You walked out of the testing center with a passing score on the Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) or Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) test. Good. Unlike almost every other FAA knowledge test, this one isn't a gate to a checkride — for a ground instructor certificate, the knowledge tests are the qualification. What's left is four boring steps, and none of them involve an airplane.
1. Hang on to the test report
The paper (or PDF) you got at the testing center is your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR). It's the document the examiner reviews at the appointment, so keep it somewhere you can find it.
- It's valid for 24 calendar months from the test date. If it expires before the certificate is issued, you re-take the test. There's no reason to let that happen — the rest of this takes days, not months.
- Check the name on it. It should match your photo ID and your IACRA profile. A mismatch is something to sort out before the appointment, not during it.
- If you passed AGI and plan to take IGI, you can wait and bring both reports to one appointment. More on that below.
2. The FOI — or your exemption
14 CFR §61.213(a)(3) requires a pass on the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) knowledge test on top of the rating test. If you passed the AGI but haven't taken the FOI, that's one more trip to the testing center. It's a one-time test — once you hold any ground instructor certificate, you never take it again for an added rating.
You skip it entirely under §61.213(b) if you:
- Hold a flight instructor (CFI) certificate or an existing ground instructor certificate
- Hold a teacher's certificate issued by a state, county, city, or municipality authorizing you to teach at the 7th grade level or higher
- Are employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university
If you're exempt, bring proof of the qualifying credential or employment. That stands in for the FOI report.
3. IACRA and your FTN
Every ground instructor certificate is issued through IACRA, the FAA's online application system.
- Register in IACRA as an applicant if you haven't already. Your profile carries your FAA Tracking Number (FTN) — write it down; the examiner needs it to find your application.
- Start a Ground Instructor application for the rating or ratings you passed — Advanced, Instrument, or both — and enter your knowledge test information from the AKTR.
- Leave it for the appointment. The examiner reviews it with you, signs it, and issues the temporary certificate from it.
Our free IACRA walkthrough for ground instructors (PDF) shows every screen, no email gate.
4. The issuance appointment — no practical test
This is the part people expect to be a checkride, and it isn't. There is no practical test for a ground instructor certificate. Issuance is an administrative action: an examiner (a DPE), an FSDO inspector, or an ACR confirms who you are, reviews your test results, and processes the IACRA application.
For the appointment, have ready:
- Government photo ID
- Your AKTR for each rating you want (BGI, AGI, and/or IGI)
- Your FOI test report — or proof of FOI exemption (CFI certificate, existing GI certificate, qualifying teacher's certificate, or college/university teaching employment)
- A started IACRA application
- Your FTN
With Daytona DPE the appointment is a video call of about 20 minutes: identity verification, test-result review, IACRA sign-off, and the temporary certificate issued at the end of the call. It's valid immediately; the permanent plastic comes from the FAA in 4–6 weeks. The full checklist and booking are on the advanced ground instructor certificate page.
AGI and IGI issued by video, worldwide, $200 flat — both ratings on one call for one fee. No travel, rescheduling, unqualified, or cancellation fees.
The honest part: the FSDO will do it for free
FAA Flight Standards District Offices don't charge for certificate actions, and a ground instructor issuance is one of them. If there's a responsive FSDO near you and your schedule is flexible, call them. That's the honest advice, and it costs you nothing.
The catch is getting the appointment. FSDO availability is tight, it's in person during business hours, and it may be a long drive. That's why people use a virtual DPE: with Daytona DPE, total turnaround is typically 3–5 business days from first contact to the temporary certificate, the appointment is a video call from wherever you are, and you pay the $200 by Stripe once you're qualified. (At least 24 hours' advance notice is required so the FAA's designee oversight system can log the appointment.) You're choosing speed and scheduling, not a different certificate — it's the same certificate either way.
Passed only one of AGI and IGI?
AGI covers ground training for every certificate and rating except instrument; IGI covers the instrument side. Most people who teach seriously want both. You have two ways to play it:
- Wait and do both at once. Pass the second test, then bring both AKTRs to one appointment — both ratings issued on one call for one $200 fee. Just keep an eye on the 24-month clock on the first report.
- Get the first one now, add the second later. Once you hold a ground instructor certificate you're FOI-exempt, so the add-on is just the new test and another appointment. That's a second $200, so waiting saves money if the second test is close.
Not sure which you need? BGI vs AGI vs IGI lays out what each rating authorizes, side by side.
A note on the name "IGI"
Search "IGI certificate" and most of what comes back is about diamonds — that's the International Gemological Institute. In aviation, IGI means Instrument Ground Instructor, the §61.215 rating that lets you give instrument-rating and IPC ground training without a CFII. If you're trying to find the FAA one, the instrument ground instructor certificate page is the right IGI.
That's the whole list: keep the report, sort out the FOI, start IACRA, take the appointment. When you're ready, the AGI certification page has the document list and the booking form.
Frequently asked
How long is my AGI or IGI knowledge test report valid?
24 calendar months from the test date. If it expires before the certificate is issued, you re-take the knowledge test. The issuance itself takes days, so there's rarely a reason to cut it close.
Do I have to take a checkride after passing the AGI or IGI test?
No. There is no practical test for any ground instructor certificate. Issuance is an administrative action: the examiner verifies your identity and test results and processes the IACRA application, and the temporary certificate is issued at the end of the appointment.
Do I still need the FOI if I passed the AGI?
Yes, unless you're exempt under 14 CFR 61.213(b): you hold a flight instructor or ground instructor certificate, hold a state, county, city, or municipal teacher's certificate for 7th grade or higher, or are employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university.
Can the FSDO issue my ground instructor certificate for free?
Yes. FSDOs don't charge for certificate actions. The trade-off is scheduling: FSDO appointments are in person, during business hours, and often hard to get. A virtual DPE costs $200 and is typically 3–5 business days from first contact to the temporary certificate.
Can I get AGI and IGI on the same call?
Yes. Bring both knowledge test reports plus the FOI (or proof of exemption) and both ratings are issued in one appointment for one $200 fee.
How fast can I have the certificate after passing?
With Daytona DPE, typically 3–5 business days from first contact to the temporary certificate. The video appointment is about 20 minutes and needs at least 24 hours' advance notice for FAA oversight. The permanent plastic follows from the FAA in 4–6 weeks.