How Long is an Airplane Registration Good For?

To keep track of every single piece of registered aircraft in the US, the Federal Aviation Administration requires updating documentation. Airplane registration is no exception to this rule, and proper compliance with the federal authorities will prove you are a responsible owner. It will also keep you out of trouble and avoid expensive fines.

In the past decade, the Federal Aviation Administration decided that the registry needed to be more reliable for safety, security, and operational reasons. This is why the Re-Registration and Renewal of Aircraft Registration final rule of 2010 were created. The rule establishes that the registration is valid for 3 years, and must be renewed promptly. Falling out of registration can be a real headache. Keep that in mind.

Airplane Registration Renewal: Three-Notifications System

The Federal Aviation Administration sends three letters to the address that figures in the original registration entry. Each one of them contains a notice related to the status of your registration regarding the expiration date. Below you can find all three of them and what are they about.

First Notice

The first letter arrives exactly six months before expiration. The envelope will have the phrase  ‘Notice: Expiration of Aircraft Registration’ on it. It will include the expiration date of the registration as well as a file-by date. 

This is the right time to apply for registration renewal. Why six months? Well, the sooner you fill the renewal form, the sooner we’ll be able to process it before the registration expires. Also, this provides time to get back to you in case something is wrong or missing.

Watch out if you don’t get anything in your mailbox from the Federal Aviation Administration six months prior to the expiration date. Although mail might be delayed for different reasons, something could be wrong with the registered address. Go check it out in the official registry just to be sure.

Second Notice

 The Federal Aviation Administration will give you a wake-up call by sending another notice titled ‘Final Notice: Expiration of Aircraft Registration’. This one arrives between three to two months before the airplane registration expiration date, after the file-by date has passed. You should be aware that this is the last notice you will get before the registration definitely expires, and the last chance to apply for renewal.

Applications that arrive at the Registry after the file by date have arrived late in the processing timeline. This means that the new certificate may be issued after the old certificate expires. During this interim, the aircraft would be without authority to operate and you’ll have to wait.

Third Notice

The final notice from the Federal Aviation Administration is titled ‘Aircraft Registration has EXPIRED – N-Number Pending Cancelation’. It will appear in your mailbox about a month since the expiration date has passed. Renewal is no longer available at this instance, and you will have to apply for re-registration of the aircraft. You could also lose your N-number as well.

The expired certificates cannot be extended. If your application was received before the expiration date, we will contact you to complete the renewal process. If the application was received after the expiration date, the renewal process no longer applies.

Don’t Let Your Registration Expire! Apply For Renewal Today

The National Aviation Center provides all the applications and forms required to keep your aircraft up-to-date. The website is designed to find everything fast, and also easy to understand. Your personal information is protected, as the website is SSL encrypted. Our client’s privacy is a top priority.

Questions? Contact us whenever you need to. We are happy to help.