about how well you see with correction. For a third-class certificate, 14 CFR 67.303 requires distant and near vision of 20/40 or better in each eye separately, with or without corrective lenses. First- and second-class standards are tighter: 20/20 distant vision with or without correction, and 20/40 near vision, with an added intermediate-distance test at 32 inches from age 50 (14 CFR 67.103 and 67.203).
If you need lenses to meet any of the acuity standards, the examiner adds a limitation to the certificate. Since December 28, 2022 the FAA uses a single, simplified wording: "Must use corrective lens(es) to meet vision standards at all required distances." The FAA says contact lenses that correct only for near or intermediate vision are not acceptable for aviation duties.
If you cannot reach the standard even with correction, you can apply for a Statement of Demonstrated Ability or special issuance. That takes a current, detailed clinical progress note from an optometrist or ophthalmologist covering the diagnosis, best corrected acuity in each eye separately and together, and any pathology and whether it is expected to progress. The FAA says anyone certified through special issuance for a vision defect must also pass a medical flight test.
After LASIK, PRK or SMILE
The FAA has a specific disposition table for elective laser vision surgery (updated August 27, 2025). It says surgery three or more months ago, with full recovery, release from post-operative care and no medication, is generally not of aeromedical concern if you meet the vision standard for your class and have no symptoms that could interfere with flying, such as glare, halos, loss of contrast sensitivity or poor night vision. In that case the examiner can issue. If the surgery was within the past three months, the examiner reviews a status summary completed by your eye doctor, and can issue if every item is in the "yes" column and the examiner has no concerns. Complications, vision that does not meet the standard, or affected quality of vision go to the FAA as a possible special issuance, with a progress note from your ophthalmologist dated within 90 days. Conductive keratoplasty, a different procedure, has its own FAA protocol.
The examiner may also issue a certificate after cataract surgery, with or without a lens implant, according to the AME Guide.
Color Blindness: What Actually Happens
The FAA does not ban color-deficient pilots. Section 67.303(c) asks for the ability to perceive the colors needed for safe duties, and the FAA changed how it checks that. For exams on or after January 1, 2025, the screening is a one-time, in-person, computer-based test. A returning pilot who passed any earlier FAA-approved color test does not need to take it again, and a pilot with an earlier SODA or letter of evidence keeps their status.
FAA-approved color vision tests for pilots and passing scores (AME Guide, Item 52)
Test
Passing score the FAA lists
Colour Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD), Environment and Aviation (Commercial) version
Passing the FAST version means no further color testing. If it is failed, the full CAD is done: red-green score of 1.7 is normal, below 6 if diagnosed as deutan, below 12 if protan, and yellow-blue below 2.4.
Rabin Cone Test (Air Force, Army, Navy, Coast Guard version)
Each eye tested separately. A score of 55 or higher for each color: red, green and blue.
Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test
General section 21 or higher of 25, plus tritan 10 or higher of 12, or protan and deutan 20 or higher of 32 each, plus tritan 10 or higher of 12.
A first-time applicant can attempt any of the approved tests. If they cannot pass any of them, the examiner can still issue a third-class certificate with limitation 104, "valid for day visual flight rules (VFR) only." In practice, that means daytime VFR flying only: no night flying and no instrument flying. A pilot who wants a first- or second-class certificate after failing appeals to the Federal Air Surgeon. Color-correcting lenses such as X-Chrom are not accepted. If a medical condition or medication affects color vision, extra testing may be listed in the AME Guide or in the pilot's letter of authorization.
Vertigo, Dizziness and Balance Disorders
Section 67.305(c) bars any condition that is manifested, or may reasonably be expected to be manifested, by vertigo or a disturbance of equilibrium. The AME Guide has separate protocols for BPPV, Meniere's disease, labyrinthitis, motion sickness, perilymph fistula, persistent postural-perceptual dizziness and superior semicircular canal dehiscence, among others (Item 29, updated January 31, 2024).
For BPPV, the FAA table (updated November 29, 2023) splits cases into three rows. If the condition resolved and the symptoms lasted a year or less in total, with no remaining symptoms, no medication and no hearing loss, the examiner can issue. The FAA notes that symptoms should be brief, mild, not disabling and responsive to repositioning. If episodes were multiple or intermittent and added up to more than a year, or if the condition is severe, persistent, recurrent, refractory to treatment or needed surgery, the examiner defers and the FAA considers a special issuance, supported by a progress note from your ear, nose and throat specialist or primary care doctor within 90 days.
Blood Pressure, Weight, Asthma and Sleep Apnea
High blood pressure. The AME Guide says an applicant whose pressure does not exceed 155 systolic and 95 diastolic, who has not used blood pressure medication for 30 days and is otherwise qualified, should be issued a certificate. If a reading is high in the exam room, the examiner can recheck it, ask you to return on three separate days over a seven-day period, or send you back to your treating doctor. If a medication change is needed, a 7-day no-fly period applies to check for problems with the drug. The examiner must defer applicants whose hypertension has not been evaluated, is uncontrolled, or involves unacceptable medication or significant side effects. Hypertension is also one of the 29 CACI conditions, so an applicant who meets every worksheet criterion can be issued without contacting the FAA.
Weight. Part 67's third-class standards contain no weight or body mass index limit. Weight matters through sleep apnea. The FAA's protocol says over 90 percent of people with a BMI of 40 or greater have sleep apnea requiring treatment, and up to 30 percent of people with sleep apnea have a BMI under 30. On every exam the examiner calculates BMI and applies risk criteria, and the FAA calls untreated sleep apnea disqualifying, with certification possible once effective treatment is shown.
Asthma. The AME Guide (Item 35, updated September 8, 2026) handles mild or seasonal asthma under the CACI asthma worksheet: if you meet all the criteria, the examiner can issue, and all others need an FAA decision. Frequent severe asthma symptoms go to the FAA with test results, medication details and a status report for a possible special issuance.
Autism, Dyslexia and Other Neurodevelopmental Questions
Part 67 does not name autism or dyslexia, and we could not find a dedicated AME Guide protocol for either. What the FAA does publish: its neurocognitive guidance says a neuropsychological evaluation can be required for suspected acquired or developmental conditions that may cause cognitive deficits, and the guide tells examiners not to issue for a condition not listed that could cause sudden or subtle incapacitation without consulting the FAA. The FAA has also published an article on medical certification of pilots with Asperger's-type autism spectrum disorder in its Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin (2015). Outcomes are decided case by case.
For dyslexia, the FAA offers testing accommodations for people with reading or learning disabilities who take the airman knowledge tests, requested through the local flight standards office with medical documentation from a physician, under FAA Order 8080.6H as described by Pilot Institute (2022). The options include extended time, an approved electronic reader or a person who reads words aloud. Because these two areas are less clearly documented than the rest of this guide, confirm with an AME, or with AOPA's Pilot Information Center at 800-872-2672, before relying on any assumption.
Medications: The Other Half of the Question
The FAA's AME Guide describes two categories of medication that are generally unacceptable for flight duties. Do Not Issue (DNI) medications are ones an examiner cannot issue on, and clearance from the FAA is required. Do Not Fly (DNF) medications are ones the examiner must warn the applicant about, with a waiting period before flying. The FAA says the DNI and DNF lists are not all-inclusive and that no one should assume the FAA's position on a drug that is missing from them. It also says it generally wants at least a year of post-marketing experience with a new drug class, so a recently approved drug may not be considered, and it does not typically review investigational drugs.
The regulation is just as direct. Under 14 CFR 61.53(a), a pilot who holds a medical certificate may not act as pilot in command, or as a required flight crewmember, while taking medication or receiving treatment for a condition that leaves them unable to meet the medical requirements for the flight. That covers prescription and over-the-counter products. If you are unsure about a drug, ask your doctor and an AME before you fly. BasicMed pilots have a similar rule in 61.53(b) and are taught about impairing medicines in the required medical education course (14 CFR 68.3).
How to Approach the Process
Collect your records first. Across the FAA protocols, the same documents come up again and again: a current, detailed clinical progress note from the treating physician or specialist within 90 days of the exam, covering the history, treatments, current medication and side effects, exam findings, test results, diagnosis, assessment and follow-up. Hospital records, imaging reports and specialist evaluations are asked for where the protocol calls for them. For hospital records, the FAA says patient portal notes and after-visit summaries are not sufficient.
Apply through MedXPress and an AME. The FAA runs the application at MedXPress, and you can find an examiner with the FAA's AME locator.
Answer truthfully. The application is a statement to a federal agency, and a knowingly false statement is a crime under 18 U.S.C. 1001. Examiners and the FAA compare the answers with your records.
Do not fly while a question is open. If you hold a medical certificate and know of a condition that would stop you meeting the standards, 14 CFR 61.53 applies.
Do not stop prescribed medication on your own. That decision belongs to you and your treating physician, with the FAA's wait periods in mind.
What Has Changed Recently
The FAA has been updating its medical guidance steadily. These dates come from the FAA documents themselves, and a page's "last updated" date can reflect an edit rather than a change in policy.
Recent FAA medical guidance dates
Date
What the FAA document shows
May 31, 2023
Bupropion (Wellbutrin) added to the antidepressant protocol.
April 24, 2024
Antidepressant protocol expanded beyond SSRIs to include the SNRIs desvenlafaxine, duloxetine and venlafaxine. The SSRI protocol was renamed the Antidepressant Protocol.
June 26, 2024
Version date of the Anxiety, Depression and Related Conditions disposition table. An accompanying fast track pathway for previously deferred cases was updated September 25, 2024.
October 30, 2024
FAA ADHD evaluation documents updated.
January 1, 2025
Approved computer-based color vision tests became required for pilot exams. Testing moved to a one-time screening.
April 29, 2026
CACI conditions page last updated; it lists 29 conditions.
July to September 2026
The Psychiatric (July 29), Neurologic (August 26) and head injury (September 30) AME Guide pages were updated.
For the exact current text, use the FAA's Aerospace Medical Dispositions pages. They are the source an examiner will use.
A final point on expectations: this page covers third-class and private pilot situations. First- and second-class medical standards for airline and commercial pilots are stricter in places, and the same condition can be handled differently by class.
Read this first. This page is an educational summary of public FAA documents. It is not medical, legal or aeromedical advice, and it cannot tell you whether you will be certified. Only an FAA Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) and the FAA decide that, and the answer depends on your records.
FAA rules and AME Guide pages change. Every statement below names the FAA page or regulation it comes from, and each page's own "last updated" date is given where the FAA shows one. Never start, stop or change a medication because of something you read here. Talk to your treating doctor, and if you hold a medical certificate, read 14 CFR 61.53, which bars you from acting as pilot in command while you know of a condition that would stop you meeting the medical standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
What conditions automatically disqualify a pilot?
For a third-class medical, 14 CFR Part 67 names a severe personality disorder, psychosis, bipolar disorder, substance dependence, epilepsy, unexplained disturbance of consciousness, a heart attack, angina, treated coronary heart disease, heart valve replacement, a permanent pacemaker, a heart replacement, and diabetes that needs insulin or another hypoglycemic drug. None of those is a permanent bar. Section 67.401 lets the Federal Air Surgeon grant a special issuance or Statement of Demonstrated Ability.
Can you become a pilot if you have depression or anxiety?
Often yes, but it is handled through the FAA's psychiatric process. The AME Guide says psychotropic drugs are disqualifying, with exceptions, and the Antidepressant Protocol (expanded April 24, 2024) allows case-by-case consideration of certain antidepressants. An FAA disposition table lets an examiner issue for up to two listed, uncomplicated conditions treated with therapy or with a single medication last taken at least two years ago.
Can a person with diabetes be a pilot?
Yes, in many cases. Diet-controlled diabetes is eligible for all classes if there is no associated disqualifying disease. Diabetes treated with non-insulin medication needs an FAA authorization, and the FAA has an insulin-treated special issuance process for people who have been clinically stable for six months or more.
Can you be a pilot with epilepsy?
Epilepsy is named as disqualifying in 14 CFR 67.309. The FAA's seizure protocol describes consideration for a possible special issuance after long recovery periods: 10 years seizure-free and 3 years off medication for epilepsy by history, and shorter periods for a single seizure.
Can colorblind people be pilots?
Yes. An applicant who cannot pass any FAA-approved computer-based color vision test can still be issued a third-class medical with limitation 104, valid for day visual flight rules only. Since January 1, 2025 the approved tests are the CAD, the Rabin Cone Test and the Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test, taken in person.
Does BasicMed let me fly with a medical condition?
BasicMed removes the Part 67 medical certificate for qualifying flights, but pilots with certain mental health, neurological and heart conditions must first complete the FAA's special issuance process (14 CFR 68.9). Section 61.53 still bars flying while you know of a condition that makes you unable to operate safely.
How long does a third-class medical last?
For a private pilot, it expires at the end of the 60th month after the exam if you were under 40 on the exam date, and at the end of the 24th month if you were 40 or older (14 CFR 61.23(d)).
Can I fly while I wait for the FAA to decide?
If you hold a medical certificate and know of a condition that would stop you meeting the standards for the flight, 14 CFR 61.53(a) says you may not act as pilot in command or as a required flight crewmember. Ask your AME about your specific situation before you fly.
Can you be a pilot if you wear glasses?
Yes. A third-class certificate requires 20/40 or better in each eye with or without correction, and the certificate carries a limitation that you must use corrective lenses to meet the vision standards (14 CFR 67.303 and the AME Guide).
Can pilots wear contact lenses?
Yes, for distance correction. The FAA says contact lenses that correct only for near or intermediate vision are not acceptable for aviation duties.
Can you be a pilot after LASIK?
Often yes. The FAA's refractive surgery table says surgery three or more months ago with full recovery, no medication, vision that meets the standard and no symptoms such as glare, halos or poor night vision is generally not of aeromedical concern, and the examiner can issue.
Can colorblind pilots fly at night?
Not if they fail every approved color test. The FAA then issues a third-class medical with limitation 104, valid for day visual flight rules only, so no night and no instrument flying.
Can you be a pilot with high blood pressure?
Yes. The AME Guide says an applicant at or below 155/95, off blood pressure medication for 30 days, can be issued. Hypertension controlled on acceptable medication can be handled through the CACI worksheet or the FAA's hypertension table.
Can you be a pilot with vertigo or BPPV?
It depends on the history. For BPPV, the FAA table lets an examiner issue if the condition resolved and symptoms lasted a year or less in total with no remaining problems. Longer or recurrent cases go to the FAA.
Is there a weight limit to be a pilot?
Part 67's medical standards have no weight or BMI limit. Weight matters through sleep apnea risk: the FAA says over 90 percent of people with a BMI of 40 or greater have sleep apnea requiring treatment, and untreated sleep apnea is disqualifying.
Can you be a pilot with asthma?
Often yes. Mild or seasonal asthma is a CACI condition, so an examiner can issue if every worksheet criterion is met. Other cases need an FAA decision.
Can you be a pilot with autism?
Part 67 does not name autism. The FAA evaluates it case by case and has published an article on certification of pilots with Asperger's-type autism spectrum disorder in its Federal Air Surgeon's Medical Bulletin. Confirm details with an AME.
Can you be a pilot with dyslexia?
Dyslexia is not named in Part 67. The FAA offers testing accommodations for the knowledge tests, requested through the local flight standards office with physician documentation. Ask an AME how it applies to your medical.
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