Mechanic Certification: Inspection Rating and Recent Experience Requirements

Document 2026-13282 is a Proposed Rule published by the Department of Transportation in the Federal Register on July 1, 2026. FAA proposes to amend the regulations for certificated mechanics by replacing the inspection authorization with an inspection rating on a mechanic's certificate, similar to the existing airframe and powerplant ratings. The inspection rating would carry the same privileges and limitations as the inspection authorization but would not require renewal or have an expiration date, consistent with the other mechanic ratings. As a result, FAA proposes to require certificated mechanics with inspection ratings to complete rolling recent experience activities, maintained independently, to exercise the privileges of their rating, rather than the current requirements of presenting evidence of renewal activities each March of every odd- numbered year. These proposed changes are intended to align mechanic privileges, which would streamline and simplify the process for maintaining inspection privileges, increase FAA efficiency by reducing on-demand work tasks, and save critical hours for safety-focused missions. These proposed changes would be deregulatory since they would reduce the paperwork and resource burdens linked to complying with the existing regulations for both industry and FAA. View the original at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/01/2026-13282/mechanic-certification-inspection-rating-and-recent-experience-requirements.

No. Document 2026-13282 is not classified as economically significant under Executive Order 12866. Economically significant rules require OIRA review and are estimated to have impacts of $100 million or more per year.