How FAA Written Test Scoring Works and What a Passing Score Means

The Short Answer: You Need 70% to Pass

Every FAA airman knowledge test has the same passing score: 70%. It doesn't matter whether you're sitting for the Private Pilot (PAR), Instrument Rating (IRA), Commercial (CAX), Remote Pilot / Part 107 (UAG), or an Aircraft Mechanic (AMT) test — you must answer at least 70% of the questions correctly to pass. There's no curve, no partial credit, and the standard is identical for every applicant on every attempt.

How FAA Knowledge Tests Are Scored

FAA knowledge tests are scored on a simple 0–100 scale. Every question carries equal weight, there is no partial credit, and no single question counts more than another. Your score is just the percentage you answered correctly — answer 51 of 60 questions right and you score an 85.

Because different certificates have different numbers of questions, "70%" works out to a different number of allowable misses depending on your test:

• Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) — 60 questions. Pass at 42 correct; you can miss up to 18.
• Instrument Rating (IRA) — 60 questions. 42 correct to pass.
• Remote Pilot / Part 107 (UAG) — 60 questions. 42 correct to pass.
• Commercial Pilot Airplane (CAX) — 100 questions. 70 correct to pass.

The tests are delivered at FAA-approved testing centers through the agency's current provider (PSI) — confirm the latest scheduling details when you register.

Your Score Isn't on Your Certificate — But Your Missed Areas Follow You

Here's what surprises most applicants: a 70 and a 100 both simply count as "pass." The number never appears on your pilot or mechanic certificate, and no employer, examiner, or airline sees it later. In that sense, a pass is a pass.

What does carry forward is your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR). It lists the ACS (or Learning Statement) codes for every subject area where you missed a question. You bring that report to your practical test, and your examiner is required to re-test those specific areas during the oral portion of your checkride. So the questions you miss on the written don't disappear — they come back at the most important interview of your certificate. That's the real reason to aim well above 70%.

What Happens If You Don't Pass

Score below 70% and you fail that attempt. To retake the test you'll need a fresh endorsement from an authorized instructor certifying that you received additional ground training on the areas you missed. There is no mandatory nationwide waiting period — contrary to a common myth, you don't have to wait 30 days — but you do have to complete that additional instruction, get the new endorsement, pay the test fee again, and reschedule. In practice, most people are ready to retest within a week or two once they've closed their knowledge gaps.

How to Make Sure 70% Isn't a Gamble

Passing is the floor, not the goal. Because your weak areas resurface at the checkride, you want to walk in scoring consistently in the 85–95% range on realistic practice tests — that cushion is what turns "I hope I pass" into "I know I'll pass."

• Study by ACS area, not at random. The knowledge test is built from the Airman Certification Standards, so studying by ACS code tells you exactly what can be asked.
• Practice until your practice scores are stable. One good score can be luck; three in a row above 85% is readiness.
• Review every miss. Don't just note the right answer — understand why it's right, because that's the version the examiner will probe.

Aviation Test Prep's question banks are organized by ACS area and track your weak spots with spaced repetition, so you can see your readiness climb well past that 70% line before you ever schedule the real thing.