How to find a DPE for your checkride

A DPE — Designated Pilot Examiner — is an experienced pilot the FAA authorizes to give checkrides. Your practical test (oral + flight) happens with one of them, not with the FAA directly.

Finding one

• •Ask your CFI first — instructors know the local examiners, their styles, their schedules, and which ones fit your airport and aircraft. This is how most checkrides get booked.
• •The FAA's DPE locator (faa.gov → designee locator) lists every examiner by region and certificate type.
• •Nearby flight schools and FBOs know who examines in the area, even if you don't train there.

What to expect

• •Cost: DPE fees are set by the examiner — commonly $800–$1,200 for a private checkride, paid directly to them.
• •Availability is the real constraint: good examiners book out weeks, sometimes months. Schedule before you feel ready — you can always move it.
• •You bring the aircraft (with its maintenance records), your logbook with every endorsement, your written results, medical, ID, and a completed IACRA 8710-1 application.

One tip

A checkride with a DPE your instructor knows is a checkride with no surprises — the standards are the same everywhere (the ACS), but knowing the examiner's rhythm keeps nerves down. Lean on your CFI's recommendation.