FAA Renews BasicMed Program for Simplified Pilot Health Checks
Published Date: 4/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The FAA is renewing its approval to collect info from pilots who want to fly small planes without the usual medical exam, thanks to a special law called BasicMed. This affects pilots who meet certain health and education rules, letting them skip the traditional medical certificate process. If you’re a pilot or interested, you can share your thoughts by June 22, 2026—no extra fees, just a quick form to keep flying safe and simple!
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
BasicMed option stays available
If you are a pilot of certain small aircraft, the FAA is renewing the paperwork that lets eligible pilots use the BasicMed alternative from section 2307 of Public Law 114-190 instead of the normal medical certificate. The FAA references the final rule published January 11, 2017, which implements this option for pilots and aircraft that meet the law's conditions.
Paperwork time and renewal schedule
About 50,000 individual pilots are expected to respond to this information collection. The required course is once every two years, the medical exam under BasicMed is once every four years, the FAA estimates an average burden of 21 minutes per response, and the total estimated annual burden is 17,500 hours.
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Key Dates
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