ICAO level validity: when it expires and how to renew

How long each ICAO level lasts for pilots

Level 4 is the operational minimum: below it you can’t use English for radio communication. More on each level: Level 4, Level 5 and Level 6.

Where to find your expiry date

Look at the language proficiency endorsement on your licence. It shows the language, the level and the date until which it is valid. That is the date that counts – not the date on the certificate from your last test.

• If you hold endorsements for more than one language, say English and Spanish, each has its own level and date.
• AESA issues licences in electronic form. If you can’t find the endorsement or the date doesn’t look right, ask AESA – they make the entry.
• Language proficiency and radiotelephony (RT) privileges are separate entries in section XII. For an English endorsement, AESA also requires RT privileges in English. Most pilots trained in English already hold them; the ICAO test does not grant them. What to check · AESA explains this (in Spanish)

The three-month rule: renew without losing validity

Orden FOM/1146/2019 sets out when your new validity period starts. It depends on when you take the new assessment:

• Within the three months before expiry (Art. 5.3): the new validity runs from your previous expiry date. You don’t lose a single day.
• Earlier than that, or once your level has expired (Art. 5.4): the new validity runs from the date of the test.

A Level 4 example: your English Level 4 expires on 30 June 2027 and you get a 4 again at your renewal.

Simplified example. The exact expiry date is the one AESA enters on your licence.

Recommended renewal timeline

The test itself is quick to arrange: slots are available 7 days a week and your certificate arrives within 24 hours. What takes longer is the procedure at AESA, which has a maximum of three months to decide (Art. 3.2). That is why we recommend this order:

1. About 4 months before expiryCheck the date on your licence and choose: Level 4 only or the open Levels 4–6 assessment. Book a slot that falls within the three months before expiry.
2. Two to three months beforeTake the test. You are then within the Art. 5.3 window, and AESA has more time to decide before your level expires.
3. Within 24 hoursYou receive the certificate and a copy of the assessment body’s approval by email.Included
4. As soon as you have the certificateSubmit your endorsement application via AESA’s e-office (sede electrónica), together with proof of payment of the fee.
5. AESA’s maximum: three monthsAESA reviews your application and enters the level. We can’t speed up or promise AESA’s processing times – which is why it pays not to wait.

What if your level has already expired?

What counts is a valid endorsement on your licence. FCL.055 (a) states that you may only exercise the privileges of your licence if you hold a language proficiency endorsement in English or in the language you use on the radio during that flight.

• No valid English, no English on the radio. As long as you don’t hold a valid English level, you can’t fly where you need to communicate in English on the radio.
• If you hold a Spanish endorsement, you can keep using Spanish where it is permitted (RD 1180/2018, Art. 42 ). But at seven major airports (Madrid-Barajas, Barcelona-El Prat, Palma, Málaga, Alicante-Elche, Gran Canaria and Tenerife Sur), English is mandatory in certain cases. And for flights abroad you will normally need it too.
• Professional pilots and IR holders: many airlines require at least ICAO Level 4 in English. And with an instrument rating (IR), FCL.055 (d) also requires you to demonstrate English. FCL.055 explained

The good news: you can take the test at any time, even after your level has expired. Your new validity will then run from the date of the test. If you are unsure about your individual case, check with AESA.

Renewal is the same test

There is no special renewal test. The re-assessment is the same assessment as the first time: about 30 minutes via Zoom, with a real examiner and the six criteria of the ICAO rating scale.

• You don’t need to have taken your previous assessment with us.
• You choose again: Level 4 only or the open Levels 4–6 assessment.
• In the open assessment you are certified at the level you demonstrate on the day – which can be higher than before, or lower.
• If you don’t reach Level 4, we don’t send anything to AESA or your school, and you can rebook whenever you like.

Use your renewal to move up a level. With Level 5 you re-test every 6 years instead of every 4. With Level 6 there is no periodic re-assessment at all. Want to see what to expect first? Try the free sample test or read how the test works.

What your level costs per year

An example calculation at current prices. The outcome depends, of course, on how you perform.

Prices include VAT and apply to weekday daytime slots. Slots from 8 pm, at weekends and on public holidays carry a surcharge, which you see in the calendar before you book. AESA’s endorsement fee (fee 312, tariff 24: €23.34 in 2026) is paid separately, directly to AESA.

The open assessment costs €70 more than Level 4 only. If you get a 4 in it, the validity is the same: 4 years.

Does Level 6 really never expire?

Under FCL.055 (c), Level 6 is not subject to periodic re-assessment, and Orden FOM/1146/2019 says the same for pilots. With an English Level 6 endorsed on your AESA licence, you don’t have to re-test periodically.

If you plan to convert your licence in a country outside the EASA system, or fly for a foreign operator, other rules may apply there. Check your individual case.

AESA also provides a route to Level 6 without a test (Art. 6.1 of the Orden): if you are a native English speaker and can prove it in the way AESA requires, or if you hold one of the C2 certificates listed in its Annex II (for example Cambridge CPE, or IELTS 7.5 or higher). In both cases you also need RT privileges in English. Level 6 without a test: who qualifies · AESA information note, February 2025 (in Spanish)

After the test: the AESA endorsement

A renewal is processed just like a first endorsement: you submit the application and AESA enters the level on your licence.

Renewal questions