How to Earn an A&P License and Start Working

Aircraft maintenance is one of aviation’s most direct paths to a technical, hands-on career. If you are researching how to earn an A&P license, the central decision is whether to qualify through an FAA-approved school or by building supervised maintenance experience. Both routes can lead to the same FAA mechanic certificate, but they differ substantially in time, cost, structure, and job-market readiness.

An A&P is the common industry name for an FAA mechanic certificate with both Airframe and Powerplant ratings. It authorizes qualified mechanics to perform and approve many types of maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations on aircraft and engines. Airlines, repair stations, corporate flight departments, manufacturers, and general aviation shops all hire A&P mechanics, although the day-to-day work can look very different from one employer to the next.

How to Earn an A&P License: Meet the FAA Requirements

The FAA requires applicants for a mechanic certificate to be at least 18 years old and able to read, write, speak, and understand English. You must also show that you have the required practical experience or have completed an approved aviation maintenance technician school, commonly called an AMT school.

You can pursue only the Airframe rating or only the Powerplant rating, but earning both is usually the stronger career choice. Many maintenance jobs list an A&P certificate as a baseline qualification, and holding both ratings gives you greater flexibility across airline, corporate, rotorcraft, and general aviation work.

The FAA recognizes two primary ways to become eligible for testing:

• Graduate from an FAA-approved Part 147 aviation maintenance technician school.
• Document qualifying practical experience performing aircraft maintenance under appropriate supervision.

After meeting an eligibility route, you must pass FAA knowledge tests and oral and practical exams. The certificate is not awarded simply because you finish school or spend time in a maintenance job. Testing is a separate and essential final step.

Choose the Training Route That Fits Your Career Plan

FAA-approved maintenance school

For most career changers and students, an FAA-approved school is the clearest route. Programs cover the required General, Airframe, and Powerplant curriculum, including electricity, hydraulics, turbine engines, reciprocating engines, aircraft structures, inspections, and maintenance documentation.

Many full-time programs take roughly 12 to 24 months. The timeline depends on the school’s schedule, whether you attend full time, and whether you are completing both ratings. Graduation from a Part 147 program generally makes you eligible to take the FAA tests without separately proving 18 or 30 months of field experience.

School has a real cost, including tuition, tools, textbooks, testing fees, and living expenses if you cannot work full time while enrolled. In return, you get structured training, access to instructors and equipment, and a credential that employers recognize immediately. This route can be particularly useful if you have no aviation background or want to move into airline maintenance as quickly as possible.

Before enrolling, compare total program costs, completion rates, lab time, class schedules, and local employer relationships. A lower tuition figure is not automatically the better value if the program has limited practical training or a schedule that makes it difficult to finish.

Practical maintenance experience

The experience route can work well for people already employed around aircraft, particularly those in repair stations, general aviation shops, or military maintenance roles. For both ratings, the FAA generally requires 30 months of practical experience working concurrently on airframes and powerplants. If pursuing only one rating, the usual requirement is 18 months of relevant experience.

This option may let you earn while you train, but it requires careful documentation. Your work must involve actual maintenance tasks, not simply cleaning aircraft, moving parts, or performing unrelated shop duties. Keep detailed records of employers, dates, aircraft or component work, and the kinds of tasks you performed. When you apply, the FAA must be satisfied that your experience meets the scope and duration required for the ratings.

Military aviation maintenance can count, but military occupational experience does not automatically produce an A&P certificate. The FAA reviews your training records and duties to determine which ratings and tests you may qualify for. Veterans should gather their training transcripts, qualification records, and maintenance documentation early rather than waiting until separation.

Apply for Testing and Pass Every Exam

Once you have completed school or accumulated qualifying experience, an FAA inspector or designated mechanic examiner will review your eligibility. Experience-route applicants commonly work with a local FAA Flight Standards District Office to complete FAA Form 8610-2. School graduates receive the documentation needed from their program.

You will take knowledge tests in three areas: General, Airframe, and Powerplant. These computer-based exams assess whether you understand maintenance theory, regulations, inspection practices, systems, and safe work procedures. Strong study habits matter, but passing the written tests is only part of the process.

The oral and practical examination is where candidates demonstrate that they can apply that knowledge. A designated mechanic examiner may ask you to explain procedures, identify defects, interpret maintenance data, use tools correctly, and complete hands-on tasks. The format is designed to evaluate safe decision-making as much as memorization.

Plan your testing budget before reaching this stage. Costs vary by region and examiner, and retests create additional expense and delay. Many candidates use test-prep programs and practice questions, but do not rely only on drilling answers. Employers expect a new mechanic to understand why a procedure is required and when maintenance data must control the job.

Build Experience While You Earn the Certificate

An A&P certificate opens doors, but your first role is still a learning position. Entry-level mechanics often begin with routine inspections, servicing, component changes, troubleshooting support, or supervised repair work. That early experience builds the judgment and pace needed for more specialized positions.

Your best first employer depends on what you want from aviation. Airline maintenance can offer defined advancement paths, travel benefits, shift differentials, and work on transport-category aircraft. The trade-off can be overnight schedules, seniority systems, and a highly structured environment. General aviation shops may provide broader exposure to piston aircraft and varied repairs, while corporate or business aviation roles can involve high standards of finish, customer expectations, and specialized aircraft systems.

Location also affects your options. Large airline hubs, major maintenance and repair facilities, and manufacturing centers often have more openings, while smaller markets may offer a closer-knit shop environment but fewer employers. If relocation is realistic, it can accelerate your first job search and expand your choices.

Strengthen Your Job Prospects Beyond the A&P

The A&P is the foundation, not the finish line. Employers often value a clean work record, reliable attendance, strong documentation habits, and the ability to work safely on a team. Technical aptitude matters, but maintenance is also a compliance-driven profession. A mechanic must know when to stop, ask a question, and consult approved data.

Additional qualifications can become valuable after you are established. Avionics familiarity, nondestructive testing exposure, turbine-engine experience, and manufacturer-specific training can help you move into better-paying specialties. Inspection Authorization, or IA, is another long-term credential, but it is not an entry-level add-on. It requires holding an A&P certificate for at least three years and having recent active experience before you can apply.

If you are still deciding between school and the experience route, start by looking at your current position honestly. A person with no maintenance access will usually gain speed and clarity from an approved school. Someone already performing documented aircraft maintenance may benefit from continuing to earn experience while preparing for FAA eligibility. The right choice is the one that gets you credible training, completed ratings, and enough practical confidence to succeed in your first maintenance job.

A&P work rewards people who like solving physical problems, following precise standards, and seeing a safe aircraft leave the hangar because their work was done correctly. Pick a route, document every milestone, and treat your certificate as the first durable credential in a career with room to grow.