It happens to working pilots every week: the wallet card is gone. Lost, stolen, destroyed, or left in a truck that is now two states away. The good news is that the FAA replacement process is cheap and fast. The part that matters is staying legal while you wait.
What the regulation actually requires
Under 14 CFR 107.7, your Remote Pilot certificate must be in your physical possession and readily accessible when you fly, along with photo ID. The plastic card is the compliant document. A photo of the card on your phone is a smart backup, and we recommend keeping one, but it is a backup, not the certificate itself.
The $2 replacement, step by step
- Go to FAA Airmen Services online. Note that this is a separate system from IACRA and from DroneZone; your logins do not carry over.
- Sign in, verify your airman record, and request a replacement certificate. The fee is $2 per certificate.
- Replacements are limited to one request every 30 days, so double-check your mailing address before you submit.
- Your new card arrives by mail, typically in about two weeks.
Can you keep flying while it ships?
Airmen Services offers a Request Temporary Authority option that covers you while the replacement is in transit. Use it. Flying without the certificate in your possession puts you on the wrong side of 107.7, and "it is in the mail" is not a defense.
Name and address changes are different paperwork
Under 14 CFR 107.77: a name change requires an application, your current certificate, and a verifying document such as a marriage certificate or court order. An address change is simpler but has teeth: you must notify the FAA within 30 days, and you may not exercise the privileges of the certificate until you do. Moved recently? This is your reminder.
We walked through the full process, screens and all, in the Academy community. If you are studying for the exam, or it has been a while since your recurrent training, come learn with pilots who fly for a living.