Convert your SACAA licence to UK CAA
Holding an SACAA pilot licence and moving to the United Kingdom? Here's the full picture of converting to a UK CAA licence — the paperwork, exams, flight test, medical and English requirements at PPL, CPL and ATPL level, with links to UK CAA's official pages. Every requirement below is set by UK CAA, the authority issuing your new licence.
The UK CAA requirements, level by level
Everything UK CAA requires of a SACAA licence holder — application, theory exams, flight test, medical and English — at each licence level, grounded in UK CAA's official pages (linked below).
PPL — Private Pilot Licence
- Application & verification
- The UK CAA verifies the authenticity of your third-country licence before issuing a UK Part-FCL PPL.
- Theory exams
- Meet the UK Part-FCL theory requirements for the PPL.
- Flight test
- Pass a UK Part-FCL PPL skill test (Annex I) with a UK CAA-certified examiner.
- Medical
- Hold at least a valid UK Part-MED Class 2 medical.
- English proficiency
- Meet FCL.055 ELP (no credit for non-EASA ICAO ELP) and hold a UK FRTOL.
CPL — Commercial Pilot Licence
- Application & verification
- Apply on form SRG1183, plus a third-country verification on form SRG2142.
- Theory exams
- Meet the UK Part-FCL CPL theory requirements; foreign exam credits are generally not given.
- Flight test
- Pass the UK Part-FCL CPL (and IR) skill test; hold a UK FRTOL before the skill test.
- Medical
- Hold a valid UK Part-MED Class 1 medical.
- English proficiency
- Meet FCL.055 ELP — no credit for non-EASA ICAO ELP.
ATPL — Airline Transport Pilot Licence
- Application & verification
- Apply on form SRG1183, plus third-country verification on SRG2142.
- Theory exams
- Meet the UK Part-FCL ATPL theory requirements.
- Flight test
- Pass the required UK skill test(s); hold a UK FRTOL beforehand.
- Medical
- Hold a valid UK Part-MED Class 1 medical.
- English proficiency
- Meet FCL.055 ELP — no credit for non-EASA ICAO ELP.
Requirements change — always confirm the current rules with UK CAA before you start. Official links below.
Planning your conversion
Start the paperwork first
Licence verification and application processing is usually the slowest step — authorities commonly take weeks to months. Lodge it before you book anything else.
Book the medical early
The medical gates your exams and skill test, and it's where surprises surface. Sitting it early means you find out about any issues before you've paid for training or test slots.
Keep your current licence and medical valid
Verification is done against a valid licence, and some routes stay tied to it after issue — letting it lapse mid-conversion can stall or unwind the process.
Confirm fees on the official pages
You'll typically pay separately for the application, each theory exam, the medical examination and the skill test. Amounts change — use the official links on this page for current fee schedules.
Work through it step by step
AvLink's interactive converter turns this guide into your own checklist for any licence and country pair — tick off each requirement as you go, and see the United Kingdom roles you'd qualify for on the other side.
Open the interactive converterOfficial UK CAA sources
SACAA → UK CAA: frequently asked questions
Do I have to retake theory exams to convert my SACAA licence to UK CAA?
For a commercial licence: Meet the UK Part-FCL CPL theory requirements; foreign exam credits are generally not given. PPL and ATPL theory requirements differ — see the level-by-level breakdown on this page.
Do I need a flight test (skill test) for a UK CAA commercial licence?
Pass the UK Part-FCL CPL (and IR) skill test; hold a UK FRTOL before the skill test. Requirements at PPL and ATPL level are listed above.
What medical do I need to convert to a UK CAA licence?
For commercial privileges: Hold a valid UK Part-MED Class 1 medical. For private privileges: Hold at least a valid UK Part-MED Class 2 medical.
Does my ICAO English proficiency transfer to UK CAA?
Meet FCL.055 ELP — no credit for non-EASA ICAO ELP.
How do I apply to convert my SACAA licence to UK CAA?
Apply on form SRG1183, plus a third-country verification on form SRG2142. The official UK CAA pages linked on this page cover the current forms and process.
While your conversion is underway
Get the United Kingdom roles that match your licence — emailed weekly
Conversions take months. Line up the seat while you work through the UK CAArequirements: tell us your hours and ratings once, and we'll send the roles you actually qualify for as they post.
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Starting fresh in the United Kingdom? Track your hours in the free UK CAA AvLog logbook — laid out to UK CAA, ready for Excel or Google Sheets.