WASHINGTON, D.C. (2-21-2013) – The FAA is requiring that all airmen, A&P mechanic, repairman, flight engineer, and ground instructor certificates be replaced with “plastic” certificates no later than March 31, 2013 to remain in force. Persons who only have a paper certificate are not eligible to exercise those privileges until they receive a new, plastic certificate from the FAA.
Airmen are not required to surrender their paper certificates and may retain them as keepsakes. However, paper certificates will no longer be officially recognized after March 31 – even if you have ordered a plastic replacement that has not yet arrived.
The cost for a plastic certificate is $2, and airmen may apply for a new card online, which can take 10 days for processing. Applications through the mail can take four to six weeks for processing.
The elimination of paper certificates began in 2005 as a means to prevent counterfeit cards.