Collapse to view only § 47.45 - Change of address.
- § 47.31 - Application.
- § 47.33 - Aircraft not previously registered anywhere.
- § 47.35 - Aircraft last previously registered in the United States.
- § 47.37 - Aircraft last previously registered in a foreign country.
- § 47.39 - Effective date of registration.
- § 47.40 - Registration expiration and renewal.
- § 47.41 - Duration and return of Certificate.
- § 47.43 - Invalid registration.
- § 47.45 - Change of address.
- § 47.47 - Cancellation of Certificate for export purpose.
- § 47.49 - Replacement of Certificate.
- § 47.51 - [Reserved]
§ 47.31 - Application.
(a) Each applicant for a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3 must submit the following to the Registry—
(1) An Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, signed by the applicant in the manner prescribed by § 47.13;
(2) The original Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050-2, or other evidence of ownership authorized by § 47.33, § 47.35, or § 47.37 (unless already recorded at the Registry); and
(3) The fee required by § 47.17.
(b) The FAA rejects an application when—
(1) Any form is not completed;
(2) The name and signature of the applicant are not the same throughout; or
(3) The applicant does not provide a legibly printed or typed name with the signature in the signature block.
(c) After compliance with paragraph (a) of this section, the applicant for registration of an aircraft last previously registered in the United States must carry the second copy of the Aircraft Registration Application in the aircraft as temporary authority to operate without registration.
(1) This temporary authority is valid for operation within the United States until the date the applicant receives the Certificate of Aircraft Registration or until the date the FAA denies the application, or as provided by paragraph (c)(2) of this section.
(2) This temporary authority is not available in connection with any Aircraft Registration Application received when 12 months have passed since the receipt of the first application following transfer of ownership by the last registered owner.
(3) If there is no registration number assigned at the time application for registration is made, the second copy of the Aircraft Registration Application may not be used as temporary authority to operate the aircraft.
§ 47.33 - Aircraft not previously registered anywhere.
(a) A person who is the owner of an aircraft that has not been registered under 49 U.S.C. 44101-44104, under other law of the United States, or under foreign law, may register it under this part if he—
(1) Complies with §§ 47.3, 47.7, 47.8, 47.9, 47.11, 47.13, 47.15, and 47.17, as applicable; and
(2) Submits with his Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, an Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050-2, signed by the seller, an equivalent bill of sale, or other evidence of ownership authorized by § 47.11.
(b) If, for good reason, the applicant cannot produce the evidence of ownership required by paragraph (a) of this section, he must submit other evidence that is satisfactory to the FAA. This other evidence may be an affidavit stating why he cannot produce the required evidence, accompanied by whatever further evidence is available to prove the transaction.
(c) The owner of an amateur-built aircraft who applies for registration under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section must describe the aircraft by class (airplane, rotorcraft, glider, or balloon), serial number, number of seats, type of engine installed, (reciprocating, turbopropeller, turbojet, or other), number of engines installed, and make, model, and serial number of each engine installed; and must state whether the aircraft is built for land or water operation. Also, he must submit as evidence of ownership an affidavit giving the U.S. registration number, and stating that the aircraft was built from parts and that he is the owner. If he built the aircraft from a kit, the applicant must also submit a bill of sale from the manufacturer of the kit.
(d) The owner, other than the holder of the type certificate, of an aircraft that he assembles from parts to conform to the approved type design, must describe the aircraft and engine in the manner required by paragraph (c) of this section, and also submit evidence of ownership satisfactory to the FAA, such as bills of sale, for all major components of the aircraft.
§ 47.35 - Aircraft last previously registered in the United States.
(a) A person who is the owner of an aircraft last previously registered under 49 U.S.C. Sections 44101-44104, or under other law of the United States, may register it under this part if he complies with §§ 47.3, 47.7, 47.8, 47.9, 47.11, 47.13, 47.15, and 47.17, as applicable and submits with his Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1 an Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050-2, signed by the seller or an equivalent conveyance, or other evidence of ownership authorized by § 47.11.
(1) If the applicant bought the aircraft from the last registered owner, the conveyance must be from that owner to the applicant.
(2) If the applicant did not buy the aircraft from the last registered owner, he must submit conveyances or other instruments showing consecutive transactions from the last registered owner through each intervening owner to the applicant.
(b) If, for good reason, the applicant cannot produce the evidence of ownership required by paragraph (a) of this section, he must submit other evidence that is satisfactory to the FAA. This other evidence may be an affidavit stating why he cannot produce the required evidence, accompanied by whatever further evidence is available to prove the transaction.
§ 47.37 - Aircraft last previously registered in a foreign country.
(a) A person who is the owner of an aircraft last previously registered under the law of a foreign country may register it under this part if the owner—
(1) Complies with §§ 47.3, 47.7, 47.8, 47.9, 47.11, 47.13, 47.15, and 47.17, as applicable;
(2) Submits with his Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1 a bill of sale from the foreign seller or other evidence satisfactory to the FAA that he owns the aircraft; and
(3) Submits evidence satisfactory to the FAA that—
(i) If the country in which the aircraft was registered has not ratified the Convention on the International Recognition of Rights in Aircraft (4 U.S.T. 1830), (the Geneva Convention), or the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment, as modified by the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment (the Cape Town Treaty), the foreign registration has ended or is invalid; or
(ii) If that country has ratified the Geneva Convention, but has not ratified the Cape Town Treaty, the foreign registration has ended or is invalid, and each holder of a recorded right against the aircraft has been satisfied or has consented to the transfer, or ownership in the country of export has been ended by a sale in execution under the terms of the Geneva Convention; or
(iii) If that country has ratified the Cape Town Treaty and the aircraft is subject to the Treaty, that the foreign registration has ended or is invalid, and that all interests ranking in priority have been discharged or that the holders of such interests have consented to the deregistration and export of the aircraft.
(iv) Nothing under (a)(3)(iii) affects rights established prior to the Treaty entering into force with respect to the country in which the aircraft was registered.
(b) For the purposes of paragraph (a)(3) of this section, satisfactory evidence of termination of the foreign registration may be—
(1) A statement, by the official having jurisdiction over the national aircraft registry of the foreign country, that the registration has ended or is invalid, and showing the official's name and title and describing the aircraft by make, model, and serial number; or
(2) A final judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction of the foreign country, determining that, under the laws of that country, the registration has become invalid.
§ 47.39 - Effective date of registration.
An aircraft is registered on the date the Registry determines that the submissions meet the requirements of this part. The effective date of registration is shown by a date stamp on the Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, and as the date of issue on the Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3.
§ 47.40 - Registration expiration and renewal.
(a) Initial Registration. A Certificate of Aircraft Registration issued in accordance with § 47.31 expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it is issued.
(b) Renewal. Each holder of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, containing an expiration date may apply for renewal of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration by submitting an Aircraft Registration Renewal Application, AC Form 8050-1B, and the fee required by § 47.17 during the six months preceding the expiration date for the Certificate of Aircraft Registration.
(1) A Certificate of Aircraft Registration issued under this paragraph after January 23, 2023 expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it was issued.
(2) A Certificate of Aircraft Registration that is in effect on January 23, 2023 expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it is issued, notwithstanding the expiration date on the valid Certificate of Aircraft Registration.
(c) Inaccurate Information. The Administrator may require the owner of a registered aircraft to submit a complete Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, and fee prior to the expiration date if the Administrator finds that the Certificate of Aircraft Registration contains inaccurate information.
§ 47.41 - Duration and return of Certificate.
(a) Each Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, issued by the FAA under this subpart is effective, unless registration has ended by reason of having been revoked, canceled, expired, or the ownership is transferred, until the date upon which one of the following events occurs:
(1) Subject to the Convention on the International Recognition of Rights in Aircraft when applicable, the aircraft is registered under the laws of a foreign country.
(2) The aircraft is totally destroyed or scrapped.
(3) The holder of the certificate loses his U.S. citizenship.
(4) 30 days have elapsed since the death of the holder of the certificate.
(5) The owner, if an individual who is not a citizen of the United States, loses status as a resident alien, unless that person becomes a citizen of the United States at the same time.
(6) If the owner is a corporation other than a corporation which is a citizen of the United States—
(i) The corporation ceases to be lawfully organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or any State thereof; or
(ii) A period described in § 47.9(b) ends and the aircraft was not based and primarily used in the United States during that period.
(7) If the trustee in whose name the aircraft is registered—
(i) Loses U.S. citizenship;
(ii) Loses status as a resident alien and does not become a citizen of the United States at the same time; or
(iii) In any manner ceases to act as trustee and is not immediately replaced by another who meets the requirements of § 47.7(c).
(b) The Certificate of Aircraft Registration, with the reverse side completed, must be returned to the Registry—
(1) Within 21 days in the case of registration under the laws of a foreign country, by the person who was the owner of the aircraft before foreign registration;
(2) Within 60 days after the death of the holder of the certificate, by the administrator or executor of his estate, or by his heir-at-law if no administrator or executor has been or is to be appointed; or
(3) Within 21 days of the termination of the registration, by the holder of the Certificate of Aircraft Registration in all other cases mentioned in paragraph (a) of this section, except in the case of expired certificates, the holder must destroy the expired certificate.
(4) If the certificate is not available for return, as directed in paragraph (b) of this section, a statement describing the aircraft and stating the reason the certificate is not available must be submitted to the Registry within the time required by paragraph (b) of this section.
§ 47.43 - Invalid registration.
(a) The registration of an aircraft is invalid if, at the time it is made—
(1) The aircraft is registered in a foreign country;
(2) The applicant is not the owner;
(3) The applicant is not qualified to submit an application under this part; or
(4) The interest of the applicant in the aircraft was created by a transaction that was not entered into in good faith, but rather was made to avoid (with or without the owner's knowledge) compliance with 49 U.S.C. 44101-44104.
(b) If the registration of an aircraft is invalid under paragraph (a) of this section, the holder of the invalid Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, must return it as soon as possible to the Registry.
§ 47.45 - Change of address.
Within 30 days after any change in a registered owner's mailing address, the registered owner must notify the Registry in writing of the change of address. If a post office box or mailing drop is used for mailing purposes, the registered owner also must provide that owner's physical address or location. Upon acceptance, the Registry will issue, without charge, a revised Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, reflecting the new mailing address. When a post office box or mailing drop is used for mailing purposes, and the registered owner's physical address or location changes, the registered owner must notify the Registry in writing of the new address or location within 30 days.
§ 47.47 - Cancellation of Certificate for export purpose.
(a) The holder of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, or the holder of an irrevocable deregistration and export request authorization recognized under the Cape Town Treaty and filed with the FAA, who wishes to cancel the Certificate of Aircraft Registration for the purpose of export must submit to the Registry—
(1) A written request for cancellation of the Certificate of Aircraft Registration describing the aircraft by make, model, and serial number, and stating the U.S. registration number and the country to which the aircraft will be exported;
(2)(i) For an aircraft not subject to the Cape Town Treaty, evidence satisfactory to the FAA that each holder of a recorded right has been satisfied or has consented to the transfer; or
(ii) For an aircraft subject to the Cape Town Treaty, evidence satisfactory to the FAA that each holder of a recorded right established prior to the date the Treaty entered into force with respect to the United States has been satisfied or has consented to the transfer; and
(3) A written certification that all registered interests ranking in priority to that of the requestor have been discharged or that the holders of such interests have consented to the cancellation for export purposes.
(b) If the aircraft is subject to the Cape Town Treaty and an irrevocable deregistration and export request authorization has been filed with the Registry, the Registry will honor a request for cancellation only if an authorized party makes the request.
(c) The Registry notifies the country to which the aircraft is to be exported of the cancellation.
§ 47.49 - Replacement of Certificate.
(a) If the original Certificate of Aircraft Registration, AC Form 8050-3, is lost, stolen, or mutilated, the registered owner may submit to the Registry a written request that states the reason a replacement certificate is needed and the fee required by § 47.17. The Registry will send a replacement certificate to the registered owner's mailing address or to another mailing address if requested in writing by the registered owner.
(b) The registered owner may request a temporary Certificate of Aircraft Registration pending receipt of a replacement certificate. The Registry issues a temporary Certificate of Aircraft Registration in the form of a fax that must be carried in the aircraft until receipt of the replacement certificate.