A restricted ATP is a full airline transport pilot certificate issued at reduced hours under 14 CFR §61.160: 750, 1,000 or 1,250 hours for military pilots and aviation-degree graduates. It can't be used as pilot in command at a part 121 airline (§61.167(b)). Removing the restriction is an administrative action under §61.159, not a checkride: once you have 1,500 hours with the §61.159(a) subminimums and are 23, it's one 20-minute video meeting. $200 flat.
What "R-ATP to unrestricted ATP" actually means
A Restricted ATP is the certificate issued when a pilot meets lower-than-standard total time minimums under §61.160 — typically 1,000 or 1,250 hours, granted to military and graduates of approved aviation programs. The restriction lifts to a full unrestricted ATP under §61.159 once:
- Total flight time reaches the standard 1,500 hours
- Age reaches 23
Once both are met, the limitation removal is an administrative action — no additional practical test is required. The DPE verifies your hours, confirms age 23, processes the IACRA, and issues the unrestricted ATP same-appointment.
R-ATP requirements and minimums (§61.160)
A restricted ATP is a full airline transport pilot certificate earned at reduced minimums under 14 CFR §61.160 — the rule that lets military pilots and aviation-degree graduates fly for an airline before 1,500 hours. The R-ATP hour requirements, against the unrestricted ATP:
| Pathway | Total time | Cross-country | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. military pilot | 750 h | 200 h | §61.160(a) |
| Bachelor's, aviation major, 60+ approved credits (§61.169 institution) | 1,000 h | 200 h | §61.160(b) |
| Associate's, aviation major, 30+ credits — or bachelor's with 30–59 | 1,250 h | 200 h | §61.160(c), (d) |
| Anyone, reduced cross-country | 1,500 h | 200 h | §61.160(f) |
| Unrestricted ATP (the restriction comes off) | 1,500 h | 500 h | §61.159(a) |
Checking your own columns against the unrestricted row? The free R-ATP calculator does it in a minute.
Every §61.160 path also gets the reduced 200-hour cross-country allowance (§61.160(e)). The certificate itself carries the line "RESTRICTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 14 CFR 61.167", and §61.167(b) spells out what that costs you: no acting as pilot in command in part 121, §91.1053(a)(2)(i) fractional, or §135.243(a)(1) operations, and no serving as SIC in part 121 flag or supplemental operations requiring three or more pilots. Everything else an ATP can do, an R-ATP holder can do — which is why it's the standard first officer certificate at the regionals.
The restriction comes off when you meet the full §61.159 experience and turn 23 (§61.160(g)) — which is the administrative action described above, and the rest of this page.
Detail by pathway: 750-hour military · 1,000-hour bachelor's · 1,250-hour associate's · still restricted at 1,500 hours · the ICAO PIC line. The removal itself is the same for every one of them.
§61.160, paragraph by paragraph
Every R-ATP is an ATP with an airplane category multiengine class rating (or one issued with a multiengine type rating). What differs is how you got to the reduced total:
- (a) 750 hours — U.S. military pilots. A current or former U.S. military pilot who graduated from undergraduate pilot training with a military pilot rating, shown by a DD-214 (honorable discharge) or a current service record. Not available to a pilot removed from flying status for lack of proficiency or for discipline involving aircraft operations. The 750-hour path →
- (b) 1,000 hours — bachelor's with an aviation major. From a school holding an FAA letter of authorization under §61.169, with 60 semester credit hours of FAA-recognized aviation coursework, the commercial and instrument earned in the school's part 141 curriculum (or a part 141 school with a §141.26 training agreement), and transcripts to prove it. The 1,000-hour path →
- (c) 1,250 hours — associate's with an aviation major. Same shape as (b), with an associate's degree and at least 30 credit hours. The 1,250-hour path →
- (d) 1,250 hours — bachelor's graduate with 30–59 credits. Meets everything in (b) except the 60 credits.
- (e) The cross-country break. Every path above needs only 200 hours of cross-country instead of 500, and must otherwise meet §61.159.
- (f) 1,500 hours, 200 cross-country. For pilots who have the total but not the cross-country. Still restricted. The 1,500-hour restricted path →
- (g) The restriction itself. The certificate carries the line "Restricted in accordance with 14 CFR 61.167", and the rule says you are entitled to the certificate without it once you present satisfactory evidence of meeting §61.159's experience and §61.153(a)(1)'s age requirement. That sentence is the whole legal basis for the removal — and why it's paperwork and a video meeting, not a checkride.
- (h) The ICAO line. A separate limitation for pilots short of ICAO's pilot-in-command experience. It comes off on its own evidence, and can go in the same appointment. The ICAO PIC line →
What §61.167(b) actually restricts — and what it doesn't
The limitation applies to an ATP holder who hasn't yet met both the §61.153(a)(1) age requirement and §61.159's experience. Until then you may not:
- Act as pilot in command in operations under part 121, §91.1053(a)(2)(i), or §135.243(a)(1); or
- Serve as second in command in part 121 flag or supplemental operations that require three or more pilots.
That's the whole list. It doesn't stop you flying as a first officer at a part 121 domestic carrier, which is why the R-ATP is the normal regional first-officer certificate. The restriction starts to cost you at upgrade time, or when a long-haul crew needs you in the third seat.
The age catch. An R-ATP can be issued at 21 (§61.153(a)(2)); the restriction can't come off before 23 (§61.153(a)(1)). If your hours are done before your 23rd birthday, the appointment can be on the birthday itself.
What the removal actually checks — §61.159(a), from your logbook:
- 1,500 hours total time as a pilot
- 500 hours cross-country and 100 hours night
- 50 hours in the class of airplane (up to 25 of them in a full flight simulator in an approved part 121, 135, 141 or 142 course)
- 75 hours instrument, actual or simulated (simulator credit is capped)
- 250 hours as pilot in command — or as second in command performing PIC duties under a PIC's supervision — including 100 hours cross-country and 25 hours night
The R-ATP calculator runs your columns against that list before you book.
Eligibility checklist — confirm before booking
You're ready to remove the R-ATP limitation when:
- ☑ Age is 23 or older
- ☑ Total flight time is 1,500 hours or more (per the categories accepted under §61.159(a))
- ☑ You meet all the underlying aeronautical experience requirements of §61.159(a)(1)–(5), including:
- 500 hours of cross-country flight time
- 100 hours of night flight time
- 75 hours of instrument flight time
- 250 hours of pilot-in-command time
- Other applicable subcategories per the regulation
Not sure which column is short? The free R-ATP calculator checks your totals against §61.159. Wondering whether your airline or the FSDO could do it instead? Airline, FSDO, or DPE. If you're unsure whether your hours qualify, the appointment IS the verification step. Submit the contact form; your document page walks through what documentation you'll need.
Check my R-ATP eligibility — free →Free document review · pay only once you qualify · $200 flat
Watch: the IACRA application, step by step
Under two minutes, start to finish, including how to add a type-rating SOE to the same application.
How the appointment runs
The video appointment is typically about 20 minutes and consists of:
- Identity verification
- Logbook review — we confirm your hours meet §61.159 by category
- IACRA application sign-off
- Issuance of temporary unrestricted ATP certificate
The temporary certificate is valid immediately. The permanent plastic certificate is mailed by the FAA in 4–6 weeks.
What you'll need
After contact form submission, you'll receive an R-ATP to ATP document checklist:
- Government photo ID
- Current Restricted ATP certificate
- Logbook documentation showing total time, hours by category (PIC, XC, night, instrument), and any other categories §61.159 requires
- Started IACRA application
- Knowledge of your FTN
Timing
Total turnaround from inquiry to issued temporary unrestricted ATP is typically 3 to 7 business days, most of which is the time you take to gather logbook documentation. The video appointment itself is about 20 minutes. A minimum of 24 hours advance notice is required for the FAA DMS oversight entry.
Pricing — $200 flat
Same as every Daytona DPE service. Paid by card through a secure Stripe link once you're qualified, before the appointment. No charge if you're determined not yet eligible during the call.
More on pricing → View pricing details
Also carrying the ICAO PIC-experience limitation? Same appointment.
Some ATP certificates carry a second line: "HOLDER DOES NOT MEET THE PILOT IN COMMAND AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS OF ICAO." It shows up when qualifying PIC time was logged as SIC-performing-PIC-duties under §61.159(c) or through certain military and Part 121 paths. Domestically it's mostly cosmetic — internationally it can block validations and foreign operator paperwork.
Removal is administrative, exactly like the R-ATP conversion: show satisfactory evidence you now meet the §61.159/§61.161 experience requirements without the exception, and the limitation comes off — no checkride. Daytona DPE processes it by video, and if you're clearing both the R-ATP restriction and the ICAO line, both are handled in the same $200 appointment. Mention the ICAO limitation in the contact form so the checklist covers it.
Related considerations
- Just hit 1,500 and applying for an airline? The R-ATP removal is independent of your medical class. Airlines often want to see the unrestricted ATP on file before final-interview offers — book this as soon as you cross the threshold.
- Have an SIC type rating? Check §61.159 to confirm the SIC time is loggable for the categories that need it. If you're unsure, mention it in the contact form.
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Hit 1,500 hours and ready to upgrade?
Submit the contact form. Your document page opens with the list the moment you submit, and most pilots are issued an unrestricted ATP within a week.
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