Do I need a medical certificate to get a private pilot certificate?
Yes. You need at least a third-class FAA medical certificate to fly as a private pilot. You get it from an FAA-authorized Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) after a fairly straightforward exam.
The third-class medical is the standard for private pilots and is issued by an Aviation Medical Examiner, a physician authorized by the FAA.
For most healthy applicants the exam is quick and uncomplicated. You’ll want to hold the medical before you solo.
If you intend to fly professionally later, you’ll eventually need a first-class medical, so many career-track students get the first-class from the start.
Related Questions
Thinking About Flying as a Career?
The private pilot certificate is the first step toward the flight deck. But if you’re thinking about a career as a pilot you’ll need more then that. Zero Time to Airline is a structured program that takes you from no experience all the way to airline-qualified, with every certificate and rating along the way.