The basics of BasicMed

BasicMed is an alternative to the FAA’s medical certification requirements for noncommercial flyers who have previously held an airman medical certificate. The FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016 set the stage and required the FAA to adopt regulations implementing BasicMed. Since then, several key changes have been made: allowing pilots to act as safety pilots without being pilot in command, expanding the allowed maximum certificated takeoff weight, increasing the number of allowed occupants, and allowing pilot examiners to use BasicMed, among others.

In its current form, BasicMed has several eligibility requirements for airmen. First, the airman must possess a valid U.S. driver’s license and comply with all associated medical requirements or restrictions. Second, the pilot must have held an airman medical certificate that was valid at any point after July 14, 2006. Paragraph 4.3 of Advisory Circular AC 68-1A provides guidance to help determine if a medical was valid after that date. Importantly, this medical may be expired and may have been a special issuance medical certificate.

Next, the airman’s most recent medical certificate application cannot have been completed and denied. The most recent medical certificate cannot have been suspended or revoked. For a special issuance medical, the most recent authorization cannot have been withdrawn. If any of these are true, even if a suspended medical certificate was later reinstated, the airman must first obtain a new FAA medical certificate before flying with BasicMed.

Additionally, the airman must obtain a special issuance medical certificate for each condition specified in FAR 68.9(a). These include certain mental health disorders, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular conditions. Also, the airman must be under the care of a state-licensed medical specialist for any clinically diagnosed mental health or neurological condition, and the condition cannot render the airman unable to safely perform the duties or exercise the privileges of BasicMed.

After verifying BasicMed eligibility, an airman must print the BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist (CMEC), complete Section 2, and locate any “state-licensed physician” willing to perform the medical examination and complete Section 3 of the CMEC. The FAA relies on the determination of each state (or U.S. territory or possession) to decide who is a “state-licensed physician,” requiring only that the person hold a license as a physician by their state. This can lead to some unexpected results, like a doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) being considered a BasicMed state-licensed physician in certain states. A new CMEC and medical examination are required every 48 calendar months.

Once the CMEC and medical examination are finished, the airman must pass a BasicMed medical education course. Currently, AOPA and the Mayo Clinic have the only medical education courses. The medical education course is required to be completed every 24 calendar months.

Both the CMEC and medical education course certificate must be kept in the airman’s logbook. Unless otherwise required to carry a logbook (e.g., student pilots, sport pilots, sport pilot instructors, and recreational pilots conducting certain operations), we never recommend flying with a logbook.

There are also some eligibility requirements for the aircraft, which were recently increased in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024. The aircraft cannot have a maximum certificated takeoff weight of more than 12,500 pounds. Additionally, the aircraft cannot be certified to carry more than seven occupants. Finally, there are operational limitations to adhere to. There can be no more than six passengers on board. The entirety of the flight must be at or below 18,000 feet msl. The aircraft may not exceed 250 knots indicated. Additionally, the flight must be conducted entirely within the United States unless authorized by the other country.

Once a pilot has satisfied the eligibility criteria and procedures, any covered aircraft may be flown. Unless otherwise restricted, an aircraft can be operated under BasicMed at night, in instrument meteorological conditions, or for flight instruction. If you still have questions about BasicMed, AOPA is here to help shed the medical certificate.

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