Transferring ownership of a U.S. civil aircraft comes down to two FAA forms and a fee: AC Form 8050-2, the Aircraft Bill of Sale, and AC Form 8050-1, the Aircraft Registration Application, each with a $5.00 filing fee, submitted to the FAA Civil Aviation Registry in Oklahoma City.1eCFR. 14 CFR Part 47 – Aircraft Registration Meeting the aircraft bill of sale and FAA title transfer requirements gets your name on the certificate, but it’s worth knowing up front what that certificate actually does. A registration certificate is conclusive evidence of nationality for international purposes; it is explicitly not evidence of ownership in any legal proceeding where ownership is disputed.2Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 44103 – Registration of Aircraft The bill of sale is what proves the ownership change. The registration certificate is what lets you fly.
Completing the Aircraft Bill of Sale
AC Form 8050-2 is the primary evidence of a change in ownership under 14 CFR Part 47.3Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale You can download it from the FAA’s website or pick one up at a Flight Standards District Office.
The form asks for four identifiers: the registration number (N-number), manufacturer name, model designation, and airframe serial number. Every character has to match what the Civil Aviation Registry currently shows. A mistyped serial or an abbreviated manufacturer name is enough to get the filing kicked back, and with the current backlog a rejection means starting the wait over.
Names have to match too. The seller’s name on the bill of sale must appear exactly as it does in the FAA’s current registration records. A registration that reads “John Q. Public” won’t accept a signature from “John Public.” When the seller is a business, the signer prints their name and title (President, Managing Member, or similar). If the current registration lists co-owners, every listed owner must sign to release their interest.
Paper submissions require ink signatures. Digital signatures are accepted, but only if they carry authentication markings: the signer’s name, evidence of identity authentication such as a “digitally signed by” notation with the software provider’s seal or watermark, and legibility when reproduced in black and white.4Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration – Digital Document A scanned or photocopied signature without those markings is treated as a photocopy, not a digital signature, and follows different handling rules.
Why You Should Record the Sale Immediately
Filing the bill of sale is not just a records update. Under federal law, an unrecorded sale is only valid against the seller, the seller’s heirs, and anyone who had actual knowledge of the transaction.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 44108 – Validity of Conveyances, Leases, and Security Instruments Once the conveyance is filed with the FAA, it is valid against the world from the date of filing. No separate state recording is required.
A buyer who waits takes a real risk. If the seller sells the same aircraft twice, the buyer who records first wins. If a creditor files a lien against the aircraft before you record, that lien can outrank your ownership interest. Record promptly.
Running a Title Search Before You Close
The FAA does not perform title searches for buyers. The Aircraft Registration Branch keeps records of liens, security agreements, and releases that have been filed, but reviewing them is on you, your attorney, or a title company.6Federal Aviation Administration. Clear Title Skipping this step is how buyers end up owning an aircraft that still secures someone else’s loan.
“Clear title” in FAA terms means no unreleased mortgages, security agreements, tax liens, or similar encumbrances are on file against the aircraft. You can order certified copies of the aircraft’s records from the FAA using the N-number and serial number, or hire a specialized aircraft title search company. The cost is trivial next to the purchase price. Treat it the same way you would a title search on real estate.
If a lien turns up, the seller has to produce a release from the lienholder before closing. The secured party releases the lien by signing the Conveyance Recordation Notice (AC Form 8050-41) and returning it to the Aircraft Registration Branch. A verbal promise to handle it later is worthless. If the release has not been filed with the FAA, it does not exist as far as the record is concerned.
The Registration Application
Once the bill of sale is in hand, the buyer files AC Form 8050-1. The registration application requires evidence of ownership, meaning the bill of sale, or an equivalent chain of conveyances from the last registered owner, must go in with it.7Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Application You provide your full legal name, mailing address, and the aircraft’s primary base location.
The form varies by ownership type. Individuals fill out the simplest version. Co-owners list every party. Partnerships identify the general partners and include documentation showing the signer’s authority to bind the partnership. Each category triggers a different legal framework inside the FAA’s system, so getting the entity type right on the first filing avoids a rejection.
Citizenship Requirement
Federal law limits aircraft registration to U.S. citizens. Under 49 U.S.C. 40102(a)(15), “citizen of the United States” covers an individual U.S. citizen, a partnership in which every partner is a U.S. citizen, or a corporation organized under U.S. or state law whose president and at least two-thirds of the board and managing officers are U.S. citizens.8Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 40102 – Definitions Applicants certify citizenship on the registration form. Business entities may be asked for a Statement in Support of Registration or a copy of the operating agreement to verify they meet the thresholds; documentation that fails to show control resting with eligible domestic parties will get the request suspended.
Non-U.S. citizens cannot register directly, but can own an aircraft through a U.S.-citizen or resident-alien trustee under 14 CFR 47.7.9eCFR. 14 CFR 47.7 – Eligibility That structure has its own rules and is best handled with counsel who does aviation work.
Where to File
Signed originals of the bill of sale and the registration application go to the FAA Civil Aviation Registry in Oklahoma City, with the $5.00 fee for each aircraft. Pay by check or money order made out to the Federal Aviation Administration. Regular mail goes to the P.O. Box in Oklahoma City (73125-0504); commercial delivery services use the street address at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center.10Federal Aviation Administration. Contact the Aircraft Registration Branch
Online Filing Through CARES
The FAA’s Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) portal offers limited online registration for aircraft owned by individuals, corporations, and LLCs.11Federal Aviation Administration. Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) Partnerships, non-citizen trusts, and other entity types still file by mail. Even for eligible owners, CARES handles the registration and record updates but does not eliminate the need for a proper bill of sale as evidence of ownership.
Flying the Aircraft While You Wait
You do not have to ground the aircraft while the FAA processes the paperwork. After you submit the required documents and fee, the second copy of the registration application, often called the “pink copy,” serves as temporary authority to operate the aircraft within the United States.12eCFR. 14 CFR 47.31 – Application Keep it in the aircraft.
Temporary authority lasts until you receive the permanent certificate or the FAA denies the application, whichever comes first. There is no fixed 90- or 120-day clock. Two limits apply, though. The pink copy only works for aircraft previously registered in the United States; if the aircraft has never held a U.S. registration or the prior registration was cancelled, the pink copy grants no operating authority. And if 12 months pass from the date the FAA received the first application after the transfer, the temporary authority lapses.
Current Processing Times
Historically the FAA issued the permanent Certificate of Aircraft Registration (AC Form 8050-3) within six to eight weeks. That has stretched considerably. As of early 2026, the Aircraft Registration Branch reports it is reviewing documents received in approximately early February 2026, a lag of several months.13Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Plan on a wait well beyond the historical norm, and make sure your temporary authority paperwork is airtight before submitting.
During processing, the FAA verifies the chain of ownership and checks for liens or encumbrances that could block the transfer. Anything missing or inconsistent comes back to you, and you go to the back of the line. With a multi-month backlog, a rejection roughly doubles your wait.
After the Transfer: Renewal and Penalties
A Certificate of Aircraft Registration expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it was issued.14eCFR. 14 CFR 47.40 – Registration Expiration and Renewal You can apply for renewal by submitting AC Form 8050-1B and the $5.00 fee during the six months before expiration.15Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Renewal Application Renewal is also available through CARES for eligible entity types.
Missing the deadline is not a small oversight. Once registration expires, the airworthiness certificate becomes ineffective and the aircraft is not authorized for flight.16Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Renewal The airworthiness certificate is not revoked; it simply has no effect until registration is restored. Once you re-register, it becomes effective again, assuming the aircraft still meets maintenance and inspection requirements.
Operating an unregistered aircraft, or knowingly allowing someone else to fly one, is a federal crime. The general penalty is a fine under Title 18, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.17Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 46306 – Registration Violations Involving Aircraft Not Providing Air Transportation If the violation involves transporting a controlled substance, the maximum rises to five years. It applies to the pilot and to an owner who knows the aircraft is unregistered and lets someone else fly it.
State Sales and Use Tax
The FAA process does not address taxes, but aircraft sales usually trigger state sales or use tax. Rates run from zero in no-sales-tax states up to about 10 percent in some jurisdictions. Some states offer exemptions for business use, leasing, or resale. A common planning tool is the “fly-away” exemption, which some states provide when an out-of-state buyer takes delivery and immediately removes the aircraft from the state. These exemptions usually require supporting documentation: purchase agreements, seller affidavits confirming delivery location, and flight logs showing the departure date.
The FAA bill of sale form includes a field for the purchase price, but that field exists to identify the transaction, not for federal tax reporting.3Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale State tax authorities may rely on that figure or ask for independent documentation. Talk to a tax professional who handles aviation transactions before closing. Potential tax liability on even a moderately priced aircraft justifies the fee for the advice.