FAA Registration Reminder — Re-Register Your Plane Online and On Time

Aircraft registration reminder: The FAA is updating its aircraft registry and requires that all eligible aircraft owners re-register their planes. All re-registration of aircraft and updating of the U.S. Civil Aircraft Register must be completed by December 31, 2013. It is very important that you re-register your aircraft by your plane’s registration expiration date, otherwise it will not have FAA permission to fly.

Aircraft Registration Easier Online

The FAA has responded to requests from law enforcement and governmental agencies for more accurate, up-to-date registration data. To streamline the process, the FAA has automated its registration process online.

As a result, more aircraft owners are re-registering online than by mail. Re-registering your plane is faster online than by mail — turnaround is just one week, compared to six to eight weeks by mail.

As of January 1, 2011, 53,885 first re-registration notices have been mailed to aircraft owners. The FAA has processed 20,500 online registrations and 7,000 paper registrations.

If you prefer to re-register by mail, you may do so. The FAA is also mailing re-registration notices to owners, using the mailing address of record. The notices indicate the plane’s registration expiration date, and the due date in which the re-registration application must be received by the FAA.

The notices include a code to re-register online. Re-registrations generally cost just $5 if there are no changes in ownership, address, or citizenship. If there are changes to report, you can download a re-registration form, print it, fill it out, sign it and mail it in along mailed with the $5 fee.

FAA Re-Registration Tips
The FAA offers these re-registration tips to help the process go more smoothly.

Prepare to re-register:

• Look up your aircraft on the Search Aircraft Registration Information and make sure the mailing addresses and owner names are correct.
• If the mailing address is wrong, the owner should update the address on Aircraft Certification Change the Address page.
• If an ownership change has occurred, the seller should report the sale to the Registry, and the purchaser should submit their application for registration, evidence of ownership and $5 registration fee to the Registry as soon as possible.

When filling out your form:

• Remember to print or type your name
• Include the appropriate fee
• Check only the "info correct" or "changes made" boxes, not both.
• If you make a mistake on the form, simply draw a line through it and correct it.
• Mail the re-registration form ONLY when it is your turn.

For detailed instructions on re-registering your aircraft, and to find out your plane’s registration due date, read the FAA’s Aircraft Re-Registration Schedule.

If you have questions on registering your aircraft, call the FAA’s Registration office toll-free at (866) 762-9434 or (405) 954-3131. Or email the FAA Registration office.

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