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If you maintained aircraft in the service, you've likely already earned most of what the FAA requires for an Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license— a $50–95K+ civilian career. The hard part isn't the experience; it's documenting itthe way the FSDO wants. Here's exactly how.
Sources: 14 CFR 65.77 (mechanic experience requirement), FAA — Become a Mechanic, FAA Form 8610-2
You need at least 18 months of documented practical experience for a single rating (Airframe OR Powerplant), or 30 months of concurrent experience for both. Your military maintenance time counts — the catch is proving it.
This is where most people get stuck. Your day-to-day maintenance system (Air Force IMDS/CAMS, etc.) generally does NOT document your OJT sign-offs in a form the FAA accepts. You want your training records: the Air Force Training Record (AFTR) and AF Form 623/623a sign-offs (or your service’s equivalent), plus your DD-214, your Joint Services Transcript (JST) or CCAF transcript, and any certificates of training. Pull these BEFORE you separate — they are far harder to get afterward.
Some maintenance jobs/bases participate in the Joint Service Aviation Maintenance Technician Certification Council (JSAMTCC), which maps your military tasks to the FAA’s and can issue a Certificate of Eligibility with an issuance control number — this streamlines the FSDO review. If your job qualifies, get it; if not, you use the documentation route above.
Bring two completed copies of FAA Form 8610-2 (Airman Certificate and/or Rating Application) plus all your documentary evidence to a Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). An Aviation Safety Inspector (ASI) evaluates your practical experience against 65.77.
If your experience qualifies, the ASI signs your 8610-2 authorizing you to take the tests. That authorization is what you’re really after from the FSDO.
Written (knowledge) tests — General, Airframe, and Powerplant — then an oral and a practical test with a Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME). Pass them and you hold your A&P certificate.
The Post-9/11 GI Bill reimburses licensing & certification test fees (up to $2,000 per test) and can fund an FAA-approved Part 147maintenance school if you want the classroom route. While you're still in, your branch's Credentialing Assistance (COOL) may cover it. See how the funding works on our GI Bill tools.
Experience route: document your military time and test through a FSDO (above). School route: graduate an FAA-approved Part 147 Aviation Maintenance Technician School, which prepares you for the same tests — often GI Bill-funded. Many veterans use their experience and skip the school entirely.
Educational overview of the FAA A&P certification process for military-experienced applicants; requirements and record types vary by service and are decided by your FSDO/ASI. Confirm your specific case with your local FSDO. Informational only.