Reinstatement of flight instructor privileges

If your flight instructor certificate has lapsed because you didn't meet the recent experience requirements of §61.197, you can reinstate your privileges by completing an application and meeting specific requirements based on how long it's been:

Within 3 months of expiration: You can take a flight instructor refresher course (FIRC) or meet any requirement from the "more than 3 months" category.

More than 3 months: You must pass a flight instructor practical test (checkride) for a rating you already hold or for an additional rating.

Military instructors/examiners: You can use recent military instructor pilot or examiner proficiency checks or training courses completed within the past 6 months.

The regulation also clarifies that old flight instructor ratings printed on pilot certificates (rather than separate CFI certificates) are no longer valid and cannot simply be exchanged—you'd need to pass current knowledge and practical tests to obtain a proper flight instructor certificate.

*This is a plain-English summary for study only. The official 14 CFR text on this page is controlling — always read the current regulation and consult a CFI.*