How Much Does an Instrument Rating Cost?
An instrument rating usually costs $9,000 to $15,000 on top of your private certificate. It is almost entirely instrument instruction, so the cost is driven by how many hours of dual and simulator time you need to fly approaches well enough to pass.
Typical cost
Added on top of your private certificate
A range, not a promise. Your number depends on your aircraft, region, and how often you fly. The free calculator gives you a figure tied to all three.
How we estimate this →What you are paying for
Aircraft and simulator
The FAA minimum is 40 hours of instrument time. Some can be flown in a cheaper simulator or AATD.
Instruction
Most instrument time is flown dual, so the instructor is a large share of the bill.
Knowledge test
The FAA instrument written, about $175.
Checkride / DPE fee
Commonly $600 to $900.
Charts and apps
An instrument chart and approach-plate subscription, around $200.
There is no reliable public dataset for how many hours an instrument rating actually takes, so any single number is a guess. We start from the FAA minimum and a wide range, and the PilotBound app sharpens it from your own logged approaches.
What drives the cost
- Hours flown. The 40-hour minimum is a floor, not an average.
- How often you fly. Instrument skills fade fast, so infrequent training adds hours.
- Simulator vs aircraft. AATD time is much cheaper than aircraft time.
- Aircraft choice and region.
How to keep it down
- Use a simulator or AATD for procedures and instrument scan.
- Fly frequently so approach skills stick.
- Pass the instrument written before you start flying.
Get a number for your situation
The free estimator projects your instrument rating cost from your region and aircraft. The PilotBound app then tracks every dollar against it as you train.
Instrument Rating cost questions
Can I use a simulator to lower the cost?
Yes. A portion of the required instrument time can be flown in an approved simulator or AATD, which costs far less than aircraft time and is excellent for procedures.
How many hours does an instrument rating take?
The minimum is 40 hours of instrument time, but there is no trustworthy public average. Plan for a range rather than a single number, and let your logged hours sharpen the estimate.