If you let (all) your class/type ratings lapse, how long will your theoretical knowledge remain valid? I.e. in what time period do you have to get a rating back before you have to redo the theory exams? Does it make any difference if you have cancelled your license in the meantime? And where in the regs can you find this info?
I’ve looked in part-FCL and the only information I can find about this concerns the initial issue of a license or rating — not renewals.
No time period on class ratings – it is up to DTO/ATO recommending you for test post refresher training and examiner during proficiency check
EASA licences are valid for life so I’ve never come across concept of cancelling your licence?
This was not the case historically.
I believe the 7 year limit for IR exams may still be operated by some countries…
MattL wrote:
EASA licences are valid for life so I’ve never come across concept of cancelling your licence?
Some countries, e.g. Sweden, charge an annual fee for the license.
Peter wrote:
I believe the 7 year limit for IR exams may still be operated by some countries…
The 7 year limit for IR is still in FCL.625(d), so all countries should apply it. There is no mention of a limit for the basic PPL TK, though, so what MattL writes is a sensible interpretation.
PPL exams have never expired (once you did the skills test).
AFAIK the UK has also abolished the 7 year expiry for the IR exams 
It arose out of a nasty case where a load of UK ATPLs came back from Hong Kong (Cathay, I guess) and had to resit their 14 exams to get jobs back in the UK; some “hack” was done to work around it. That was years ago.
There are all sorts of other issues around this stuff for example the 3 year “expiry” on the EASA IR.
7 year does apply for IR as @Airborne_Again says – I was just referring to class ratings
There is an allowance if you have held a military or ICAO IR
FCL.625(d): IR Renewal requirement for pilots who hold or have held an IR on another licence
The UK CAA has adopted a derogation such that where a pilot holds or has held an Instrument Rating issued by a third country and that rating is compliant with Annex I to he Convention on International Civil Aviation, the applicability of FCL.625 IR(c) and (d) may be based on the validity dates of the Instrument Rating of that other country.
The effect of this exemption is that to renew the IR on a UK issued licence:
a pilot with a current and valid 3rd country IR shall complete the revalidation requirements of FCL.625(b) and the aircraft category specific requirements for revalidation of the Part-FCL IR; meaning that he must pass the proficiency check, but is not required to undergo training or to re-take the theoretical knowledge examinations;
or
a pilot who held a 3rd country IR that is no longer valid but had been revalidated or renewed within the preceding 7 years shall comply with the renewal requirements of FCL.625 IR(c), but is not required to re-take the theoretical
knowledge examinations.
Peter wrote:
PPL exams have never expired (once you did the skills test).
You mean since part-FCL came into force?
Does the TK ever expire ?
I would think that the only relevant rules are FCL.740(b) and AMC1 FCL.740(b)-(c):
“With the exception of refresher training for ratings for aircraft referred to in point FCL.740(b)(2)(i), refresher training should include theoretical knowledge instruction, as necessary, such as for type-specific system failures in complex aircraft.”
So, have some TK instruction if the rating is for a complex type.
If not, e.g. for SEP(land)/TMG, then there is no requirement other that what your ATO/DTO/FI/CRI would deem necessary.
Only restriction is that if the rating has been expired for more than 3 years, you need a flight school (ATO or DTO) to prepare you for the proficiency check. If not, any FI/CRI will do.
But no TK re-test, ever, under part-FCL.
Then there is the question of ratings expired before part-FCL. I guess the national CAA would have a saying here.
