The short answer

AGI certification — like every ground instructor certificate — is an administrative action under 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart I. The FAA knowledge test (BGI / AGI / IGI) plus the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) test qualifies you — unless you already hold a CFI, an existing ground instructor cert, or a qualifying teacher's certificate that exempts the FOI under §61.213. No flight time, no checkride. $200 flat. AGI + IGI issued together in one appointment if you have both writtens and FOI in hand.

How does the online AGI / IGI certificate appointment work, and what does it cost?

Daytona DPE issues Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) and Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) certificates, plus the Basic (BGI), on a video call from anywhere in the world for $200 flat, and AGI and IGI together are still one $200 fee. You need a government photo ID, the FAA knowledge test report (AKTR) for each rating you want (BGI, AGI and/or IGI), your FOI knowledge test report or proof you're FOI-exempt (CFI certificate, existing ground instructor certificate, qualifying teacher's certificate, or college/university teaching employment), and a started IACRA application with your FTN. There is no checkride: the appointment takes about 20 minutes (identity check, test-result review, IACRA sign-off) and the temporary certificate is issued at the end of the call. Total turnaround is typically 3–5 business days from contact to issued temporary certificate, with at least 24 hours' advance notice for FAA DMS oversight.

What is a ground instructor certificate?

A Ground Instructor (GI) certificate authorizes you to provide ground-school training for FAA airman certificates and ratings. Issued under 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart I. There are three privileges:

That split is exactly why AGI + IGI is the standard combination: AGI covers everything except instrument, IGI covers instrument. Many ground instructors hold both — each is issued as its own rating, and we process both in one appointment.

Deep dives on each privilege: AGI privileges and appointment detail · IGI — Instrument Ground Instructor · BGI vs AGI vs IGI — which one do you actually need?

Instrument ground instructor (IGI)

The IGI is the FAA's Instrument Ground Instructor rating — not the International Gemological Institute, which is what "IGI" means to most of the internet (diamond grading; wrong IGI). Under §61.215 it authorizes ground training for the instrument rating, the ground training for instrument proficiency checks (IPCs), and instrument knowledge-test recommendations, all without holding a CFII. Getting it works exactly like the AGI: pass the IGI knowledge test plus the FOI (unless exempt), start an IACRA application, and take the same 20-minute appointment. Bring the AGI and IGI test reports together and both ratings are issued on one call for one $200 fee. More on the instrument ground instructor certificate.

The regulations, in plain language

Three short regs govern the whole certificate — 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart I:

How to get your AGI certification — how to become an advanced ground instructor, step by step

The same four steps get you any ground instructor rating. For the AGI it's two knowledge tests and one administrative appointment. There is no practical test for a ground instructor certificate — no checkride, no oral, no flight.

  1. Pass the FOI knowledge test (Fundamentals of Instructing) at a PSI testing center — or skip it if you're FOI-exempt under §61.213(b): you already hold a flight instructor or ground instructor certificate, you hold a state/county/city/municipal teacher's certificate authorizing you to teach 7th grade or higher, or you're employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university.
  2. Pass the knowledge test for the rating you want — BGI, AGI, and/or IGI. No ground school sign-off is required to sit for these; self-study is normal. Taking AGI and IGI back-to-back is common since the study material overlaps.
  3. Start an IACRA application and note your FTN. Our free IACRA walkthrough PDF shows every screen.
  4. Book the appointment. Submit the contact form, send your documents through your document page, and take a 20-minute video call. Identity verified, test results reviewed, IACRA signed, temporary certificate issued on the spot.

No checkride, no oral exam, no flight time, no medical. Step-by-step detail: how to become an advanced ground instructor.

Eligibility — what you need first

Before booking the appointment, you need:

There is no flight time requirement for ground instructor certificates.

When the FOI is not required

Per 14 CFR §61.213(b), the FOI is waived if you:

If any of the above applies, bring proof of the qualifying credential (or employment) to the appointment and the FOI requirement is satisfied.

Already hold a ground instructor certificate? Adding a rating is the same appointment

Adding AGI or IGI to an existing ground instructor certificate is the same administrative process — and it's easier the second time: an existing ground instructor certificate makes you FOI-exempt under §61.213, so the added rating needs only the new knowledge test pass. Same 20-minute video appointment, same $200, temporary certificate with the added rating issued on the call. BGI holders adding AGI is the classic move — the AGI unlocks private/commercial/ATP ground training and flight-review ground instruction.

Watch: the IACRA application, step by step

About two and a half minutes, start to finish. Leave every Pilot Time box blank.

How the appointment runs

The video appointment is typically 20 minutes:

  1. Identity verification
  2. Knowledge test result review
  3. IACRA application sign-off
  4. Issuance of temporary ground instructor certificate

The temporary is valid immediately. Permanent plastic certificate arrives in 4–6 weeks.

What you'll need

After contact form submission, you'll receive a Ground Instructor document checklist:

Timing

Total turnaround: typically 3–5 business days from contact to issued temporary certificate. A minimum of 24 hours advance notice is required for FAA DMS oversight.

Pricing — $200 flat

$200 flat per appointment, regardless of how many ground instructor certificates are issued. AGI and IGI are processed simultaneously in one appointment for one $200 fee if you arrive with both AKTRs plus FOI (or an FOI-exempt credential). No double-billing.

More on pricing → View pricing details

Free resources

IACRA Walkthrough — Ground Instructor (PDF)

Step-by-step screenshots for the BGI / AGI / IGI Original Issuance flow. Branded, free, no email gate.

How to Become an Advanced Ground Instructor

The two knowledge tests, the FOI exemptions, and the issuance appointment — start to finish.

BGI vs AGI vs IGI

What each rating actually authorizes under §61.215, and which one (or two) you should get.

Passed the AGI or IGI Test — Now What?

The test report, the FOI, IACRA, and the issuance appointment, in order.

Related services

AGI — privileges & appointment detail

What the AGI authorizes, the FOI exemptions, and how the call runs.

IGI — Instrument Ground Instructor

Instrument ground training authority without a CFII. Full IGI guide.

CFI Renewal

Already hold a CFI? Pairs well with adding AGI / IGI privileges.

Military Competency (MCE/MIE)

Many transitioning military pilots stack ground instructor privileges with MCE/MIE.

About the Examiner

Thomas Dowell, FAA Designated Pilot Examiner.

What Is a Designated Pilot Examiner?

How a DPE issues certificates and which actions can be done virtually.

Just passed your BGI / AGI / IGI knowledge test?

Submit the contact form below for same-week issuance.

Schedule your ground instructor appointment →

Frequently asked

What's the difference between BGI, AGI, and IGI?
Per §61.215: BGI (Basic Ground Instructor) authorizes ground training for sport, recreational, and private pilot certificates. AGI (Advanced Ground Instructor) authorizes ground training for any certificate or rating — commercial, ATP, flight instructor knowledge areas — except the instrument rating, plus the ground portion of any flight review. IGI (Instrument Ground Instructor) covers what AGI can't: instrument-rating ground training and IPC ground training. That's why AGI + IGI together is the standard combination.
How do I become an advanced ground instructor?
Two knowledge tests, then a 20-minute administrative appointment: pass the FOI (Fundamentals of Instructing) test unless you're exempt under §61.213(b), pass the AGI knowledge test, start an IACRA application, and meet a DPE — virtually — to verify identity, review the test results, and issue the temporary certificate. No checkride, no flight time, no medical. Full walkthrough: our how-to-become-an-AGI article.
Does a ground instructor certificate expire?
No — the certificate itself never expires. But §61.217 says you can't exercise it unless, in the preceding 12 calendar months, you've been active as a ground or flight instructor, completed a flight instructor refresher course, or received a proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor. Lapsed currency is fixed with an endorsement, never a re-test.
Can a ground instructor give a flight review?
The ground portion, yes — a BGI at the sport/recreational/private level, an AGI for any flight review (except instrument training, which takes an IGI or CFII). The one-hour flight portion of a flight review must be conducted by a flight instructor (CFI); a ground instructor cannot fly it.
Do I need to take a checkride for a ground instructor certificate?
No. There is no practical test for ground instructor certificates. The DPE verifies your knowledge test result, your identity, and processes the IACRA — a 20-minute administrative process.
Do I need flight time for the certificate?
No. Ground instructor certificates require no flight time, no medical, and no logbook entries beyond identity verification. The qualifying credential is the FAA knowledge test result.
How long is my knowledge test result valid?
24 calendar months from the test date. If your test result has expired, you'll need to re-take the knowledge test before the appointment.
Can I get AGI and IGI in the same appointment?
Yes. AGI and IGI are processed simultaneously in one appointment for one $200 fee when you arrive with both knowledge test results (AGI AKTR + IGI AKTR) plus FOI — or an FOI-exempt credential (CFI, existing GI cert, or qualifying teacher's certificate).
Do I need the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) test?
Yes, unless you're exempt. Per 14 CFR §61.213(b), the FOI is waived if you hold a flight instructor or 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, or are employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university. Bring proof and the FOI requirement is satisfied.
Can this be done virtually?
Yes. FAA guidance allows ground instructor certificate issuances to be processed virtually with a DPE. Daytona DPE handles BGI, AGI, and IGI issuances via secure video meeting worldwide.
What is an instrument ground instructor (IGI)?
The FAA Instrument Ground Instructor rating under 14 CFR 61.215 authorizes ground training for the instrument rating, ground training for instrument proficiency checks, and instrument knowledge-test recommendations, without holding a CFII. In aviation IGI means Instrument Ground Instructor, not the International Gemological Institute that grades diamonds. It takes the IGI knowledge test plus the FOI (unless exempt), and it is issued in the same appointment as the AGI for the same $200.
Can't I just go to my local FSDO for free?
Yes, you can. An FSDO inspector can issue a ground instructor certificate, and the FAA charges nothing for it. What you trade is the calendar: the appointment waits on your FSDO's inspector availability and is typically an in-person visit to the office. Here it is a 20-minute video appointment on your schedule for $200 flat, paid only once your documents are qualified.
How much does it cost?
$200 flat. AGI and IGI issued together in one appointment for the same $200 fee when both AKTRs and FOI are in hand. Paid by card through a secure Stripe link once you're qualified, before the appointment.
When does the permanent certificate arrive?
The temporary certificate is issued at the end of the appointment and is valid immediately. The permanent plastic arrives in 4–6 weeks from the FAA.