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India • Licensing

DGCA CAR-66 explained

The rule, the requirement and the procedures behind the Indian Aircraft Maintenance Engineer licence — and where to find each official document.

Sources last checked: 2026-10-22

What CAR-66 is

CAR-66 is the DGCA Civil Aviation Requirement (Section 2, Series L) for the licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs). Its scope section says it defines the AME licence and sets the requirements for application, issue and conditions of validity.

The current edition listed by DGCA is Issue III, Revision 2, dated 29 September 2025. CAR-66 is amended from time to time, so always check the Civil Aviation Requirements listing on the DGCA website for the latest revision.

Source: CAR-66 66.A.01 — Scope; CAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L)

The legal basis: Rule 61 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937

AME licensing rests on Rule 61 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. Rule 61 says the Central Government may grant AME licences and authorisations, lists the licence categories and sub-categories, and leaves the form and manner of applications to the Director-General.

CAR-66 then sets out the detailed technical requirements, and the AME User Manual states that DGCA conducts AME examinations in accordance with Rule 61 and CAR-66.

Source: Aircraft Rules, 1937 Rule 61 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers; AME User Manual 1A.1 — Introduction — AME examinations on DGCA Pariksha

The documents that sit around CAR-66

Chapter 17 of DGCA’s Airworthiness Procedures Manual (APM) contains the procedures DGCA follows to apply and enforce CAR-66 — for example how a licence application is processed and how a licence is renewed. CAR-66 itself refers to APM Chapter 17 for examination credits.

Airworthiness Advisory Circulars (AACs) give guidance on particular topics, such as type-rating endorsement and demonstrating recent maintenance experience. They state that they do not on their own change regulatory requirements.

The AME User Manual on the DGCA Pariksha portal explains the candidate-side process: Computer Number registration, examination forms, admit cards and results. Session-specific instructions and dates are published as notices on the Pariksha AME Notice Board.

Source: APM Chapter 17 66.B.01 — Scope; CAR-66 66.A.25 — Basic knowledge requirements; AAC 4 of 2017 — Endorsement with Type Rating, CAR-66 AME Licence; AAC 5 of 2020 — Guidelines for Demonstration of 6/24 months maintenance experience; AME User Manual 1A.1 — Introduction — AME examinations on DGCA Pariksha

Where the licensing journey starts

In broad terms a candidate needs to meet the eligibility conditions, pass the basic knowledge module examinations conducted by DGCA, gain the required practical maintenance experience and then apply for the licence through eGCA. The guides linked below cover each step from the official text.

Source: CAR-66 66.A.15 — Eligibility; CAR-66 66.A.25 — Basic knowledge requirements; CAR-66 66.A.30 — Basic experience requirements; CAR-66 66.A.10 — Application

Frequently asked questions

Is CAR-66 the same as EASA Part-66?

No. CAR-66 is DGCA’s own requirement. It follows a similar modular structure, but only the DGCA text applies to an Indian AME licence.

Source: CAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L)

Which CAR-66 revision applies today?

When PassCARs last checked (22 October 2026), the DGCA CAR listing showed CAR-66 Issue III with Revision 2 dated 29 September 2025 as the most recent amendment. Check the DGCA website before relying on it.

Source: CAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L)

Official DGCA sources

The documents this guide is based on, with the edition PassCARs checked. Always use the current version on the DGCA website or the DGCA Pariksha portal.

  • CAR-66 66.A.01 — ScopeCAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L) · Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · page 12 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • CAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L)Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • Aircraft Rules, 1937 Rule 61 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance EngineersAircraft Rules, 1937 — Part VI (Airworthiness): Rules 54, 61 and 61A · Consolidated text as published on the DGCA portal · 2026-10-22 · page 1 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • AME User Manual 1A.1 — Introduction — AME examinations on DGCA ParikshaAME — User Manual (pariksha.dgca) · Issue 6 · 2026-09 · page 6 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • APM Chapter 17 66.B.01 — ScopeAirworthiness Procedures Manual, Part II, Chapter 17 — Section B: CAR-66 Procedures (Licensing of AMEs) · Issue 2, Revision 6 · 2026-09 · page 1 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • CAR-66 66.A.25 — Basic knowledge requirementsCAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L) · Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · page 25 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • AAC 4 of 2017 — Endorsement with Type Rating, CAR-66 AME LicenceRev. 2 · 2022-03-10 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • AAC 5 of 2020 — Guidelines for Demonstration of 6/24 months maintenance experienceRevision 1 · 2021-03-02 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • CAR-66 66.A.15 — EligibilityCAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L) · Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · page 17 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • CAR-66 66.A.30 — Basic experience requirementsCAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L) · Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · page 26 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗
  • CAR-66 66.A.10 — ApplicationCAR-66 — Licensing of Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (CAR Section 2, Series L) · Issue III, Revision 2 · 2025-09-29 · page 16 · checked 2026-10-22Official source ↗

Related India guides

CAR-66 Licence Categories (A, B1, B2, B2L, B3, L, C)

How the Indian AME licence is divided into categories and sub-categories, taken from CAR-66 66.A.03 and Rule 61.

CAR-66 Module Examinations: Pass Mark, Attempts and Validity

The examination standard in CAR-66 Appendix II and the validity and credit rules in 66.A.25.

AME Licence Eligibility and Experience Requirements (CAR-66)

Who can apply for a CAR-66 licence and how much practical maintenance experience each category needs, from CAR-66 66.A.15 and 66.A.30.

Practise for your CAR-66 module exams

Free during the public beta: practice questions and flashcards across the CAR-66 modules currently available.