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FAA is Prepared to Implement Major Regulatory Updates to Aircraft Registration Procedures and Certificates

FAA is Prepared to Implement Major Regulatory Updates to Aircraft Registration Procedures and Certificates

The FAA is Implementing Major Regulatory Updates to Aircraft Registration Procedures and Certificates

The FAA announced two technical but transformative, pending regulatory changes, possibly effective January 17, 2025, as it continues to modernize its aircraft registration and certification processes. These regulatory changes, detailed in two final rules published in the Federal Register (Docket Nos. FAA-2024-2764 and FAA-2024-2765), streamline procedures and align them with the capabilities of the FAA’s new and improving Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) system.

Key Changes

Modernized Aircraft Registration and Recordation Procedures

Federal Register :: Public Inspection: Aircraft Registration and Recordation Procedural Updates: Original Documents and Stamping 

Electronic Submissions: To “provide administrative relief from the requirements for submitting original documents” the FAA has determined original documents (i.e. manually executed originals of documents) are no longer required to be filed in many instances, although they will continue to be accepted. Accordingly, the FAA has modified 14 CFR Parts 47 and 49 to allow the FAA flexibility to accept manually executed scanned or digitally signed documents electronically.  The FAA further provided “For some documents and materials, a photocopy or digital image may be acceptable; for others, a true or certified copy may be required (see, e.g., §§47.8(a)(1), 47.11(b)(2), 49.31(a), and 49.33(c), as amended). The regulatory relief provided will enable persons to upload copies of ink signed documents and digitally signed original documents for submission via CARES and a successor system.”

End of Document Stamping for CARES Submissions: To “sunset the FAA’s practice of stamping documents” the FAA will discontinue stamping incoming documents submitted though the CARES system as CARES digitally records submission times.  Presumably documents filed by mail, email or physically though the FAA Public Documents Room will continue to be file stamped.

Enhanced Flexibility for True Copies: Previously, under 14 CFR § 49.21, the FAA allowed parties to submit an originally certified paper copy of an original document along with the actual original document.  The FAA would then record the originally certified copy and return the original to the party making the filing if requested.  The FAA has revised § 49.21 to specifically allow the FAA flexibility to accept true or certified copies of documents without the requirement that the original be filed, streamlining processes.

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This article was originally published by Scott McCreary with McAfee & Taft on January 17, 2025.


 February 25, 2025