Airworthy PrepYes, you can take the Private Pilot (PAR) and Instrument Rating (IRA) written tests close together, even before you hold a private pilot certificate. The instrument rating rule lets you hold a private certificate “or be concurrently applying” for one (14 CFR 61.65(a)(1)). The catch is the clock: each pass only counts for 24 calendar months toward its checkride (14 CFR 61.39(a)(1)), so taking the instrument written too early can mean taking it twice. This guide covers what the rules allow, where the tests overlap, and how to decide on timing.
The two tests side by side
They are separate tests, booked and paid for separately, with the same basic format.
| Private Pilot Airplane (PAR) | Instrument Rating Airplane (IRA) | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 60 | 60 | FAA Airman Knowledge Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| Time | 2 hours | 2 hours | FAA Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| Passing score | 70% | 70% | FAA Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| Minimum age to test | 15 | 15 | FAA Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| Test areas | 11 | 8 | PSI Information Bulletins, March 2024, p. 4 |
| Figures book | FAA-CT-8080-2H | FAA-CT-8080-3F | FAA Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| Endorsement needed | Yes | Yes | FAA Testing Matrix, pp. 11 and 13 |
| CY2025 tests and pass rate | 44,657 tests, 89.56% | 27,143 tests, 94.38% | FAA CY2025 test statistics |
There is no combined test. You sit each one on its own, so you also pay two test fees: see what the Private Pilot written test costs and what the Instrument written test costs.
What the rules allow
- Instrument before you are a private pilot. 14 CFR 61.65(a)(1) says an applicant for an instrument rating must hold at least a current private pilot certificate, or be concurrently applying for one. The knowledge test itself needs an endorsement, not a certificate: a written statement or logbook endorsement from an authorized instructor certifying you are prepared, or a pilot school ground school graduation certificate (FAA Testing Matrix, p. 11; 14 CFR 61.65(a)(4)).
- Two endorsements. The Private test needs its own endorsement for ground training or home study on the private pilot knowledge areas (14 CFR 61.103(d)). The instrument test needs one for the instrument knowledge areas (14 CFR 61.65(a)(3) and (a)(4)). One instructor can give both if they are authorized and have reviewed both.
- Same test day. The rules do not stop you booking both tests close together. Each is a 2-hour test, so two on one day is a long day.
The 24-month clock
For each checkride, you must have passed the matching knowledge test within the 24 calendar months before the month you complete the practical test (14 CFR 61.39(a)(1)).
That is the main reason to think before taking both early. A typical path is private pilot training, then the private checkride, then instrument training, then the instrument checkride. If you pass the instrument written at the start, the 24 months is running through the rest of your private training and all of your instrument training. If that takes longer than planned, your instrument result expires and you take the test again, with another fee.
Ask yourself one question: can I finish the instrument checkride within 24 months of today? If yes, taking both writtens close together is reasonable. If you are not sure, take the private written now and the instrument written once instrument training is under way.
Where the two tests overlap
The two tests share a lot of ground, which is why studying for both at once can be efficient:
- Weather. Both ACS documents have a Weather Information task in Area I, Preflight Preparation: Private Pilot PA.I.C (FAA-S-ACS-6C) and Instrument IR.I.B (FAA-S-ACS-8C). The instrument test expects more depth on the same reports and forecasts.
- Flying by instruments. The Private test has a Basic Instrument Maneuvers area (PA.VIII, 7% of the test), and the instrument test has Flight by Reference to Instruments (IR.IV, 11%) (PSI Information Bulletins, p. 4).
- Regulations and flight planning. Both start with Preflight Preparation, the largest area on each: 22% of the Private test and 26% of the instrument test (PSI Information Bulletins, p. 4).
- Aircraft instruments and systems. Both cover the flight instruments, how they work and how they fail.
What does not overlap: instrument approach procedures (26% of the IRA test), holding, IFR clearances and IFR enroute charts are instrument-only. Takeoffs and landings, slow flight and stalls, airport operations and sectional chart reading make up much of the Private test.
Three ways to time it
1. Private first, instrument later (the usual path). Take the PAR test during private training, finish the private checkride, then start instrument training and take the IRA test partway through. Lowest risk of the 24-month clock running out.
2. Back to back. Take the PAR test, then the IRA test a few weeks later while the shared weather and instrument knowledge is fresh. Makes sense if you are doing a fast-track or combined program and will finish both checkrides well inside 24 months.
3. Instrument written during private training. Possible under 61.65(a)(1), but only sensible if your whole plan to the instrument checkride is short and funded. Otherwise you risk paying for the instrument test twice.
A study plan for both
If you go back to back, this order uses the overlap:
- Shared foundations first (2 weeks). Weather reports and forecasts, flight instruments, and the regulations in 14 CFR 61 and 91. The Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge covers them for both.
- Private-only material (2 weeks). Sectional charts, airport operations, performance, takeoffs and landings, stalls and emergencies. Then full timed Private practice tests.
- Take the Private test.
- Instrument-only material (3 to 4 weeks). Approach charts, holding, IFR clearances, navigation systems and IFR enroute charts, using the Instrument Procedures Handbook and the Aeronautical Information Manual. Since October 26, 2026 the instrument test includes images from current FAA enroute and approach charts that are not in the supplement (FAA Airman Testing Community Advisory, September 2026 Special Edition, p. 6), so practice on real current charts.
- Take the instrument test.
The full format details for each test are in our Private Pilot written test guide and Instrument Rating written test guide.
Practicing for both
Whatever you use, take full timed tests for each one before you book it. You can try a free 10-question mock for each with no sign-up: the Private Pilot free mock and the Instrument Rating free mock. If you want both full courses, Airworthy Prep sells the Private Pilot course for $29 and the Instrument Rating course for $39, or both together for $59 on the pricing page, each with 12 months of access.
Common questions
Can I take the instrument written before my private pilot checkride?
Yes. You need an instructor’s endorsement for the test, and the rating rule allows you to be “concurrently applying” for a private pilot certificate (14 CFR 61.65(a)(1)). Watch the 24-month limit.
Can I take the private and instrument written tests on the same day?
The rules do not prevent it, as long as you have the endorsement for each. They are separate 2-hour tests booked separately.
Is there one combined private and instrument written test?
No. PAR and IRA are separate tests with their own fee, endorsement and score report.
How long are the written test results valid?
Each pass counts for the practical test completed within the following 24 calendar months (14 CFR 61.39(a)(1)).
Which is harder, the private or instrument written?
In 2025 the instrument test had the higher pass rate, 94.38% against 89.56% for Private (FAA CY2025 statistics). Those figures are from before the instrument test added current-chart images on October 26, 2026, and many instrument candidates are already experienced private pilots.