FAA aviation mechanic: certificate and maintenance rules
Practice questions and study guides on the FAA rules behind the mechanic certificate: eligibility and ratings, privileges and recent experience, inspection authorization, who may perform maintenance and approve return to service, records, performance rules, and major repairs and preventive maintenance.
What these pages cover, and what they don't
The real test or credential
The FAA issues the mechanic certificate with an Airframe rating, a Powerplant rating or both. You pass the knowledge (written) tests first, then the oral and practical tests.
Our pages
These pages cover only the rules in 14 CFR Part 65 Subpart D and Part 43. The FAA tests are built on the Aviation Mechanic General, Airframe and Powerplant Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-1), whose technical subject areas we do not cover.
Checked against these official pages on November 6, 2026. Practice here does not replace the official training or test.
Scope and sources
Everything here comes from the current eCFR text of 14 CFR Part 65 Subpart D (mechanics) and 14 CFR Part 43 (maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding and alteration). The FAA knowledge, oral and practical tests use their own content, which we do not use, and documents the rules incorporate by reference are not covered. These pages help you study the rule; they are not a course. goraedu does not train, test or certificate aviation mechanics, and our questions are not an FAA knowledge, oral or practical test. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the FAA or the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Key rules, in the regulation's words
A certificated mechanic may perform or supervise maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration of what the mechanic is rated for, with the exclusions the rule names.
“A certificated mechanic may perform or supervise the maintenance, preventive maintenance or alteration of an aircraft or appliance, or a part thereof, for which that person is rated (but excluding major repairs to, and major alterations of, propellers, and any repair to, or alteration of, instruments), and may perform additional duties in accordance with §§ 65.85, 65.87, and 65.95.”
14 CFR 65.81(a)Each inspection authorization expires on March 31 of each odd-numbered year.
“Each inspection authorization expires on March 31 of each odd-numbered year.”
14 CFR 65.92(a)
Sources
- eCFR: 14 CFR Part 65, Subpart D—Mechanics (as of Nov 4, 2026)Checked November 6, 2026
- eCFR: 14 CFR Part 43, Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration (as of Nov 4, 2026)Checked November 6, 2026