What License Do You Need to Run NASA Time Trial?

Short answer: not a racing license. You need TT Director approval, and there are four ways to earn it (2026 TT Rules §5):

1. Complete a NASA HPDE 4 event. The standard path if you're coming up the NASA ladder.
2. Hold a current NASA Competition or Provisional Race License. Racers walk in; no separate TT license required.
3. Hold a current comp or TT license from another organization the TT Director recognizes.
4. Show an extensive, verifiable history of open-passing track events — at the discretion of the TT Director and run group leader. Years of advanced-group PCA or Chin days count for something real here; former racers without current licenses are explicitly contemplated by the rule.

Beyond the paper qualification, the Director is checking two soft requirements: that you know the TT rules and the consequences of breaking them, and that you understand the cooperative, high-standard driving culture the format depends on. Arrive having actually read the rulebook and both boxes tick themselves.

Provisional to National: how the upgrade works

Apply online for a Provisional TT License before your first event and get the Regional TT Director's signed approval; you can now compete. After one full event day, the Director does one of three things: upgrades you to a National TT License (hard card mailed, valid in every NASA region and at the Championships), requires one more evaluation day, or declines and tells you exactly what to work on.

The National license expires at the end of the calendar year. Renewal is an online formality if you competed that season; sit a year out and you may repeat the initial process. Compete at least once a year and the license effectively maintains itself.

How you lose it

The license is revocable for the predictable sins: false application information, rules noncompliance, unsafe driving, high incident count (spins and offs are tracked), contact with anything, and unsportsmanlike conduct on or off track. Note for licensed racers: over-aggressive driving in a TT session can jeopardize your race license too. TT is scored lapping, not a race start — drive like it.

Once the license box is ticked, the rest of the on-ramp is logistics: what the weekend looks like, what it costs, and whether TT or more HPDE is the right next step. The full path is in the complete getting-started guide.

FAQ

Does track experience with other clubs count? Yes — a current comp/TT license from a recognized org qualifies directly, and a documented open-passing history can qualify you at the Director's discretion.

How long is the license valid? Through the end of the calendar year. Renewal is administrative if you competed during the season.

Do racers need a separate TT license? No. A current NASA Competition or Provisional Race License covers TT competition.