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EASA ATPL(A) theory
ATPL exams explained: subjects, pass mark and attempts
Under the EASA rules the ATPL theory exam is 13 subjects. You pass a paper with at least 75% of the marks, with no penalty for wrong answers, and you must pass every paper within 18 months of the end of the month of your first attempt, with no more than four attempts at any paper and six sittings.
By Matthew Dowell, airline training captain and Chief Flight Instructor. A plain-language summary, not legal text and not approved by any regulator. Your training organisation and national authority set the exam rules that apply to you, and regulations always take precedence.
Last reviewed 27 October 2026 against the sources listed at the foot of this page. Part-FCL is amended from time to time, so check the current text before you plan.
How many ATPL theory subjects are there?
EASA Part-FCL, rule FCL.515(b), lists the subjects an ATPL applicant must show knowledge of. There are 13:
- Air law
- Aircraft general knowledge: airframe, systems and power plant
- Aircraft general knowledge: instrumentation
- Mass and balance
- Performance
- Flight planning and monitoring
- Human performance
- Meteorology
- General navigation
- Radio navigation
- Operational procedures
- Principles of flight
- Communications
You will also see 14. The UK CAA's ATPL(A) page lists 14 theory areas because it shows visual flight rules (VFR) communications and instrument flight rules (IFR) communications as two separate items. Our Mastering ATPL series has 14 books for a third reason: the airframe, systems and power plant subject is split across two books. The study guide hub explains the three counts side by side.
What is the ATPL pass mark?
A pass in a theoretical knowledge examination paper is awarded for at least 75% of the marks allocated to that paper. No penalty marking is applied, so a wrong answer costs you nothing beyond the mark you did not earn (FCL.025(b)(1)).
How many attempts and how long do you get?
| Rule | What FCL.025(b) says |
|---|---|
| Time window | All papers passed within 18 months, counted from the end of the calendar month in which you first attempted an examination. |
| Attempts per paper | A maximum of four attempts at any one paper. |
| Sittings | A maximum of six sittings to pass all the papers. |
| If you run out | You retake the complete set of papers, and before you do, you undertake further training at your training organisation. The extent of that training is decided by the organisation. |
The terms have specific meanings in EASA guidance (GM1 FCL.025). An attempt is a try to pass a specific paper. A sitting is a period of time set by the competent authority within which a candidate can take an examination; it should not exceed 10 consecutive days, and only one attempt at each paper is allowed in one sitting.
The 18-month clock starts at your first attempt at any paper, not when you feel ready for the rest. That is worth planning around: see what order to study and sit the papers.
Who decides when you can sit?
You take the whole set under the responsibility of one Member State's competent authority, and you sit only when your training organisation recommends you, once you have completed the theory instruction to a satisfactory standard. That recommendation is valid for 12 months; if you do not attempt at least one paper within that period, the organisation decides whether you need more training (FCL.025(a)). Exam dates and booking are set by your authority or training organisation, so this page does not list dates.
How long do ATPL theory passes last?
Completed ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations stay valid for the issue of an ATPL for 7 years from the last validity date of an IR entered in your licence (FCL.025(c)(2)). The UK CAA's ATPL(A) page gives the same seven-year statement.
UK CAA, Ireland and other authorities
The figures above are from the EASA Part-FCL text. Exams are run by national authorities, and the UK now has its own UK Part-FCL, so confirm the pass mark, attempt rules and dates with the authority or approved training organisation that will examine you. We have set out what the UK CAA, Sweden, Iceland, Estonia, Norway, Ireland and Finland each publish, side by side, on ATPL exam rules by authority. Already passed the theory and building hours? See frozen ATPL explained. The UK CAA’s ATPL(A) page, linked below, is the starting point for UK candidates.
What the exams cover, and how to prepare
EASA publishes the learning objectives for each subject (AMC1 FCL.310; FCL.515(b)), and the questions are drawn from them. Each Mastering ATPL book is a revision guide and question bank built on the full published learning objectives for its subject; the Air Law book, for example, covers all 505. Start with the subject-by-subject hub, then see what order to take the papers in. Heading for an airline afterwards? Your theory is the base of the technical pilot interview.
Frequently asked questions
How many ATPL theory subjects are there?
Under EASA Part-FCL (FCL.515(b)) there are 13 theoretical knowledge subjects for the ATPL: air law, aircraft general knowledge (airframe, systems and power plant), aircraft general knowledge (instrumentation), mass and balance, performance, flight planning and monitoring, human performance, meteorology, general navigation, radio navigation, operational procedures, principles of flight and communications. The UK CAA lists 14 areas because it shows VFR and IFR communications separately.
What is the pass mark for the ATPL theory exams?
A paper is passed with at least 75% of the marks allocated to it, and no penalty marking is applied (FCL.025(b)(1)).
How many attempts do you get at each ATPL exam?
Under FCL.025(b)(3), if you fail a paper within four attempts, or fail to pass all papers within six sittings or the 18-month period, you must retake the complete set of papers, after further training at your training organisation.
How long do you have to pass all the ATPL exams?
You must pass all the papers within 18 months, counted from the end of the calendar month in which you first attempted an examination (FCL.025(b)(2)).
Do wrong answers lose marks in the ATPL exams?
No. FCL.025(b)(1) says no penalty marking shall be applied.
How long do ATPL theory passes last?
The completed ATPL theoretical knowledge examinations remain valid for the issue of an ATPL for 7 years from the last validity date of an IR entered in the licence (FCL.025(c)(2)); for helicopters the type rating is used instead.
Sources
- EASA, Easy Access Rules for Aircrew (Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011): FCL.025 (theoretical knowledge examinations), GM1 FCL.025 (terminology), FCL.515 (ATPL training course and theoretical knowledge examinations). Read 27 October 2026.
- UK Civil Aviation Authority, Airline transport pilot licence for aeroplanes: list of theoretical knowledge areas and seven-year validity statement. Read 27 October 2026.
Free: the Competency Self-Assessment sheet
Once the theory is done, airlines assess you on competencies. This free working sheet covers the ICAO competencies as they are observed and graded, one page per competency. Enter your email and we will send it.
The Mastering ATPL series
One revision guide and question bank for every ATPL(A) theory subject, written to the published learning objectives.