Do You Need a License to Fly a Drone? Part 107 vs. Recreational (TRUST) Rules in 2026

Do you need a license to fly a drone? It depends on why you’re flying. If it’s purely for fun, you don’t need a pilot certificate, but you do need to pass the FAA’s free TRUST test and follow the recreational rules. If the flight has anything to do with work, a business or a client, you need a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.

That sounds simple. In practice, though, the line between fun and work is where the question of whether you need a license to fly a drone gets tricky. Below, we cover both sets of rules, the gray areas the FAA has addressed, and what registration and Remote ID look like for each group.

Quick answer: do you need a license to fly a drone?

To find out, ask yourself these questions, in order:

1. Is the flight purely for fun or personal enjoyment? If yes, you can fly under the recreational exception. Take TRUST, register if required, and follow the recreational rules.
2. Is it for a business, a client, a nonprofit or any kind of compensation, even a favor? If yes, you need a Part 107 certificate.
3. Still not sure? In that case, the FAA’s own advice is “When in doubt, assume Part 107.”

Here’s the key point from the FAA: “Compensation, or the lack of it, is not what determines if a flight was recreational or not.” In other words, an unpaid flight can still be a Part 107 flight.

If you already know you’ll fly for work, our Part 107 course walks you through everything on the FAA knowledge test.

Recreational flyers: the TRUST certificate and the 44809 rules

First, recreational flying falls under a law Congress wrote, 49 U.S.C. 44809, the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft. Essentially, it lets you fly a small drone “without specific certification or operating authority” from the FAA, as long as you meet every one of its conditions.

What TRUST is (and isn’t)

The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) is the aeronautical knowledge and safety test the law requires. However, it’s not a pilot license. Here’s how it works, according to the FAA:

• It’s free and online, offered through FAA-approved test administrators.
• You can correct every question to 100% before you get your completion certificate.
• Afterward, you must download, save or print the certificate, because test administrators don’t keep a record of it.
• As a result, if you lose your certificate, you have to retake TRUST.
• You must carry proof and show it if asked by law enforcement or FAA personnel.

For a walkthrough, see our free TRUST test guide.

The recreational rules

Under 44809 and the FAA’s guidance, recreational flyers must:

• Fly strictly for recreational purposes.
• Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized community-based organization (CBO). According to the FAA, you don’t have to become a member, though.
• Keep the drone within visual line of sight, yours or a co-located visual observer’s.
• Give way to and not interfere with manned aircraft.
• Before flying in Class B, C or D airspace, or a Class E surface area at an airport, get authorization through LAANC or FAADroneZone.
• Stay at or below 400 feet above ground level in Class G airspace.
• Pass TRUST and carry proof.
• Register the drone if required, mark it, and carry proof of registration.

In other words, break any one of these, and the flight no longer qualifies for the recreational exception.

Commercial flyers: when you need a license to fly a drone under Part 107

On the other hand, everything that isn’t purely recreational defaults to 14 CFR Part 107, the FAA’s Small UAS Rule. The FAA’s own examples of non-recreational flights include:

• Taking photos to help sell a property or service
• Roof inspections
• Taking pictures of a high school football game for the school’s website

In short, if you’re paid, promoting a business or doing someone a favor, you need a license to fly a drone under Part 107.

To get your Remote Pilot Certificate, the FAA says you must be at least 16, able to read, speak, write and understand English, physically and mentally able to fly safely, and pass the Unmanned Aircraft General – Small (UAG) knowledge test. Specifically, the test has 60 questions and a 2-hour limit, and you need 70% to pass.

Once certified, you fly under Part 107’s operating rules. For example:

• Stay at or below 400 feet AGL, with an exception for flying near tall structures.
• Keep the drone within visual line of sight.
• Fly no faster than 100 mph (87 knots).
• In addition, get ATC authorization before flying in controlled airspace around airports.
• Finally, use anti-collision lighting visible for at least 3 statute miles at night.

Then, every 24 calendar months, complete the FAA’s free online recurrent training to stay current. For the full process, read how to get your Part 107 license.

In our experience, studying with a structured course is the fastest way through the test. That’s why our Part 107 course covers regulations, airspace, sectional charts and weather in bite-sized video lessons. Also note that starting October 26, 2026, the FAA test adds image-based questions from current sectional charts, so chart reading matters more than ever.

Gray areas: YouTube, favors and nonprofits

Next, this is where most of the questions come from. The FAA’s advisory circular on recreational flying (AC 91-57D) sets the boundary: recreational purposes may not include flights “for any compensation, monetary or otherwise,” or flights “related to or in furtherance of a business.” It also says you can’t combine recreational and commercial purposes in a single flight.

Monetized YouTube or social media

The FAA hasn’t published a YouTube-specific rule. However, if your channel earns money, or the footage promotes a business, the flight arguably supports a business. Our honest take: if a flight helps you earn income in any way, fly it under Part 107.

A favor for a realtor friend

By comparison, this one is clearer. The FAA lists “taking photos to help sell a property” as a Part 107 example. Furthermore, compensation “monetary or otherwise” counts, so a free dinner or a referral doesn’t make it recreational. You’d need a license to fly a drone for that shoot.

Volunteering for a nonprofit

Similarly, doing good still counts. The FAA says “goodwill can also be considered non-recreational,” and gives the example of volunteering your drone to survey coastlines for a nonprofit. That’s Part 107.

Flying for fun after you get your Part 107

Holding a Part 107 certificate doesn’t stop you from flying for fun. According to the FAA, whether a flight is recreational is an operation-specific determination. Just remember the recreational rules, including TRUST, apply to those flights. Also, note that a drone registered as recreational can’t be flown under Part 107, and registrations can’t be transferred between the two.

Registration and Remote ID for both groups

Even if you don’t need a license to fly a drone, you may still need to register it. And whichever rules you fly under, registration and Remote ID go together.

In both cases, you register through FAADroneZone, mark the registration number on the outside of the drone and carry proof of registration. Note that you must be at least 13 to register a drone.

Meanwhile, Remote ID works like a digital license plate. The FAA lists three ways to comply:

• Fly a Standard Remote ID drone with built-in broadcast.
• Alternatively, attach a Remote ID broadcast module and keep the drone in sight.
• Otherwise, fly without Remote ID only inside an FAA-Recognized Identification Area (FRIA), within visual line of sight.

For more detail, see our guide to Remote ID rules.

What happens if you fly without the right certificate

The FAA is direct about this: anyone who breaks the recreational rules or flies in a dangerous manner “may be subject to FAA enforcement action.” In addition, the FAA says failing to register a drone that requires registration “may result in regulatory and criminal penalties.”

Beyond enforcement, flying a paid job without a Part 107 certificate also creates business risk. In our experience, clients and insurers ask for proof of certification, and an uncertified pilot can’t provide it. For more, read our guide to drone law penalties.

Frequently asked questions

Is the TRUST certificate a drone license?
No. TRUST is a free knowledge and safety test for recreational flyers. However, it doesn’t let you fly for work, business or a nonprofit. For that, you need a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.

Do I need anything to fly a drone under 250 grams for fun?
Yes. Although you don’t have to register a recreational drone that weighs 0.55 pounds (250 grams) or less, you still need to pass TRUST and follow the recreational rules.

Do I need to register a sub-250-gram drone under Part 107?
Yes. Unlike recreational flying, Part 107 requires every drone to be registered regardless of weight. As a result, it must also meet Remote ID rules.

Can recreational flyers use LAANC?
Yes. According to the FAA, LAANC is available to both Part 107 pilots and recreational flyers for authorization in controlled airspace.

How old do I have to be to get a Part 107 certificate?
You must be at least 16 years old. Separately, you must be at least 13 to register a drone.

So, do you need a license to fly a drone? For fun, you need TRUST, not a license. For anything else, you need Part 107, and it’s cheaper to get it now than to explain later.

Planning to earn even $1 with your drone? Get your Part 107

If there’s any chance your flying turns into work, start now. Drone U has 10+ years of in-person drone training and 14+ years of online drone education, and we teach what actually works in the field.

Enroll in Drone U’s Part 107 course for $147 (regularly $197). You get on-demand video lessons, FAA-aligned quizzes (score 90%+ and you’re ready), a downloadable study guide, the private Drone U community, lifetime access and a 14-day money-back guarantee.

Not sure you’re ready to test? Take our free Part 107 practice test first.

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