IGI Certification

What the IGI Certification Actually Is

The Instrument Ground Instructor (IGI) certification is a Federal Aviation Administration ground instructor rating. It authorizes the holder to provide ground instruction in instrument flight topics and to give the applicable endorsements tied to that instruction. It does not authorize flight instruction. Nobody holding only an IGI rating can sit in an aircraft and teach instrument maneuvers; that authority belongs to flight instructors.

Because "IGI" is also the acronym for several unrelated credentials and companies, it is worth stating the scope precisely. Here, IGI means the FAA's Ground Instructor Instrument knowledge test and the instrument ground instructor rating it supports. If you need a broader orientation first, see our explainers on what IGI certification is and what IGI stands for.

Who Issues It and How the Test Is Delivered

The FAA issues the certificate and defines the knowledge test. PSI administers the computer-delivered, multiple-choice exam at authorized knowledge-testing centers. The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix lists the IGI test alongside other ground and flight instructor tests, and it is a distinct entry from the Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA), Flight Instructor Instrument Airplane (FII), Advanced Ground Instructor (AGI) and Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) tests.

On test day you work only with materials the testing center provides. Outside study materials are prohibited. Approved calculators and navigation aids are permitted subject to memory clearing and proctor approval, and you receive the FAA testing supplement, identified for this test as FAA-CT-8080-3F. These rules come from FAA Order 8080.6H, Conduct of Airman Knowledge Tests, chapter 3 (the active order; the older AC 60-11C is canceled and should not be your reference).

Eligibility Under 14 CFR 61.213

Certificate eligibility is governed by 14 CFR 61.213. In summary, an applicant must:

• Be at least 18 years old for the certificate itself.
• Meet the specified English-language proficiency standard.
• Pass the applicable aeronautical-knowledge examination.
• Demonstrate Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) knowledge, unless exempt.

Notice what is absent. For this ground instructor rating, Section 61.213 does not impose a pilot certificate, a flight-time minimum, or a practical flight test. The aeronautical-knowledge scope is incorporated from 61.65, which is why the exam content tracks the instrument rating knowledge areas. For a fuller checklist, read our IGI requirements guide.

FOI Exemptions Explained

The Fundamentals of Instructing knowledge requirement is a separate item from the IGI test. Some applicants are exempt. Under 61.213, the FOI exemptions include:

• Holders of a ground instructor or flight instructor certificate.
• Holders of a qualifying teaching certificate that permits teaching at grade 7 or higher.
• Teachers employed at an accredited college or university.

If none of these applies, plan to satisfy FOI knowledge in addition to the IGI test. When budgeting, remember that the published test-voucher price covers one test, not any separately required FOI test. Our IGI certification cost breakdown walks through how those line items stack up.

Test Format: 50 Questions, 150 Minutes, 70%

The FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix specifies the following for the IGI test:

The timer is 150 minutes, not two hours

Some competitor pages quote a two-hour limit. The FAA matrix says 150 minutes. That extra half hour is meaningful on a test heavy with chart interpretation and weather products, so plan your pacing around the correct figure.

Scored questions versus validation items

The matrix lists 50 questions "excluding" unscored validation items. In practice, a test may include extra items the FAA uses to evaluate future questions; they don't count toward your score. The table does not establish how many such items might appear, so don't assume a specific number. Treat every question as if it counts and keep moving. For more on what the score means, see our IGI passing score guide.

What question style to expect

Questions are multiple choice and lean applied rather than recall-only. Expect scenarios that ask you to read a figure from the supplement, decode a weather product, apply a regulatory requirement to a described flight, or identify the correct procedure. Because the supplement is supplied at the test, learn to navigate its figures quickly during practice rather than memorizing what they show.

The Ten Aeronautical Knowledge Areas

The IGI test draws on the aeronautical-knowledge areas listed in 14 CFR 61.65(b). These are statutory headings, not an issuer-published, weighted exam-domain table. The FAA's IGI listing points to the testing supplement and Learning Statement Codes rather than a percentage blueprint, so any site claiming exact domain weights for the IGI is guessing. For a deeper walkthrough, see our IGI exam domains guide.

Registration, Identification and Fees

Initial IGI testing requires no instructor endorsement or other written authorization. The practical steps are:

1. Obtain an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) by creating a profile in IACRA.
2. Schedule your test through PSI at an authorized knowledge-testing center.
3. Bring acceptable identification and your FTN to the appointment.

PSI publishes an FAA Airman Knowledge Test voucher price of US$175 plus applicable tax. That is the test-voucher price only. It is not a preparation-course price, and it is not the total cost of everything you may need, such as a separately required FOI test. Candidates who want the full picture can read the pricing breakdown, and those planning timing can check IGI exam dates and scheduling.

Retests and Endorsements

The endorsement rules differ between a first attempt and a retake, and mixing them up is a common source of confusion:

If you fail, keep the test report; you will need it to schedule the retake. Use the report's Learning Statement Codes to target weak areas, then arrange the required instructor endorsement before rebooking.

What FAA Volume Data Shows

The FAA's CY2025 Airman Knowledge Test Volume Report records 2,751 IGI test administrations, a 99.71% passing rate, and a 93.11% average score. Interpret these numbers carefully:

• They are 2025 administration-level results, not 2026 results.
• They are not a first-attempt-only pass rate.
• The test-taking population is self-selected and often already experienced in instrument topics, so the figures reflect who takes the test as much as how hard it is.

High pass rates do not mean the test is trivial; they mean prepared candidates generally succeed. See what the pass-rate data shows and our assessment of how hard the IGI exam really is for more context.

IGI vs AGI, FII and IRA

These acronyms are easy to blur. They are different tests serving different purposes, and they should not be treated as interchangeable or as having identical content.

Overlap in subject matter is real, since all of these deal with instrument flight knowledge. But the IGI table points to its own testing supplement and Learning Statement Codes, so don't assume that studying for one test transfers perfectly to another.

Lifelong Certificate, 12-Month Currency

Under 14 CFR 61.19(e), ground instructor certificates are issued without an expiration date. That is the good news. The caveat is that holding a certificate and being current to exercise its privileges are separate matters.

Under 61.217, you must meet one of the recent-experience alternatives within the preceding 12 calendar months:

• Qualifying ground-instructor activity
• Qualifying flight-instructor activity
• An approved flight instructor refresher course
• A proficiency endorsement from an authorized instructor

There is no fixed continuing-education-unit requirement in this framework, so don't substitute one. Anyone planning to hold the rating long term should track their activity against the 12-calendar-month window. For broader value questions, see whether the certification is worth it.

Sequencing Your Preparation

You don't need an elaborate system. What matters is sequencing the ten knowledge areas so that foundational material comes before the chart and weather work that depends on it. A reasonable four-week arc looks like this:

Our IGI study guide expands on this approach, and the IGI cheat sheet works well as a final-week review. You can also test yourself on the IGI practice test platform to see which domains need more attention.

Where the Rating Fits in Aviation Careers

The IGI rating is most often useful to people who teach or support instrument training: flight school ground instructors, aviation college staff, and experienced pilots who want to deliver ground instruction without flight-instructor privileges. Typical employers include flight schools, aviation programs and training providers, though availability varies by region.

Pay is a different question from eligibility. Ground-instructor job pay depends on the employer, location and hours, and there is no verified credential-specific salary premium to cite for the IGI itself. Treat any specific earnings claim with caution and consult the IGI salary guide and IGI jobs overview for a measured view of the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Whatever route you take, build your preparation around the FAA's actual requirements rather than competitor claims. For a structured way to find your weak domains, try the IGI Exam Prep practice tests and review the IGI-specific training options that fit your schedule.