Return of medical certificate after suspension or revocation

If the FAA suspends or revokes your medical certificate, you must return the physical certificate to the FAA when they ask for it. This applies to any class of medical certificate (first, second, or third class) issued under Part 67.

In practice, this means you cannot simply keep a suspended or revoked medical certificate in your possession. When the FAA requests it back—typically through official correspondence following the suspension or revocation—you're legally required to send it to them. This prevents pilots from continuing to carry or potentially misuse an invalid medical certificate.

The requirement is straightforward: if asked, you must physically return the document. This helps ensure clarity about your medical certification status and prevents any confusion about whether you hold valid medical privileges to exercise pilot certificate privileges.

*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.*