- BGI is 80 scored questions in 150 minutes, computer-based, 70% to pass.
- FAA data shows 41 BGI administrations in 2025 with a 70.73% pass rate.
- No pilot certificate, flight hours, or flight test required to sit for BGI.
- Knowledge scope traces to 14 CFR 61.213(a)(4)(i), pulling in 61.97, 61.105, and 61.309.
Quick-Reference Facts
This page is meant to be skimmed the night before your test, or printed and reviewed over coffee. Every figure below comes straight from the FAA testing matrix (dated October 22, 2025), AC 61-65K, and the FAA-CT-8080-5H testing supplement - nothing here is estimated. If you want the deeper explanations behind these numbers, the BGI Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt walks through preparation in full, and BGI Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass breaks down scoring mechanics in detail.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) |
| Test administrator | PSI testing centers |
| Question count | 80 scored questions (plus possible unscored validation items) |
| Time allowed | 150 minutes |
| Question format | Computer-based, multiple choice |
| Passing score | 70% |
| 2025 pass rate | 70.73% across 41 test administrations |
| Minimum knowledge-test age | 16 |
| Minimum certificate age | 18, plus English proficiency |
| Governing reference | 14 CFR 61.213(a)(4)(i) |
Exam Format at a Glance
BGI is a computer-based knowledge test delivered at PSI testing centers. You'll see 80 scored multiple-choice questions, with a possibility that a small number of additional, unscored items are mixed in for future test validation - you won't be able to tell which is which, so treat every question as if it counts. The clock gives you 150 minutes, which averages out to just under two minutes per scored question, generous by FAA standards.
There's no oral component, no practical demonstration, and no logged flight time tied to this specific knowledge test. That distinguishes BGI from pilot certification exams that pair a knowledge test with a checkride. If you're comparing BGI's format to other aviation credentials or trying to gauge how tough it really is relative to your background, How Hard Is the BGI Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026 covers that comparison directly.
Question Style
Expect scenario-style stems that ask you to apply a regulation or teaching principle rather than simply recall it. Distractor answers are often "almost right," so precise knowledge of definitions and thresholds matters more than general familiarity.
- Single best-answer multiple choice, four options per question
- Some items reference charts, tables, or short excerpts you'll need to interpret
- Approved supplements and permitted calculation or navigation aids are allowed during the test under FAA testing rules
Knowledge Scope: What's Actually Tested
BGI's content boundaries are set by 14 CFR 61.213(a)(4)(i), which pulls in cross-references to 61.97, 61.105, and 61.309. In plain terms, this means the test draws its knowledge scope from the same regulatory knowledge areas that pilot applicants must master - the material a ground instructor is certificated to teach. Rather than a standalone syllabus, BGI's scope is inherited from those referenced sections, which is why candidates who've already studied pilot ground-school material often find the transition to BGI content familiar.
If you want a section-by-section breakdown of how those regulatory references translate into study topics, the BGI Exam Domains 2026: Complete Guide to All 0 Content Areas maps each referenced regulation to the kind of question you can expect.
Key Takeaway
Don't study BGI as an isolated subject. Because its scope flows from 61.97, 61.105, and 61.309, review those specific regulatory sections directly rather than relying on generic ground-school summaries that may not track the exact cross-references.
Eligibility and Endorsement Rules
BGI has an unusually low barrier to entry compared to most FAA credentials, and this is one of the most misunderstood parts of the process:
- No pilot certificate required. There is no requirement to hold any pilot certificate, pass a flight test, or log flight hours to sit for or earn the basic ground instructor rating.
- Age 16 to test, age 18 to hold the certificate. You can take the knowledge test at 16, but certificate issuance requires you to be 18 and demonstrate English proficiency.
- First attempt needs no endorsement. Walking into PSI for your initial BGI attempt does not require an instructor endorsement.
- Failed attempts change the rules. If you don't pass on the first try, a retake requires the applicable training endorsement before you can sit again.
- FOI is separate. Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) is its own requirement, with its own endorsement rule, unless an exemption under 14 CFR 61.213 applies to your situation.
For the full breakdown of who qualifies and how the endorsement rules interact, see BGI Requirements 2026: Eligibility, Prerequisites & How to Qualify.
Registration, Materials, and Test-Day Logistics
Registration and delivery run through PSI testing centers under FAA authorization. Before you schedule, confirm you meet the age threshold and, if this is a retake, that your endorsement paperwork is in order - PSI will check for it. Bring the identification PSI requires and arrive ready for a proctored, computer-based session.
During the exam, you're permitted to use approved supplements and permitted calculation or navigation aids under FAA testing rules - check the current FAA-CT-8080-5H testing supplement listing so you're not caught without an allowed reference or, worse, holding onto a resource that's been disallowed. For a full cost picture spanning study materials, testing fees, and any retake costs, see BGI Certification Cost 2026: Complete Pricing Breakdown. If you're mapping out when to schedule relative to other commitments, BGI Exam Dates 2026: Testing Windows, Deadlines & Scheduling covers testing windows and timing.
Once you're comfortable with the logistics, the most efficient way to gauge readiness is running full-length practice sessions on the main practice test platform under the same 150-minute time pressure you'll face at PSI.
The One-Week Review Plan
This isn't a generic study calendar - it's built around BGI's specific structure: a single 150-minute session covering material rooted in 61.97, 61.105, and 61.309. The goal in the final week isn't to learn new material, it's to close gaps and build timing confidence.
Regulatory Cross-Reference Review
- Re-read 61.97, 61.105, and 61.309 directly rather than summaries
- Note every threshold, age, or numeric limit - these are common distractor targets
Full-Length Practice Under Time Pressure
- Run an 80-question, 150-minute practice session on the practice test site
- Track how much time you have left at question 40 - you should be roughly on pace or ahead
Weak-Area Drilling
- Isolate the regulatory references you missed and re-drill only those
- Review any approved supplements you plan to use on test day so they feel familiar, not new
Light Review and Logistics
- Confirm PSI appointment, ID requirements, and endorsement paperwork if this is a retake
- Skim your cheat sheet once - avoid cramming new material the day before
If a week isn't enough runway for your situation, a longer, more gradual plan is covered in the BGI Study Guide 2026: How to Pass on Your First Attempt.
After You Pass: Certificate Privileges
Passing BGI is the knowledge-test step toward a ground instructor certificate with a basic rating. A few facts worth locking in before you move forward:
- The ground instructor certificate itself has no expiration date.
- Exercising the certificate's privileges, however, requires recent experience within the preceding 12 calendar months under 61.217 - so "no expiration" doesn't mean "no upkeep."
- FOI remains a separate requirement (with its own endorsement rule) unless a 61.213 exemption applies to you.
Curious how the credential fits into hiring and pay conversations, or whether it's worth pursuing relative to your goals? BGI Jobs, BGI Salary Guide 2026: Complete Earnings Analysis, and Is the BGI Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 address those questions directly, and BGI Training covers building on the certificate afterward.
Key Takeaway
Print this page's quick-reference table and the 61.217 recency note above - they're the two things candidates most often misremember months after passing.
FAQ
No. There is no pilot certificate, flight test, or logged flight-hour requirement imposed for this ground-instructor rating. You do need to meet the minimum knowledge-test age of 16.
The FAA testing matrix lists 80 scored questions with 150 minutes allowed. Additional unscored validation items may also appear without being identified as such.
A passing score is 70% on the computer-based multiple-choice exam. See the BGI Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass article for scoring mechanics in more detail.
Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI) is a separate requirement with its own endorsement rule, unless an exemption under 14 CFR 61.213 applies to your specific situation.
No, the certificate itself has no expiration date. However, exercising its privileges requires recent experience within the preceding 12 calendar months under 61.217.
A first attempt does not require an instructor endorsement, but a retake after a failed test does require the applicable training endorsement before you can test again.