Part 107 rules cheat sheet: every limit and its CFR section
Every Part 107 limit in one place, from altitude and weather to airspace, night and people, each with its CFR section. For the test and for the job.
Maybe you’re a week out from the test and the numbers keep sliding around in your head. Or maybe you already have your drone license and a roofing client just asked whether you can go higher to get the whole building in frame. Either way, you want the rule, fast, with the section it comes from. That’s what this page is for.
Regulations are 48% of the Part 107 test under PSI’s current weighting, and most rules come down to a number, a unit and a condition. Each one below lists the section of 14 CFR it comes from, so you can check the exact wording at eCFR whenever a practice question, or a client, hinges on a single word.
The eCFR text was current as of September 10, 2026 when we checked it.
Flight limits
| Limit | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Groundspeed | 87 knots (100 mph) maximum | 107.51(a) |
| Altitude | 400 ft AGL maximum | 107.51(b) |
| Altitude near a structure | Within 400 ft of it, up to 400 ft above its uppermost limit | 107.51(b) |
| Visibility | At least 3 statute miles from the control station | 107.51(c) |
| Cloud clearance | 500 ft below, 2,000 ft horizontally | 107.51(d) |
| Aircraft weight | Less than 55 lb at takeoff, including everything attached | 107.3 |
| Aircraft at a time | One per person, as pilot or observer | 107.35 |
AGL means above ground level. Flight visibility is the average slant distance at which you can see prominent unlighted objects by day and prominent lighted objects by night.
The structure row is the one that answers that roofing client. Within 400 feet of a building, you can fly up to 400 feet above its highest point, which is what makes tall inspection jobs legal.
Pilot and crew
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility | 16 or older, English proficiency, no disqualifying condition, pass the test or Part 61 training | 107.61 |
| Test age | 14 or older to take the knowledge test | ACS; 107.67(b)(3) |
| Carry documents | Certificate and ID on you; show on request to FAA, NTSB, TSA, police | 107.7(a) |
| Recency | Test or recurrent training within previous 24 calendar months | 107.65 |
| Address change | Tell the FAA within 30 days or lose privileges | 107.77(c) |
| Uncertificated pilot | Allowed under direct supervision of a remote PIC who can take control immediately | 107.12(a)(2) |
| Remote PIC | Designated before or during flight; final authority | 107.19 |
| Medical condition | No flying or crew duty with a known interfering condition | 107.17 |
| Alcohol | Not within 8 hours of drinking, not under the influence, not at 0.04 or more | 107.27, 91.17 |
| Drugs | No drugs that impair; no knowingly carrying narcotics, marijuana, depressants or stimulants unless law allows | 107.27, 91.17, 91.19 |
| Visual line of sight | PIC or person at controls, or a VO, sees the aircraft unaided (glasses OK) | 107.31 |
| Visual observer | Optional; effective communication at all times | 107.33 |
PIC is the pilot in command and VO is a visual observer. Keep your certificate and ID on you at every job, not in the truck. If anyone on that list asks to see them, you have to show both.
Aircraft and equipment
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Condition | Safe for operation; check before every flight | 107.15 |
| Registration | Effective registration required (Part 48 for small UA) | 107.13, 91.203(a)(2) |
| Registration term | Non-recreational registration lasts 3 years | 48.100(c) |
| Marking | Registration number legible, secure, on an external surface | 48.205 |
| Remote ID | Standard RID aircraft, broadcast module, or inside a FRIA | 89.101, 89.105 |
| Transponder and ADS-B Out | Off, unless the FAA authorizes | 107.52, 107.53 |
| Hazardous material | Not allowed | 107.36 |
The 0.55-pound registration exception applies only to recreational flying. It doesn’t apply under Part 107, so a small drone you fly for pay still gets registered.
Operating rules
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Careless or reckless | Prohibited; no dropping objects that create undue hazard | 107.23 |
| Moving vehicle | Never from a moving aircraft; from a land or water vehicle only over sparsely populated areas, never carrying property for hire | 107.25 |
| Right of way | Yield to all aircraft; don’t pass over, under or ahead unless well clear | 107.37 |
| Preflight | Assess environment, brief crew, check links and power, secure loads, confirm over-people category | 107.49 |
| Emergency | Deviate as needed; written report if the FAA asks | 107.21 |
| Inspection | Make the aircraft, people and records available to the FAA on request | 107.7 |
| Carrying property for hire | Allowed within one state, total weight under 55 lb, not from a moving vehicle | 107.25(b); AC 107-2A ¶5.15 |
Airspace and restrictions
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Class B, C, D, E surface area | Prior ATC authorization | 107.41 |
| Airports | Don’t interfere with traffic or patterns | 107.43 |
| Prohibited and restricted areas | Permission from the using or controlling agency | 107.45 |
| NOTAMs and TFRs | Comply with flight restrictions | 107.47 |
| Authorization tools | LAANC near real time; further coordination at least 72 hours ahead; DroneZone at least 60 days | FAA guidance |
If a listing or a roof sits near an airport, this is the table to check before you quote the job. The full explanation is in airspace classes and when you need LAANC.
Night and twilight
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Night | Test or training completed after April 6, 2021, and anti-collision lighting visible 3 SM | 107.29(a) |
| Civil twilight | Anti-collision lighting visible 3 SM | 107.29(b) |
| Twilight defined | 30 minutes before sunrise and 30 minutes after sunset (outside Alaska) | 107.29(c) |
| Lighting intensity | May be reduced for safety, never turned off | 107.29 |
If a listing shoot runs past sunset, this table decides whether you keep flying. More on it in Part 107 night operations.
Over people and moving vehicles
| Category | Key requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Default | No flight over people unless they participate, are under cover or in a stationary vehicle, or a category applies | 107.39 |
| 1 | 0.55 lb or less, no lacerating exposed rotating parts | 107.110 |
| 2 | Under 11 ft-lb injury threshold, declaration of compliance, label | 107.115, 107.120 |
| 3 | Under 25 ft-lb, restricted site or no sustained flight over people; never over open-air assemblies | 107.125, 107.130 |
| 4 | Airworthiness certificate and flight manual limits | 107.140 |
| Moving vehicles | Must meet a category plus site or sustained-flight limits | 107.145 |
Events and busy streets are where this comes up. Details are in operations over people categories 1 to 4.
Reporting and administration
| Topic | Rule | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Safety event report | Within 10 calendar days: serious injury, loss of consciousness, or damage to property other than the drone above the $500 threshold (see below) | 107.9 |
| Temporary certificate | Valid up to 120 calendar days | 107.64 |
| Retake after failing | Wait 14 calendar days | 107.71 |
| Cheating | 1-year ban from applying or testing | 107.69 |
| Falsification | Now under 14 CFR 3.403 and 3.405 (§107.5 is reserved) | 3.401 to 3.405 |
| Drug or alcohol violations | Denial for up to 1 year, or suspension or revocation | 107.57, 107.59 |
The property damage exclusion is worded precisely: no report is needed if the repair costs $500 or less or, for a total loss, the fair market value is $500 or less. Older FAA guidance words this differently, so learn the current rule.
What can be waived
The FAA may issue a certificate of waiver for these rules under §107.205:
| Waivable | Section |
|---|---|
| Moving vehicle or aircraft (never for carrying property for hire) | 107.25 |
| Anti-collision lighting at night and twilight | 107.29(a)(2), (b) |
| Visual line of sight (never for carrying property for hire) | 107.31 |
| Visual observer | 107.33 |
| Multiple aircraft | 107.35 |
| Yielding right of way | 107.37(a) |
| Operation over people | 107.39 |
| Certain airspace | 107.41 |
| Operating limitations | 107.51 |
| Operations over moving vehicles | 107.145 |
Alcohol and drugs (107.27), hazardous materials (107.36) and careless or reckless operation (107.23) aren’t on that list and can’t be waived.
How to use this sheet
If you’re studying, read a table, cover the rule column, and say each limit out loud with its unit. Then take the free 20-question practice test. It gives you a score by area, so you can see which tables need another pass. For how questions twist these numbers, see Part 107 practice test questions, explained.
If you’re already licensed, bookmark this page and check the section before you say yes to a job that pushes a limit. The rules change now and then, and the eCFR link at the top is always the final word. If you just passed, what to do after you pass Part 107 puts the paperwork in order.
When you want structured study, Liftoff has 300+ practice questions, and every answer cites its FAA or eCFR source. It’s $49 once with lifetime access, and you can see what’s included.
For the full certification path, see the Part 107 test guide. If you’re earlier than that, start with how to become a drone pilot or check whether you need a drone license for the flying you have in mind. Our license guide covers free shoots, YouTube and small drones.