Failed Part 107? What Happens Next

Failing the Part 107 knowledge test feels final for about an hour. Then the practical questions show up: how soon can I retake it, what does it cost, and what exactly do I fix? All three have concrete answers, and the third one is printed on the paper you walked out with.

The rules, in two numbers

14 CFR §107.71 says an applicant who fails may not reapply for 14 calendar days. Calendar days, so weekends count, and the clock starts on the day you failed. The rule sets a minimum, not a schedule: nothing requires you to rebook on day 15, and a later date is fine if you need it.

On cost, PSI listed the FAA knowledge test at $175 plus applicable tax as of September 17, 2026. Confirm the current price, and how PSI handles payment for a retest, when you book. For the full picture on fees, see the exam cost guide.

Your score report is a study plan

After the test, your Airman Knowledge Test Report lists ACS codes for the areas you missed. Those codes are the same taxonomy the whole handbook is organized by, so a code on your report maps straight to a study page. A code like UA.I.F.K1, for example, points at standard Remote ID.

Copy every code off the report before you do anything else, then group them by area. The FAA's updated test blueprint, effective September 29, 2025, weighs the areas very unevenly: Regulations 48%, Operations 25%, Airspace 20%, Weather 5%, Loading and Performance 2%. A weak spot in an area that makes up nearly half the test is far more likely to cost you points again than one in an area worth a few questions. The exam mistakes post covers how that weighting plays out.

How to use the 14 days

1. Days 1 and 2: decode the report. Read the handbook page for each missed code. Write down, in your own words, what the question was probably testing.
2. Days 3 to 9: drill the missed areas only. Use targeted drills on those topics first, then mix them with topics you passed so you do not forget the rest.
3. Days 10 to 12: run a full timed test. Sit a complete 60-question run under exam conditions, then treat every miss as a new code to fix.
4. Days 13 and 14: stop cramming. Confirm your ID and booking details with the test day checklist, and rebook for a date you chose on purpose.

Was the study method the problem?

Sometimes the content was fine and the format was the problem. Candidates who read a course front to back and never sat a timed run often discover on test day that scenario questions and chart questions feel different from a video lesson. If that sounds like you, the fix is more question practice, not more reading. The study plan lays out one way to split two weeks by exam weight. If you are choosing a different method, see how Clear107 compares with Pilot Institute, Drone Pilot Ground School and V1DroneMedia.