Welcome Guest. Sign in or Signup

1 Answers

Does my Instrument Rating ever truly expire, even if it’s been over 2 years since my last approach? Or just an IPC is necessary?

Asked by: 1220 views , , ,
Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, Flight Instructor, Instrument Rating

I'm a CFI/CFII and Commercial Multi-Engine pilot. But I'm neither current nor proficient, and I'm confused on some regs. 

I shot my last approach on March 21st, 2021. It was my Comm Multi-Engine add-on checkride, which I passed. Date of issue: 21st March 2021, and of course it was a single-engine approach in a Seminole, to pass the ride.

That was the last approach I shot, and today is February 6th, 2023. Obviously I am long past my grace period for IFR currency, so I know that I need an IPC for sure. But is there a time limit in which your Instrument rating can actually expire, and you would need to retake your Instrument rating checkride or CFII ride with a DPE? Or will an IPC always suffice to renew your Instrument rating?
Will a successful IPC make me fully Instrument current?

Thank you in advance!

Ace Any FAA Written Test!
Actual FAA Questions / Free Lifetime Updates
The best explanations in the business
Fast, efficient study.
Pass Your Checkride With Confidence!
FAA Practical Test prep that reflects actual checkrides.
Any checkride: Airplane, Helicopter, Glider, etc.
Written and maintained by actual pilot examiners and master CFIs.
The World's Most Trusted eLogbook
Be Organized, Current, Professional, and Safe.
Highly customizable - for student pilots through pros.
Free Transition Service for users of other eLogs.
Our sincere thanks to pilots such as yourself who support AskACFI while helping themselves by using the awesome PC, Mac, iPhone/iPad, and Android aviation apps of our sponsors.

1 Answers

  1. Best Answer


    John D Collins on Feb 07, 2023

    Your instructor certificate has an expiration date on it and you need to renew it every two years. Your pilot certificate with instrument rating does not have an expiration date and you will need to meet the currency requirements to fly IFR by completing an IPC.

    +3 Votes Thumb up 3 Votes Thumb down 0 Votes


The following terms have been auto-detected the question above and any answers or discussion provided. Click on a term to see its definition from the Dauntless Aviation JargonBuster Glossary.

Answer Question

Our sincere thanks to all who contribute constructively to this forum in answering flight training questions. If you are a flight instructor or represent a flight school / FBO offering flight instruction, you are welcome to include links to your site and related contact information as it pertains to offering local flight instruction in a specific geographic area. Additionally, direct links to FAA and related official government sources of information are welcome. However we thank you for your understanding that links to other sites or text that may be construed as explicit or implicit advertising of other business, sites, or goods/services are not permitted even if such links nominally are relevant to the question asked.