FAA Regulations Guide for A&P Mechanics (14 CFR)

What Are the FAA Regulations for A&P Mechanics?

The FAA regulates aircraft maintenance through Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). For mechanics, three parts form the core of daily work: 14 CFR Part 43 (maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration), 14 CFR Part 65 (certification of airmen other than flight crewmembers — Subpart D covers mechanics), and 14 CFR Part 91 (general operating and flight rules, including the inspection and record-keeping requirements every mechanic must know). Supporting regulations include Part 39 (Airworthiness Directives), Part 145 (repair stations), and Part 147 (aviation maintenance technician schools).

Beyond the regulations themselves, the FAA publishes the Aviation Mechanic Airman Certification Standards (ACS), the official document that defines everything tested on the General, Airframe, and Powerplant knowledge exams and the oral/practical tests. The ACS references 14 CFR Parts 1, 21, 39, 43, 65, 91, 145, and 147, plus the FAA AMT Handbooks (FAA-H-8083-30/31/32) and AC 43.13-1B. If you know the regulations and the ACS, you know what the FAA expects of you as a certificated mechanic.

Exam Format and Structure

• General knowledge test (AMG): 60 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours — 70% pass mark
• Airframe knowledge test (AMA): 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours — 70% pass mark
• Powerplant knowledge test (AMP): 100 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours — 70% pass mark
• Format: Computer-based testing at PSI test centers across the USA
• Language: English
• Oral & practical: Administered separately by a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) using FAA Form 8610-2

The knowledge tests are administered by PSI Services at hundreds of locations nationwide. You register through the PSI website with your FAA tracking number (FTN), pay the test fee, and schedule a session. The 2-hour time limit is generally adequate for well-prepared candidates, but time management still matters. Some questions are straightforward recall of a regulation or definition; others are scenario-based, asking you to apply 14 CFR requirements to a maintenance situation. Answer the questions you are confident about first, flag the rest, and return to them after the initial pass.

Key Topics Covered

FAA regulations knowledge draws from the subject areas defined in the Aviation Mechanic ACS. Understanding the structure of these topics is essential for efficient study:

1. 14 CFR Part 43 — Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, Rebuilding, and Alteration

Part 43 defines who may perform maintenance, what counts as maintenance versus preventive maintenance, how work must be performed (§43.13), who can approve an aircraft for return to service (§43.7), and exactly what must go into maintenance records (§43.9). Appendix A classifies major repairs, major alterations, and the preventive maintenance list. Appendix B requires FAA Form 337 for major repairs and major alterations. This is the most heavily tested regulatory area on the General exam.

2. 14 CFR Part 65 Subpart D — Mechanic Certification

Part 65 Subpart D is the rule that creates your certificate. §65.71 sets eligibility (18 years old, able to read/write/speak English), §65.73 defines the Airframe and Powerplant ratings, §65.75 covers knowledge requirements, §65.77 sets the experience requirement (18 months for one rating, 30 months for both — waived for recent graduates of a Part 147 school), §65.79 covers the practical test, and §65.81/65.83 define privileges and limitations, including approving return to service.

3. 14 CFR Part 91 — Operating Rules That Drive Maintenance

Part 91 tells you when an aircraft legally must be inspected and what records must exist. §91.403 requires compliance with airworthiness directives; §91.405 requires the owner/operator to have the aircraft inspected as required; §91.407 restricts operations after maintenance, preventive maintenance, or alterations; §91.409 establishes the annual inspection (12 calendar months) and the 100-hour inspection; §91.411 and §91.413 cover altimeter and transponder checks; §91.417 sets the maintenance record and logbook requirements every mechanic works with.

4. Airworthiness Directives (Part 39) and Service Bulletins

Airworthiness Directives are legally enforceable rules issued under 14 CFR Part 39 when an unsafe condition exists in a product. Mechanics must know how to check for applicable ADs, how compliance is accomplished and recorded, and the difference between an AD (mandatory) and a manufacturer Service Bulletin (voluntary unless incorporated into an AD or required by the operator's maintenance program).

5. FAA Form 337 — Major Repair and Major Alteration

FAA Form 337 is the required record for major repairs and major alterations under Appendix B to Part 43. The person approving the work for return to service must prepare the form, describe the work with approved data references, and forward a copy to the FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) within 48 hours. Knowing what triggers a Form 337 — and what does not — is a frequent exam question.

6. Return to Service and Logbook Entries

§43.7 lists who may approve return to service, and §43.9 prescribes the content of every maintenance record entry: a description of the work (or reference to acceptable data), the date, the mechanic's certificate number and type, and a signature. For inspections, §43.11 adds the inspection type, aircraft total time, and the inspection authorization (IA) number. Precise record-keeping is a legal requirement — and a favorite exam subject.

Pass Rates and What They Mean for You

The FAA does not publish official pass rates for the individual A&P knowledge tests. Industry estimates and feedback from Part 147 schools and testing centers consistently put first-attempt pass rates for the General test in the 65–75% range, with Airframe and Powerplant slightly higher. The oral and practical portion with a DME is where candidates are most likely to be retested — which is why regulatory knowledge matters beyond the written exams.

The challenge with regulations is that the material is dense and precise — there is little room for approximation. A question about §43.7 vs §43.9 requires you to know which regulation covers return-to-service authority and which covers record content. Candidates who memorize section numbers without understanding application tend to struggle. The most successful candidates focus on the regulatory framework: why each part exists, how the parts relate, and how they apply in everyday maintenance operations.

Proven Study Strategies

Based on feedback from successful A&P candidates and instructors, the most effective study approach for FAA regulations includes:

• Understand the regulation structure — 14 CFR is organized by part (43, 65, 91), subpart, and section. Create a mental map of how the parts relate — this makes recall during the exam much easier than memorizing isolated facts.
• Focus on Part 43 and §65.77/65.83 — Maintenance rules, experience requirements, and privileges account for a large share of regulation questions on the General exam.
• Practice with timed mock exams — Simulating the 2-hour test conditions builds both speed and confidence. Use Sky License's exam simulation mode to get comfortable with the pacing and question format.
• Use adaptive difficulty — Start with basic regulatory definition questions and progress to harder scenario-based questions as your knowledge improves.
• Study the ACS directly — The Aviation Mechanic ACS contains the learning objectives and task lists for every exam subject area. Use it as a checklist to ensure you have covered every topic that could appear.
• Read the actual CFR text — The eCFR is free online. Reading §43.9 or §91.409 in the original wording builds the precision you need for exam questions and real-world compliance.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Memorizing without understanding — The exams test application of regulations to real-world situations, not rote recall of section numbers. Understand what each regulation means and how to apply it.
• Confusing related sections — §43.7 (who approves return to service) vs §43.9 (what the record must contain) vs §43.13 (how work must be performed) are easy to mix up. Build clear distinctions.
• Ignoring recent changes — 14 CFR is amended regularly. Ensure your study materials reflect the current rule text — outdated information leads to wrong answers.
• Not reading the full question — A single word like "must" vs "should" or "may" vs "shall" can completely change the correct answer. Read every question twice before selecting.
• Overlooking scenario questions — Some questions describe a maintenance scenario and ask for the correct regulatory response. These require synthesizing knowledge from multiple parts. Practice with scenario-based questions to prepare.

How FAA Regulations Fit Into Your A&P Journey

Regulations are one of the core subjects of the General knowledge test, but they are far more than an exam topic. As a certificated mechanic, you will use Part 43 daily — to decide whether a repair is major, whether a Form 337 is required, or whether you can approve return to service. Part 65 defines the privileges you hold and the limits of those privileges. Part 91 tells you when inspections are due and what records must be maintained. Passing your regulation questions demonstrates to the FAA that you can be trusted with the legal responsibility of returning aircraft to service.

For a complete overview of the entire certification process — including the three knowledge tests, experience requirements, and the oral/practical examination — read our complete guide to becoming an A&P mechanic. And to understand how the Airframe and Powerplant ratings affect your preparation strategy, see our Airframe vs Powerplant rating comparison.

Using AI to Accelerate Your A&P Exam Preparation

Modern AI-powered study platforms have transformed how mechanics prepare for the FAA knowledge tests. Tools like Sky License use adaptive learning algorithms that identify your weak areas and generate targeted practice questions. Instead of studying every regulation from cover to cover, the AI focuses your time on the specific topics where you need the most improvement.

The AI also provides instant, detailed feedback on every practice question — not just whether you got it right, but why the correct answer is correct and why each wrong option is wrong. This real-time feedback accelerates learning dramatically compared to traditional methods where you might have to flip through a textbook to find an explanation.

How Sky License Prepares You for the FAA Knowledge Tests

Sky License includes dedicated modules for the General, Airframe, and Powerplant knowledge tests with hundreds of practice questions aligned to the Aviation Mechanic ACS. Our AI-powered platform adapts question difficulty to your performance, provides detailed explanations for each answer, and tracks your progress across every topic. The platform covers all the key subject areas — from 14 CFR regulations to airframe systems to powerplant theory — and generates both basic recall questions and complex scenario-based questions that simulate the real exam experience.

Start your A&P exam preparation with Sky License →

For a comprehensive deep dive into the maintenance regulations — including section-by-section breakdowns of Part 43, its appendices, and sample scenario-based questions — read our 14 CFR Part 43 Deep Dive.