LAPL(A): privileges, passengers and recency

A LAPL(A) lets you act as pilot in command of single-engine piston aeroplanes (land or sea) or TMGs of 2,000 kg MTOM or less, carrying up to three passengers, so there are never more than four people on board. Since 1 October 2026 you can only use a class rating that has been issued, renewed or revalidated under the PPL-style rules in FCL.740 and FCL.740.A. The old rolling two-year recency test is no longer enough on its own.

The CAA has stopped issuing the licence. Its LAPL page says:

"The UK CAA are no longer issuing LAPL(A) licences. Students that have trained for the LAPL(A) but did not have their licence issued prior to 1st October 2025, will be issued with an NPPL."

That's CAA issuing policy. The Part-FCL LAPL(A) provisions are still in force, and CAP 3155 (CAA guidance) confirms that LAPL(A) licences "already issued will remain valid".

Privileges

FCL.105(a) sets the general rule: "The privileges of the holder of an LAPL are to act without remuneration as PIC in non-commercial operations on the appropriate aircraft category." FCL.105.A(a) then says:

"The privileges of the holder of an LAPL for aeroplanes are to act as PIC on single-engine piston aeroplanes-land (SEP(land)), single-engine piston aeroplanes-sea (SEP(sea)) or TMG with a maximum certificated take-off mass of 2000 kg or less, carrying a maximum of 3 passengers, such that there are always a maximum of 4 persons on board of the aircraft."

FCL.135.A(a) says the privileges "must be limited to the class ratings included in the licence". To fly another variant you need differences training or familiarisation under FCL.710, "entered in the pilot's logbook or an equivalent record and be signed by the instructor" (FCL.135.A(b)). An extra class rating needs FCL.725 (FCL.135.A(c)).

You're PIC only. There's no co-pilot privilege and no paid flying.

Carrying passengers

FCL.060(b) applies, as it does to the PPL:

"A pilot shall not operate an aircraft in commercial air transport or to carry passengers:

(1) as PIC or co-pilot unless he/she has carried out, in the preceding 90 days, at least 3 take-offs, approaches and landings in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class. [...]

(2) as PIC at night unless he/she:

(i) has carried out in the preceding 90 days at least 1 take-off, approach and landing at night as a pilot flying in an aircraft of the same type or class or an FFS representing that type or class; or

(ii) holds an IR;"

Before 1 October 2025, FCL.105.A(b)(1) also said LAPL(A) holders "shall carry passengers only if they have completed 10 hours of flight time as PIC on aeroplanes or TMG after the issuance of the licence". SI 2025/878 reg 6(3)(a)(ii) omitted that condition.

The passenger limit is three, whatever the aircraft can seat.

Keeping the licence valid

FCL.140.A now reads:

"(a) Subject to (c), holders of a LAPL(A) shall exercise the privileges of their licence only if in the last 2 years they have met any of the following conditions as pilots of aeroplanes or TMGs:

(1) they have completed at least 12 hours of flight time as PIC or flying dual or solo under the supervision of an instructor, including:

— 12 take-offs and landings;

— refresher training of at least 1 hour of total flight time with an instructor;

(2) they have passed a LAPL(A) proficiency check with an examiner. [...]

(c) After 30th September 2026, holders of a LAPL(A) must only exercise the privileges of a class rating included in the licence when it has been:

(1) issued or renewed in accordance with FCL.740; or

(2) revalidated in accordance with FCL.740.A(b)."

Today that means your SEP or TMG class rating needs a fixed validity date, kept current under FCL.740.A(b)(1). You either pass a proficiency check in the 3 months before expiry, or, within the validity period, fly 12 hours in the class, with 6 hours in the last 12 months, 6 hours as PIC, 12 take-offs and 12 landings, and at least 1 hour of refresher training with an FI or CRI. FCL.740(a)(1) sets the validity at 2 years.

The CAA's LAPL page says:

"All LAPL(A) holders are now required to comply with FCL.740.A. LAPL(A) holders should have transitioned their rating before the 1st October 2026 to a fixed 2 year validity and had their licence endorsed. Any LAPL(A) holders that did not do this are required to undergo a proficiency check with an examiner."

The page also asks that your instructor or examiner email form SRG1157 or SRG1107 to the CAA so it's kept on your file.

The sources don't settle one point. Paragraph (a) is still in the text, "subject to (c)", so it isn't clear whether the rolling two-year test in (a) must also be met alongside a valid class rating. The cautious approach is to meet both. In most cases a rating revalidated by experience will satisfy (a) as well.

Night, IMC and other ratings

A LAPL(A) holder can add the night rating in FCL.810(a): a DTO or ATO course with theoretical knowledge instruction and at least 5 hours at night, including at least 3 hours dual. FCL.810(a)(2) adds: "Before completing the training at night, LAPL holders shall have completed the basic instrument flight training required for the issue of the PPL." MED.A.030(d) requires you to be colour safe. The CAA's night rating page confirms that a night rating for aeroplanes "can be endorsed on an NPPL, LAPL or PPL".

The sources here don't provide an instrument or IMC rating route for the LAPL(A).

Medical

MED.A.030(c)(1) says a LAPL holder "shall hold at least a valid LAPL medical certificate or have made a medical declaration". Under MED.A.045(a)(4), a LAPL medical lasts 60 months until age 40, and 24 months over 40.

On a declaration, ANO 2016 art. 162 refers to art. 163(3) and requires compliance with art. 163(5): an aircraft of 5,700 kg or less, "not more than three passengers on board", by day or with a night rating, in VMC, and within the UK unless you have the other state's permission. Your LAPL privileges are already tighter on mass. The CAA's medical page adds that LAPL holders on a PMD fly "In Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) only", that they may fly at night with a night rating "provided that colour safety has previously been checked by an AME", and that a PMD isn't valid outside UK airspace without that state's permission.

Getting the licence

You can't now get a new LAPL(A) from the CAA. FCL.110.A still sets the issue requirements: "at least 30 hours of flight instruction on aeroplanes or TMGs", including 15 hours dual in the test class and 6 hours supervised solo with a solo cross-country of at least 150 km (80 NM). CAP 3155 says that for anyone partway through a LAPL(A) course, "all training completed so far will be credited", and the new trainee route is the NPPL(A). To upgrade, see the PPL(A) guide.

What changed in 2025 and 2026

• 1 October 2025: the CAA stopped issuing LAPL(A)s (CAP 3155). SI 2025/878 removed the 10-hour passenger condition (FCL.105.A(b)), rewrote FCL.135.A, made FCL.140.A(a) "Subject to (c)" and inserted FCL.140.A(c).
• 1 October 2026: FCL.140.A(c) took effect "After 30th September 2026". The CAA's simplification page says: "Changes to the LAPL recency requirements come into effect on the 1 October 2026."
• SI 2025/878 also let hours on "aeroplanes specified in paragraph (1)(e) of Annex 1 to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139", when "conducted on aeroplanes equipped with a three-axis control system" count towards FCL.140.A(a) or FCL.740.A (FCL.035(a)(5)). CAP 3155 describes this as more credit "from three axis control system microlight aircraft".

The CAA says further changes are "planned for the summer of 2026". As of 17 October 2026, legislation.gov.uk showed no 2026 SI amending these points.

Cost sharing on this licence

Cost sharing on a LAPL(A) follows NCO.GEN.102 (Part-21 aircraft) or ANO 2016 art. 13 (non-Part-21). Your licence sets the persons limit:

• Persons: at most 3 passengers and 4 persons (FCL.105.A(a)), below the six-person cap in NCO.GEN.102(a). See the six-person limit.
• Equal share: each contribution is no more than "the total direct costs divided equally by the number of persons carried (including the pilot)" (NCO.GEN.102(c)). With four on board, nobody pays more than a quarter of the direct costs, you included.
• Declarations: passengers are told the flight doesn't meet CAT safety standards and sign before departure. Records are kept for 6 months (NCO.GEN.102(f)-(h)). A passenger who holds or has held a pilot's licence needs no signed record (AMC1 NCO.GEN.102(g)). See passenger declarations and records and giving a passenger briefing.

Before any cost-sharing flight, check that your class rating has a valid date in the licence. Since 1 October 2026 that's what your privileges depend on. Split My Flight collects each passenger's declaration before the flight and stores it with the flight record. For a comparison with other licences, see cost sharing by licence.