The official rules of 11 aviation regulators side by side: India, the US, the UK, the EU (EASA), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the UAE, South Africa and Brazil.
From each regulator’s own rules, checked between 8 October 2026 and 28 October 2026. Rules change, so check the regulator before you pay for training.This guide is available in English.
| Where | Minimum age | Medical | CPL flight hours | ATPL flight hours | School requirement | Language |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndiaDGCA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 (after a Class 2) | 200 hours within 5 years, 100 as pilot in command | 1,500 hours | Class 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics | Radio licence (FRTOL) from the DGCA |
| United StatesFAA | Commercial 18 · ATP 23 (21 restricted) | Second class for commercial; first class for ATP captains | 250 hours, 100 as pilot in command | 1,500 hours (750, 1,000 or 1,250 for a restricted ATP) | None; an aviation degree can lower ATP hours | Read, speak, write and understand English |
| United KingdomUK CAA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1, needed before CPL training | 200 hours (modular); integrated course 150 hours of flying training | 1,500 hours, 500 multi-pilot | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | ICAO level 4, 5 or 6 for the radio licence |
| EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland (EASA)EASA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 200 hours (modular); integrated course 150 hours of flying training | 1,500 hours, 500 multi-pilot | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | English or the radio language, at least operational level |
| CanadaTransport Canada | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Category 1 | 200 hours, 100 as pilot in command | 1,500 hours | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | English or French, operational level or above |
| AustraliaCASA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 200 hours; 150 after an integrated course | 1,500 hours | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | ICAO level 4, 5 or 6 |
| New ZealandCAA NZ | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 200 hours; 150 on approved training | 1,500 hours | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | Enough English to do the job, tested before the first solo |
| SingaporeCAAS | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 155 hours after an approved course; 700 without one | 1,500 hours | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | ICAO level 4 or higher |
| United Arab EmiratesGCAA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 200 hours (modular); integrated ATP course 195 hours of flying training | 1,500 hours, 500 multi-pilot | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | ICAO level 4 or higher |
| South AfricaSACAA | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | Class 1 | 200 hours; 150 on an integrated course | 1,500 hours | None in the licence rules; airlines and schools set their own | Proof of English proficiency |
| BrazilANAC | CPL 18 · ATPL 21 | First class (CMA de 1ª classe) | 200 hours; 150 on an approved course | 1,500 hours | Completed secondary school (ensino médio) | ICAO level 4+ only to fly outside Brazil |
Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), United States
UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)
European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) rules, applied by each Member State’s competent authority
Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA)
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), Australia
Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand (CAA NZ)
Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS)
General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), UAE
South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA)
Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), Brazil
Each roadmap has the full rules: exams, flight tests, instrument and multi-crew training, costs and pay where an official source publishes them.
Regulations and regulator pages only, with the date each was checked.