To keep flying under Part 107, a remote pilot must complete the appropriate FAA online recurrent training within the previous 24 calendar months. For any Part 107 certificate holder, the standard path is the free Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent course, ALC-677, on FAASafety.gov. A current Part 61 pilot may instead use ALC-515. Your Remote Pilot Certificate does not expire, but you cannot exercise its Part 107 privileges when your aeronautical-knowledge recency has lapsed.
Save the completion certificate after the course. The FAA does not issue a replacement Remote Pilot Certificate when you renew recency, and the course certificate is the record you may need to show.
In This Guide
- Know which FAA course to take
- Calculate the 24-calendar-month deadline
- Complete ALC-677 step by step
- Save proof of completion
- Understand what happens if currency lapses
- Connect recurrent training to night operations
- Avoid common recurrent-training mistakes
- Use a short completion checklist
Know which FAA course to take
The FAA lists two recurrent courses for people who already hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate:
| Pilot status | Current FAA recurrent course | Cost | Important condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any Part 107 certificate holder | ALC-677, Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent | Free | This is the straightforward choice for most remote pilots |
| Part 107 holder who also has a Part 61 pilot certificate and a current flight review | ALC-515, Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent | Free | The Part 61 flight-review condition must be current |
ALC-677 is available to any Part 107 certificate holder, so a pilot does not need to buy a commercial renewal class merely to satisfy the federal recency rule. Commercial training may still be useful for practice, company procedures, aircraft systems, or specialized missions, but it is not a substitute unless it is one of the methods allowed by 14 CFR 107.65.
Do not confuse recurrent training with the initial certification route. Someone who does not yet hold a Remote Pilot Certificate generally follows the initial applicant process, including the applicable initial knowledge test or the Part 61 pathway. Recurrent training is for maintaining recency after certification.
Calculate the 24-calendar-month deadline
“Within the previous 24 calendar months” is a calendar-month rule, not a deadline exactly 730 days after training. If a pilot completes recurrent training on September 4, 2026, that training supports recency through September 30, 2028. The next recurrent activity must be completed before operating in October 2028.
The FAA's Advisory Circular 107-2A illustrates the same principle: the completion month, rather than the exact day within it, controls the end of the recency window. This gives pilots flexibility to complete training on any day during the due month.
Completing early also resets the clock from the new completion month. If the same pilot completes the next course in August 2028 instead of September, the new recency period runs through August 31, 2030. Organizations should account for that when scheduling a workforce together. A modest early-completion window can prevent lapses without moving every pilot's due month unnecessarily far forward.
Record three dates for each pilot:
- the initial knowledge test or most recent qualifying training date;
- the last day of the 24th calendar month; and
- an internal reminder date early enough to handle account or course-access problems.
Complete ALC-677 step by step
The FAA hosts ALC-677 in the FAA Safety Team Aviation Learning Center. The public course page can be previewed, but a pilot must use a FAASafety.gov account for completion credit and the certificate.
- Go to FAASafety.gov and sign in to the pilot's own account. Create an account if needed, using information that can be associated with the pilot's training record.
- Find ALC-677: Part 107 Small UAS Recurrent and enroll.
- Open the introduction, each numbered chapter, and the review chapter. The learning system requires the course material to be viewed before the exam becomes available.
- Complete the course exam or knowledge check successfully.
- Open the completion record and download or print the certificate of achievement.
- Verify that the pilot's name, course number, and completion date are legible before closing the task.
The course covers Part 107 operating rules and aeronautical knowledge, including material relevant to night operations. It is a knowledge-currency requirement. It does not evaluate a pilot's stick skills, emergency performance, aircraft-specific knowledge, or ability to conduct a specialized inspection.
Save proof of completion
The permanent Remote Pilot Certificate does not receive a new expiration date or replacement card when recurrent training is completed. The FAA says the certificate itself remains permanent unless revoked, while the appropriate online course renews aeronautical-knowledge recency for 24 calendar months.
Keep the course completion certificate where it can be produced with the pilot's records. A practical record set includes:
- the PDF completion certificate in a controlled personnel or training folder;
- a backup copy accessible if the primary system is unavailable;
- the completion date and next due month in the operator's training register; and
- a reminder before the due month ends.
Use the record generated by the FAA course rather than a screenshot of a browser progress page. Confirm the download opens and is assigned to the correct person. For a company program, restrict access to personnel records and document who may update the training register.
Understand what happens if currency lapses
A lapsed recency period does not erase the Remote Pilot Certificate. It means the pilot may not operate a small UAS under Part 107 until one of the recency methods in section 107.65 has been completed again.
For example, a pilot whose training supported currency through August 31 may complete ALC-677 on September 3. The certificate still existed on September 1 and 2, but the pilot could not exercise Part 107 privileges during that gap. Successful completion restores recency; it does not retroactively authorize flights conducted while lapsed.
An employer should remove a lapsed pilot from Part 107 assignments until completion is documented. There is no benefit in scheduling another initial knowledge test solely because the recurrent window was missed when the free appropriate recurrent course remains available.
Connect recurrent training to night operations
The FAA revised its recurrent-training framework when it adopted the current rules for routine night operations. The updated initial knowledge test and recurrent training include knowledge of night operations. A remote pilot relying on older training that did not include the new night material had to complete the updated test or training before using the current night-operation provisions.
Completing ALC-677 supplies the knowledge-training element, but it does not by itself make every night flight lawful. The operation must also meet the applicable Part 107 night requirements, including anti-collision lighting and the other operating conditions that apply to the mission. Airspace authorization, aircraft condition, weather, visual line of sight, and any applicable waiver or operating limitation remain separate questions.
Currency is not the same as proficiency
Regulatory currency establishes that a pilot has completed a qualifying knowledge activity within the required window. Proficiency asks whether that pilot can safely perform the mission today.
A pilot may be legally current after finishing an online course yet still need practice with a new aircraft, night visual references, manual recovery, automation failures, crew coordination, or a specialized payload. Conversely, extensive recent flying does not replace the recurrent knowledge requirement.
Use the FAA course as the regulatory floor. Add proportionate practical training for the aircraft, environment, and task. Document company checks separately so no one mistakes an internal flight review for the federal recurrent course.
Avoid common recurrent-training mistakes
Waiting for a new certificate card. The FAA does not send one after recurrent training. Save the course completion certificate instead.
Counting 24 months to the day. Recency runs through the last day of the relevant calendar month.
Taking the wrong course. ALC-677 is open to any Part 107 certificate holder. ALC-515 is intended for Part 107 pilots who also meet the stated Part 61 and flight-review conditions.
Assuming the certificate expired. The certificate and aeronautical-knowledge currency are different. A lapse restricts Part 107 operations but does not automatically cancel the certificate.
Treating course completion as flight proficiency. The online course does not demonstrate aircraft-specific or mission-specific skill.
Keeping only a completion screen. Download the actual certificate and verify it can be opened later.
Use a short completion checklist
Before returning a pilot to the schedule, confirm:
- the pilot already holds a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate;
- the selected course matches the pilot's status;
- every course chapter and the exam are complete;
- the certificate shows the correct name, course, and completion date;
- the next due month is calculated by calendar month;
- the certificate is stored in the approved record location; and
- any aircraft, mission, or night-operation proficiency work is tracked separately.
Stay current before the due month closes
For most remote pilots, recurrent compliance is simple: sign in to FAASafety.gov, complete the free ALC-677 course, pass its knowledge check, and save the certificate before the 24th calendar month ends. Part 61 pilots with a current flight review may use the FAA's ALC-515 pathway.
Put the due month on the training register and start reminders early enough to avoid an operational gap. Then treat practical proficiency as a separate responsibility tied to the aircraft and missions the pilot will actually fly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate expire?
No. The FAA says the certificate is permanent unless revoked. The separate aeronautical-knowledge recency requirement must still be satisfied to exercise Part 107 privileges.
Is Part 107 recurrent training free?
Yes. The FAA offers ALC-677 and ALC-515 through FAASafety.gov at no cost. A paid commercial course is not required merely to renew federal knowledge recency.
Do I receive a new Remote Pilot Certificate after recurrent training?
No. Keep the FAA course completion certificate as proof of renewed recency.
Can I fly under Part 107 after my 24 calendar months have elapsed?
Not until you again satisfy an allowed recency method. Completing the appropriate online recurrent course restores recency for a new 24-calendar-month period.
Sources
- Become a Certificated Remote Pilot
- 14 CFR 107.65, Aeronautical knowledge recency
- FAA ALC-677 course record
- FAA recurrent-training course content
- FAA FAQ on certificate duration and recency
- FAA Operations Over People and night-operations overview
- FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A
Last checked: September 4, 2026.