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Drone licence by country: how to get your A1/A3 certificate in Europe

In short

  • The A1/A3 certificate is European: it is valid in all 31 EASA countries, whichever authority issues it.
  • Each country runs its own official exam, with its own portal, fees and pass mark.
  • You can sit the exam in any EASA country, not only where you live.
  • Below you will find a step-by-step guide for each country.
  • You can prepare for any of these exams with one online course.

The A1/A3 drone certificate works the same way across Europe, but each aviation authority runs its own exam: a different portal, different fees, a different number of attempts. This page brings together our guide for each of the 31 EASA countries, so you can see exactly how the exam works where you want to sit it.

Pick your country below, or read on for what is the same everywhere.

Choose your country

Each guide covers the official A1/A3 exam, the A2 certificate, operator registration, insurance and where you can fly.

One certificate, valid in 31 countries

The A1/A3 and A2 certificates are issued under the same EU rules in every EASA country: the 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. A certificate from one authority is valid in all the others, so you never need to sit the exam twice.

What changes from country to country is the exam itself:

  • Where you take it: most countries run it online; Hungary, for example, runs it in person at an exam centre.
  • The fee: from free, as in Spain or Slovenia, to a state fee in others.
  • Language and login: some portals need a national electronic ID or are only in the local language.

Can I sit the exam in another country?

Yes. You can sit the A1/A3 exam with any EASA authority, and the certificate is valid everywhere. You then register as an operator in the country where you live.

In Spain, for example, the A1/A3 exam run by AESA is free, online and open to any nationality, and you can register with your passport. It is a practical option if the exam in your country is in person, paid or only in the local language. Read the guide for Spain (in Spanish).

Our course includes the link to the official exam of every EASA country, with instructions on how to register.

A1/A3 or A2: which one do you need?

Most leisure pilots only need the A1/A3. The A2 builds on it for flying closer to people.

A1/A3 certificateOnline theory exam; lets you fly in the A1 and A3 subcategories of the Open category
A2 certificateA1/A3 plus practical self-training and a second theory exam; lets you fly a C2 drone closer to people
A2 examSet by each authority, often supervised or in person
Validity5 years for both

Certificate, registration and insurance

Passing the exam gives you a remote pilot certificate. Before you fly you also need:

  • Operator registration: in your country of residence, for any drone of 250 g or more, or with a camera. Your operator number goes on the drone.
  • Insurance: the rules vary by country. Some require it for every drone above 250 g, others only above 20 kg.
  • Local zones: each country publishes its own map of restricted areas.

Each country guide gives the fees, the insurance rules and the name of the official map.

Your certificate and your registration are two different things: the certificate is about you as a pilot, the registration is about you as the drone’s operator.

How to prepare for the exam

The quickest route is an online course that takes you straight to the official exam.

The EU Drone Port A1/A3 course is built for exactly that:

  • Video lessons online, whenever you like.
  • 5 mock exams and a final exam.
  • Links to the official exam in every EASA country.
  • Lifetime access, handy for renewal after 5 years.

EU Drone Port is an Official Designated Training Entity. The course prepares you for the exam: the certificate is issued by the authority where you sit it.

Want to test yourself first? Download our free 25 practice questions for A1/A3 and A2.

For the A2, there is the A2 course, with mock exams and a guide to practical self-training.

Online course

Prepare for your A1/A3 exam

Video lessons online at your own pace, 5 mock exams and links to the official exam in every EASA country. A course by an Official Designated Training Entity.

Start the A1/A3 course25 free practice questions

Frequently asked questions

Yes. A1/A3 and A2 certificates issued by any EASA authority are valid in all 31 EASA countries.

Yes. You can sit the exam with any EASA authority. Operator registration is done in your country of residence.

Most of them. Hungary, for example, runs it in person at an exam centre. Each country guide explains how the exam works.

Yes, if it has a camera. Only toy drones without a camera are exempt.

The A1/A3 and A2 certificates are valid for 5 years.

The 27 EU member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

With a structured online course, a few hours is enough: our A1/A3 course takes about three and a half hours, mock exams included.