Designated Mechanic Examiner Near Me: Find Your Oral and Practical Examiner
Searching “designated mechanic examiner near me” is a starting point for arranging your oral and practical. Start with the FAA’s Find Designees page and its DME locator link, then discuss your O&P request with the examiner. Keep the test appointment separate from any FAA review your eligibility path requires.
FAA Find Designees and Delegations · FAA Form 8610-2 submission instructions
On this page
Where should you start your O&P examiner search?
The FAA’s Find Designees page lists a “Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME)” link under Designees. That link opens the FAA’s Designee Locator, which searches for designees in your area. Use this FAA list rather than an unofficial directory.
FAA Find Designees and Delegations
In the locator, look for an examiner in the area you can reach. Treat the listing as a way to find a contact, then confirm your requested rating, location, and available dates directly.
Why does the examiner’s rating coverage matter?
FAA Order 8900.1 requires a DME to hold the appropriate designation on the Certificate Letter of Authority. The order distinguishes Airframe, Powerplant, and combined A&P designations, with the applicable General testing when required. An examiner’s location alone does not answer whether the designation covers your requested tests.
FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, p. 2
State which rating or ratings you are seeking and whether General testing is part of your request. Ask the examiner to confirm that the appointment covers the tests you need. Do not infer that a nearby listing covers every mechanic test.
Which appointment comes first for an experience applicant?
For applicants seeking test authorization through civil or military experience, the current Form 8610-2 instructions require FAA endorsement for testing. The form’s official submission page directs an applicant requesting authorization to submit the form to a local FSDO or IFO and request an appointment with an Airworthiness ASI. The same instructions say AMTS and JSAMTCC graduates do not need that FAA endorsement to test. At the test, FAA Order 8900.1 has a civil or military experience applicant present the 8610-2 with Section V signed by an FAA inspector.
FAA Form 8610-2 (04/26), p. vi · FAA Form 8610-2 submission instructions · FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, p. 7
Normally, § 65.75 requires passing each written-test section before applying for the oral and practical. Section 65.80 provides a separate early-testing route for eligible AMTS students. The 8610-2 instructions require FAA endorsement for that route too. Do not assume a classmate’s testing sequence applies to your own path.
14 CFR § 65.75 · 14 CFR § 65.80 · FAA Form 8610-2 (04/26), p. vi
Use the 8610-2 experience and military guide if you need to prepare for the authorization appointment. Once your testing path is clear, settle the actual exam arrangements with the examiner.
What should you arrange before you travel?
Use the questions below as our suggested scheduling checklist. They are practical arrangements to confirm, not a new set of FAA application requirements.
| Point to settle | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Coverage | Which of my requested oral and practical tests will this appointment include? |
| Schedule and location | Where will testing take place, and which dates should I reserve? |
| Documents | Which application originals, reports, identification, and eligibility documents should I bring for my path? |
| Project arrangements | What should I know about the location, equipment, clothing, or personal tools before arriving? |
| Payment and changes | What are the payment, cancellation, rescheduling, and retest arrangements? |
For a printed application, the 2026 Form 8610-2 instructions call for two originals, and FAA Order 8900.1 has the examiner check two original copies of the form and a government-issued photo ID before testing. The ACS also says the evaluator asks for your AKTRs before generating the planning sheet. Confirm your complete document set with the examiner rather than treating these items as an exhaustive list.
FAA Form 8610-2 (04/26), p. v · FAA-S-ACS-1, p. A-1 · FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, pp. 13–14
For what examiners charge and what changes the total, read our DME exam cost guide. Before agreeing on travel, ask the examiner to confirm the arrangements you discussed in writing.
After scheduling, use the ACS codes on your Airman Knowledge Test Report (AKTR) to organize a targeted study round alongside your broader review.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find a DME for my O&P?
Use the FAA Designee Locator at designee.faa.gov. You can reach it from the FAA Find Designees page through its Designated Mechanic Examiner (DME) link. Then confirm the exam arrangements directly with the examiner you contact.
FAA Find Designees and Delegations
Does every DME designation cover both Airframe and Powerplant?
No. FAA Order 8900.1 lists Airframe, Powerplant, and combined A&P designations, so you need to confirm the designation appropriate to your requested tests.
FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, p. 2
Do civil-experience applicants need an FAA endorsement to test?
Yes. The current 8610-2 instructions require FAA endorsement for applicants applying on civil experience; the official form page directs authorization requests to an FSDO or IFO appointment with an Airworthiness ASI.
FAA Form 8610-2 (04/26), p. vi · FAA Form 8610-2 submission instructions
Does appearing in the locator settle the appointment details?
No. A listing gives you a contact, not the appointment details. FAA Order 8900.1 has the examiner hold a pretest interview before testing to discuss fees, testing procedures, projects, and equipment, and to advise you of the testing schedule, so settle those points with the examiner before you travel.
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Related guides
Sources
Sources were checked on October 18, 2026.
- FAA Find Designees and Delegations
- FAA Designee Locator (Designee Management System)
- FAA Form 8610-2 submission instructions
- FAA Order 8900.1, Vol. 5, Ch. 5, Sec. 11, Administer an Oral and a Practical Test (CHG 929, 9/17/2024)
- FAA Form 8610-2 (04/26), including instructions
- 14 CFR part 65 (eCFR)
- FAA-S-ACS-1
About this guide: drafted with AI from the FAA sources listed on this page and checked claim by claim against them. Not reviewed by an A&P mechanic or DME. How we make our guides
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