Ground instructor issuance 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.
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:
- BGI — Basic Ground Instructor: ground training and knowledge-test recommendations for sport, recreational, and private pilot certificates, plus the ground portion of flight reviews at those levels
- AGI — Advanced Ground Instructor: ground training and knowledge-test recommendations for any certificate or rating — commercial, ATP, flight instructor knowledge areas — except the instrument rating, plus the ground portion of any flight review (again excepting instrument training)
- IGI — Instrument Ground Instructor: the instrument side AGI doesn't cover — ground training and knowledge-test recommendations for the instrument rating, plus the ground training for instrument proficiency checks (IPCs)
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 — Advanced Ground Instructor · IGI — Instrument Ground Instructor · BGI vs AGI vs IGI — which one do you actually need?
The regulations, in plain language
Three short regs govern the whole certificate — 14 CFR Part 61 Subpart I:
- §61.213 — eligibility. Be 18+, read/speak/write/understand English, pass the Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) knowledge test (unless exempt — see below), and pass the knowledge test for the rating you want. The reg even lists what each test draws from: BGI covers the sport/recreational/private knowledge areas, AGI covers those plus commercial and ATP, and IGI covers the §61.65 instrument-rating knowledge areas.
- §61.215 — privileges. The BGI/AGI/IGI split described above, plus §61.215(d): a ground instructor may endorse the logbook or training record of anyone they've trained or recommended, within the limits of their ratings. One 2024 addition worth knowing — §61.215(e): ground training for an initial CFI applicant must come from an instructor qualified under §61.195(h)(1), so that one course is outside a ground instructor's lane.
- §61.217 — recent experience. The certificate never expires, but to exercise it you need one of four things in the preceding 12 calendar months: activity as a ground instructor, activity as a flight instructor, completion of a flight instructor refresher course, or a proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor. Falling out of currency is a paperwork problem, not a re-test — an endorsement brings you back.
How to get your ground instructor certificate — the exact steps
- 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.
- 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.
- Start an IACRA application and note your FTN. Our free IACRA walkthrough PDF shows every screen.
- Book the appointment. Submit the contact form, send your documents through the checklist email, 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:
- FAA knowledge test pass for the privilege you want (BGI, AGI, or IGI). Knowledge test results expire 24 calendar months from the test date.
- Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) knowledge test pass — unless you're FOI-exempt under §61.213 (see below).
- Age 18 or older
- Ability to read, speak, write, and understand English
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:
- Hold a flight instructor (CFI) certificate or an existing ground instructor certificate (so adding a second or third rating never requires re-taking FOI)
- Hold a teacher's certificate issued by a state, county, city, or municipality that authorizes you to teach at the 7th grade level or higher
- Are employed as a teacher at an accredited college or university
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.
How the appointment runs
The video appointment is typically 20 minutes:
- Identity verification
- Knowledge test result review
- IACRA application sign-off
- 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:
- Government photo ID
- FAA knowledge test result (AKTR — Airman Knowledge Test Report) for the privilege requested (BGI, AGI, and/or IGI)
- FOI knowledge test result — OR proof of FOI exemption (CFI certificate, existing GI certificate, qualifying teacher's certificate, or college/university teaching employment)
- Started IACRA application
- FTN
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
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