FAA ADHD Standard Track: What Happens After a Deferral
The FAA ADHD Standard Track is the full neuropsychological evaluation the FAA requires when an applicant's ADHD history falls outside Fast Track criteria, and the usual trigger is ADHD medication dispensed within the past four years. Jason Olin, PhD, a HIMS-certified neuropsychologist on the FAA's registry, conducts these evaluations for pilots and applicants across the country. Many of the delays in these cases are avoidable.
Medication History and the Standard Track
Any ADHD medication dispensed within the past four years routes an applicant to the Standard Track. This includes refills that were picked up and left untaken because the FAA goes by the pharmacy dispensing record. If the record shows a fill, the FAA assumes the medication was taken. Some applicants bring the unused pills to the evaluation as proof, but the pharmacy record is what counts. Standard Track evaluations can also be prompted by an open IEP or 504 Plan, a work history with write-ups for missed deadlines or lateness, or a second psychiatric diagnosis. The FAA's own criteria appear in its ADHD disposition table for AMEs. The criteria that separate the two tracks are covered in Does Your ADHD History Qualify for Fast Track?
The FAA Letter Comes Before the Evaluation
The Standard Track has timing gates. The process starts when an AME defers the application to the FAA, which leads to a letter from the FAA naming the required pathway. The FAA expects evaluators to wait for that letter because the wording in it matters. For example, a letter can include statements like "due to your history of ADHD and depression" or "due to ADHD and anxiety." These additions change what the evaluation has to address. The best use of time before the letter arrives is to contact neuropsychologists and choose who will conduct the evaluation.
The second gate is transmission of the FAA medical file to the neuropsychologist. The report stays in draft until the neuropsychologist has reviewed the applicant's complete FAA medical file, which the applicant requests on FAA Form 8065-2. The typical wait for an FAA medical file requested on Form 8065-2 during 2026 has been 30 days. In some cases, the neuropsychologist will want to review the FAA medical file before their evaluation. The step-by-step FAA neuropsychological testing timeline shows where each gate falls.
What the FAA ADHD Standard Track Evaluation Includes
The Standard Track evaluation includes the CogScreen-AE, a comprehensive cognitive battery, a clinical interview, a urine drug screen, and a review of pharmacy, medical, academic, and driving records. Pilots weighing a CogScreen-AE prep service should read what those services risk before paying for one.
Factoring in the Time for the Evaluation and the Report
A small number of neuropsychologists conduct FAA Standard Track evaluations. Their availability often runs 30 to 90 days from first contact. Report turnaround varies by clinician, too. Applicants should ask each neuropsychologist they contact how long it takes for the report to be completed and reach the FAA.
Common Reasons that Cases Stall
Half of the Standard Track cases that come through this practice involve ADHD with no other complexity in the FAA file, and those follow a straightforward path. Cases with a second diagnosis take more time. Beyond complexity, the stalls trace back to a short list of avoidable errors.
The urine drug screen has to follow the FAA protocol, with both amphetamine and methylphenidate being tested within 24 hours of the evaluation. A collection or timing error means a retest, and arranging a correct screen is the applicant's responsibility. This is detailed in a FAA general information form regarding the ADHD Standard Track.
Deferral letters can include a variety of record requests (e.g., full treatment records, records from all medical providers engaged in care). The FAA holds a case when a request goes unanswered. It's important that applicants respond to those and not lose sight of them because of the attention the ADHD Standard Track evaluation requires.
In Some ADHD Standard Track cases, the FAA also requests that the applicant also receive a psychiatric evaluation. This is often due to there being other mental health symptoms that have been disclosed, such as anxiety or depression. Cases stall when the applicant doesn't move promptly to meet with one, or decides to do these evaluations serially instead of in parallel.
Pharmacy records cause more confusion than any other document. A prescriber's chart notes and a pharmacy dispensing record are separate documents. The FAA wants the dispensing record, which lists every fill and its date over the prior four years. Some pharmacies need extra time to provide a four-year dispensing record.
How Long the FAA ADHD Standard Track Review Takes
The predictable part of the timeline comes before the FAA review, starting with the 30-day wait for the medical file. Once the report and supporting records reach the FAA, review time depends on case complexity, the FAA's backlog, and the triage process the FAA uses to set priorities. The FAA has not published a timeline for Standard Track review as of 2026. An applicant shortens the review by sending complete records the first time and answering each follow-up request the day it arrives.
Should You Stop ADHD Medication to Qualify for Fast Track?
Some applicants ask whether to stop medication and wait four years to qualify for Fast Track. That plan might fit a younger applicant who has time and whose symptoms have resolved. It might fit an adult who is not urgently wanting to begin flight training.
Medication decisions belong in a conversation with the prescriber. Stopping a treatment that is helping someone is a bad idea. For an applicant who has outgrown the need for medication and is ready to certify, the fastest route is to stop treatment with the prescriber's agreement, accept the deferral, and complete the Standard Track.
Next Steps
If you have been deferred or have received a letter naming the Standard Track, schedule a 15-minute consultation. The FAA neuropsychological evaluations page covers the full evaluation process, and the FAA ADHD Fast Track page covers the streamlined pathway for applicants who meet its criteria.
Written by Jason Olin, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist. Dr. Olin is a HIMS-certified neuropsychologist who conducts FAA neuropsychological evaluations, including ADHD Standard Track and Fast Track cases. He sees clients onsite in Newport Beach, California, and by telehealth across 43 PSYPACT states and New York.
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