Voluntary surrender or exchange of certificate

This regulation allows you to voluntarily give up your pilot certificate or downgrade it for any reason. You can surrender your certificate to cancel it entirely, exchange it for a lower grade (such as trading a commercial certificate for a private), or remove specific ratings you hold.

To do this, you must submit a written request that includes a signed statement acknowledging you understand the certificate or rating won't be reissued unless you retake all required tests. The FAA doesn't need to know your reasons—the statement simply confirms you're making this choice knowingly.

This matters in practice because pilots sometimes need to downgrade due to medical limitations, want to simplify their credentials, or have personal reasons for surrendering ratings. The regulation makes clear this is your choice, but also ensures you understand there's no shortcut to getting those credentials back—you'll start the testing process from scratch.

*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.*