Do I Need to Register My Drone with the FAA?

Do I need to register my drone? The full answer

Whether your drone needs to be registered with the FAA comes down to two things: why you are flying, and how much the aircraft weighs at takeoff. Everything else — Remote ID, the TRUST test, Part 107 — follows from those two answers. In 2026 the rules are unchanged from recent years, but they are still widely misunderstood, largely because the popular "under 250 grams" shortcut only applies to one specific kind of flying.

Recreational flying

If you fly purely for fun, with no payment, no client, and no business benefit, you are flying under the recreational exception. In that case registration is required only if your drone weighs 250 grams (0.55 lb) or more. That weight is the takeoff weight of the aircraft as you actually fly it: airframe, battery, propeller guards, gimbal, camera, and anything else attached. Spec sheets sometimes quote a lower figure that excludes the battery, so a drone advertised as "249 g" can still cross the line once accessories go on.

Recreational registration costs $5, lasts three years, and is issued through FAA DroneZone. One registration number covers every drone you own as a recreational pilot, so you do not pay per aircraft. You must be at least 13 years old to register, and the number has to be marked so it is readable on the outside of the drone — a label or permanent marker on the shell is fine, and it must not be hidden inside a battery compartment.

The TRUST test applies to everyone

Registration and the TRUST test are separate requirements, and people routinely conflate them. The Recreational UAS Safety Test is free, taken online, impossible to fail (it walks you back through anything you miss), and required for every recreational pilot no matter how light the drone is. If your drone weighs 120 grams you skip registration but you still need TRUST, and you must be able to show your completion certificate if the FAA or law enforcement asks.

Anything involving money is Part 107

The moment a flight is connected to compensation or a business purpose, the recreational exception disappears. That covers obvious commercial work such as real estate photography and roof inspections, but it also covers monetized YouTube footage, sponsored posts, shooting free content to promote your own business, and even unpaid work for a company that benefits from it. Part 107 has no weight exemption: every drone is registered individually for $5, including sub-250-gram models.

Part 107 also regulates the pilot, not just the aircraft. You need a Remote Pilot Certificate, which means passing a 60-question knowledge exam with a 120-minute time limit and a 70% passing score, taken at a PSI testing center for $175. The minimum age is 16. Once certified, you follow Part 107 operating rules on altitude, airspace authorization, night operations, and flying over people.

Remote ID

Remote ID tracks the registration threshold. If your drone must be registered, it must also broadcast Remote ID — either built into the aircraft or added with a broadcast module. Recreational drones under 250 grams are exempt because they are not required to be registered in the first place. Under Part 107, Remote ID applies to every registered drone.

What happens if you skip registration

Flying an unregistered drone that requires registration is a federal violation, with civil penalties up to $27,500 and criminal penalties that can reach $250,000. In practice enforcement is rare for hobbyists, but registration is cheap, quick, and valid for three years, so there is little reason to risk it. If you are unsure about your weight, weigh the drone exactly as you fly it on a kitchen scale before deciding.

Frequently asked questions