CACI Conditions: Get Your FAA Medical Certificate the Same Day

What Is CACI?

CACI stands for Conditions AMEs Can Issue. It's an FAA program that allows Aviation Medical Examiners to issue medical certificates at the time of examination for certain pre-approved medical conditions — without forwarding the application to the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division (AMCD) in Oklahoma City.

Before CACI existed, virtually any reported medical condition required a deferral and review by the FAA. This program was introduced to streamline the process for conditions that are common, well-understood, and easily evaluated by AMEs with the right documentation in hand.

CACI vs. Special Issuance: What's the Difference?

Understanding the difference between these two pathways is critical for planning your AME visit:

• CACI — your AME reviews your documentation and issues your certificate the same day. No FAA review required. Fast and straightforward.
• Special Issuance (SI) — your application is deferred to the FAA for review. This typically adds 4–12 weeks (sometimes longer) to the process. Required for more complex conditions like insulin-dependent diabetes, HIMS cases, or cardiac procedures.

If your condition is CACI-eligible, it's a significant advantage — but only if you bring the right documentation to your appointment.

CACI-Eligible Conditions

The FAA maintains and periodically updates the list of CACI-eligible conditions. As of the most recent guidelines, the following conditions may qualify for CACI certification:

• Cardiovascular — hypertension (controlled), certain arrhythmias (isolated PVCs/PACs), anticoagulant use for select conditions
• Endocrine — hypothyroidism (stable on medication), pre-diabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes (well-controlled)
• Respiratory — asthma (mild to moderate, well-controlled)
• Neurological — migraine headaches without aura
• Musculoskeletal — arthritis (certain types), retained orthopedic hardware
• Urological — kidney stones (history, resolved), enlarged prostate (BPH)
• Gastrointestinal — GERD (controlled), certain colitis conditions
• Ophthalmological — glaucoma (controlled, meeting visual standards)
• Oncological — certain skin cancers (treated), testicular cancer (post-treatment, no recurrence)
• Other — hepatitis C (treated/resolved), sleep apnea (with documented CPAP compliance)

This is not an exhaustive list, and eligibility depends on the specifics of your condition, treatment, and stability. The FAA periodically adds and updates CACI conditions.

What Documentation Do You Need?

Each CACI condition has specific documentation requirements that must be presented to your AME at the time of your exam. Common requirements include:

• A current status report from your treating physician (usually within the past 90 days)
• Recent lab results or diagnostic data relevant to your condition
• A current medication list with dosages
• Evidence that your condition is stable and well-controlled
• For sleep apnea: 90-day CPAP compliance data showing adequate usage

The most common reason a CACI-eligible condition gets deferred anyway is missing or incomplete documentation. If you show up without the required paperwork, your AME cannot use the CACI pathway and must defer your case to the FAA.

How Clear to Proceed Helps

Our assessment identifies whether your conditions are CACI-eligible, tells you exactly which documentation to bring, and provides a condition-by-condition checklist so you arrive at your AME appointment fully prepared. No guessing, no deferrals from missing paperwork.

5 minutes • Instant results