Unlike some professional licensing exams where the fee varies by state or provider, the FAA Part 107 knowledge test has one real, flat, nationwide price — and it’s worth knowing the exact number and what it does and doesn’t include before you book.
The real cost: $175, flat, nationwide
The FAA Part 107 knowledge test costs $175 per attempt as of 2026, paid directly to PSI (the FAA’s approved testing vendor) when you schedule your appointment. This fee is identical everywhere in the country — it does not vary by state, by testing center, or by how you prepared. There is no separate application fee or hidden charge on top of it for the knowledge test itself.
What a failed attempt actually costs you
If you don’t pass, there’s no discounted retest rate — you pay the full $175 again for another attempt. Federal rule also imposes a real mandatory 14-calendar-day waiting period between attempts, so failing costs real time as well as real money. That combination — full price, two-week minimum wait — is a genuine incentive to prepare thoroughly before your first sitting rather than treat it as a low-stakes trial run.
What’s NOT included in the $175
The knowledge test fee covers exactly that: the knowledge test. It does not include drone registration, which is a separate, real $5 FAA requirement if you plan to fly for compensation, as part of a business, or otherwise outside the recreational-flyer exception. It also doesn’t include any study materials, practice tests, or ground-school courses — those are optional and priced independently by whichever provider you choose.
How and where you actually take it
The Part 107 knowledge test is administered in person only, at one of roughly 700 PSI testing centers nationwide — find and book one directly at psiexams.com. There is no remote-proctored or online option for this exam; you’ll need to show up in person with valid ID on your scheduled date.