Learn US VFR weather minimums by airspace and altitude, read a cloud-clearance chart correctly, and avoid visibility and ceiling errors.
VFR weather minimums are the legal flight-visibility and distance-from-cloud limits for the airspace and altitude in which you are flying. In the United States, use a cloud-clearance chart by matching airspace class, altitude, and day or night, then apply the listed visibility and cloud separations; every applicable limit must be met.
In our Aviation & Real-World Flying coverage, the chart below summarises the standard US aeroplane rules in 14 CFR § 91.155. Other countries use different minima, while helicopters and certain specialised operations have exceptions, so confirm which regulations govern the flight.
What are the FAA VFR weather minimums?
The standard FAA chart specifies minimum flight visibility and how far the aircraft must remain below, above and horizontally from clouds.
| Airspace and altitude | Day visibility | Night visibility | Cloud clearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A | VFR not permitted | VFR not permitted | Not applicable |
| Class B | 3 SM | 3 SM | Clear of clouds |
| Class C or D; Class E below 10,000 ft MSL | 3 SM | 3 SM | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class E at or above 10,000 ft MSL | 5 SM | 5 SM | 1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 SM horizontal |
| Class G, 1,200 ft AGL or less | 1 SM | 3 SM | Day: clear of clouds. Night: 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class G, above 1,200 ft AGL and below 10,000 ft MSL | 1 SM | 3 SM | 500 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 2,000 ft horizontal |
| Class G, above 1,200 ft AGL and at or above 10,000 ft MSL | 5 SM | 5 SM | 1,000 ft below, 1,000 ft above, 1 SM horizontal |
SM means statute miles, MSL means altitude above mean sea level, and AGL means height above the surface. At exactly 10,000 ft MSL, use the at-or-above row; at exactly 1,200 ft AGL in Class G, use the 1,200-or-less row.
The familiar 3-152 shorthand means 3 SM visibility, 1,000 ft above, 500 ft below and 2,000 ft horizontally from cloud. Above 10,000 ft MSL in Class E, the mnemonic becomes 5-111: 5 SM visibility, 1,000 ft above and below, and 1 SM horizontally.
One narrow Class G exception permits an aeroplane at night to remain clear of clouds with at least 1 SM visibility while operating in an airport traffic pattern within half a mile of the runway. It should not be treated as a general night-VFR minimum.
How do you read a VFR cloud-clearance chart?
Match the aircraft's location and altitude to one row, then satisfy the visibility figure and every listed cloud distance simultaneously.
- Identify the airspace. Determine whether the aircraft is in Class B, C, D, E or G at that exact altitude. A shelf can place one aircraft in Class B or C while another directly below it remains in Class E or G. Our explanation of sectional airspace boundaries and altitude labels covers how to establish this.
- Check both altitude references. The chart uses 10,000 ft MSL but 1,200 ft AGL. Calculate AGL from terrain elevation rather than confusing it with indicated MSL altitude.
- Select day or night. Day and night mainly change the lower Class G minima. For these rules, regulatory night is based on civil twilight, not simply when it feels dark.
- Read the cloud distances from the aircraft. If the aircraft is beneath a cloud, it needs the stated below-cloud distance. If it is over the cloud, apply the above-cloud figure. Horizontal clearance is measured to the nearest part of the cloud.
- Compare the limits with actual conditions. Use observations and forecasts, but remember that the legal table normally specifies flight visibility from the cockpit. A surface report cannot guarantee visibility or cloud clearance elsewhere along the route.
- Recheck every transition. Apply the new row whenever altitude, airspace, terrain height, daylight status or weather changes. If the boundary is uncertain, use the more restrictive minima until its position is established.
A mistake we see constantly is reversing the vertical numbers. Under the common rule, an aircraft flying below a cloud remains 500 ft beneath it; an aircraft flying above that cloud needs 1,000 ft over its top.
Cloud heights in a METAR are reported above the aerodrome. If an aerodrome is 500 ft MSL and reports BKN030, the broken layer is approximately 3,500 ft MSL over the station. Remaining 500 ft below that base would limit the aircraft to about 3,000 ft MSL there, before adding any practical safety margin.
Does a METAR showing VFR make the flight legal?
No; a displayed VFR, MVFR or IFR category is planning shorthand, not a replacement for the airspace-specific regulations.
A METAR also describes one location and time. Its ceiling is the lowest broken or overcast layer, or vertical visibility into obscuration. Few and scattered layers are not ceilings, but they are still clouds from which the required separation must be maintained. We explain the reporting groups in our guide to decoding METAR visibility, cloud layers and ceilings.
There is also an airport-specific restriction that the main chart can obscure. Within controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport, basic VFR operations beneath the ceiling are not permitted when the ceiling is below 1,000 ft. Taking off, landing or entering the traffic pattern normally requires at least 3 SM ground visibility, or flight visibility when ground visibility is not reported.
What if the weather is below basic VFR minimums?
Delay, divert or use IFR when properly rated, equipped and cleared; Special VFR is available only in limited circumstances.
A Special VFR clearance can permit operation within controlled airspace designated to the surface for an airport with at least 1 SM flight visibility while remaining clear of clouds. It requires an ATC clearance, is not available at certain airports, and does not apply simply because the aeroplane is somewhere in Class E or G. For an aeroplane at night, instrument qualifications and IFR equipment requirements also apply.
Special VFR is not a way to continue beneath an extensive low layer with no escape route. Terrain, obstacles, deteriorating visibility and the inability to maintain visual reference can make such a flight unsafe despite a legal clearance.
How much margin should you keep above VFR minimums?
Treat the published figures as legal floors, not target conditions, and choose larger personal margins when terrain, night, haze, precipitation or an adverse forecast reduces your options.
Exact-minimum flying leaves no allowance for measurement error, local cloud variation or worsening weather. Horizontal cloud distance is especially difficult to judge from a cockpit. Build conservative limits and diversion points into a practical VFR cross-country plan, then keep checking observations and forecasts along the route rather than relying on the departure report alone.