FAA Form 8050-2, the Aircraft Bill of Sale, is the document a seller signs to transfer ownership of a U.S.-registered civil aircraft to a buyer. To move the registration into the buyer’s name, submit one signed original of the form together with an Aircraft Registration Application (AC Form 8050-1) and a $5.00 fee to the FAA Aircraft Registry in Oklahoma City.1Federal Aviation Administration. Register Aircraft The form is short. The requirements around it are where most transactions run into trouble.
What the Form Does
The bill of sale is the FAA’s official evidence that ownership changed hands. When the seller signs it, they transfer all rights, title, and interest in the aircraft to the buyer.2Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale Until the FAA records the change, the seller remains the registered owner in federal records, which has real liability consequences for a seller who thinks they’ve walked away from the airplane.
The FAA calls 8050-2 a “suggested” bill of sale that meets recording requirements, meaning other formats can technically be used.3Federal Aviation Administration. FAA AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale Improvising invites rejection. The standard form is free and takes minutes.
Filling Out the Bill of Sale
Download the current version of AC Form 8050-2 from the FAA website.4Federal Aviation Administration. Form AC 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale Every field on it must match existing FAA records exactly. One wrong character on an N-number or serial number can send the whole package back.
Aircraft Identification
Four items identify the aircraft: the N-number, manufacturer name, model designation, and serial number. All four must match the current Certificate of Aircraft Registration.2Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale The FAA’s online N-number inquiry tool lets you confirm what’s on file. If the seller’s paperwork shows a different serial number than the FAA record, resolve the discrepancy before closing rather than after.
Buyer and Seller
Both parties need their full legal name and mailing address on the form. No nicknames for individuals. For companies, use the exact legal name registered with the state of organization. Write the buyer’s name exactly as it will appear on Form 8050-1; a mismatch between the two forms creates problems.
Consideration and Date
Record the actual purchase price on the consideration line and the date of sale next to it. Leaving either blank will get the form rejected.
Signatures
The seller must sign. The FAA accepts ink signatures or digital signatures that meet its authentication requirements.2Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale For a digital signature, the signer’s name must be legible, the signature must show evidence of identity authentication (such as “digitally signed by” text with the software provider’s seal), and it must reproduce clearly in black and white.5Federal Aviation Administration. Digital Document Submissions A scanned image of a handwritten signature pasted into a PDF does not meet these requirements on its own.
Prepare the form in duplicate, producing two originals. Send one to the FAA and keep one. Notarization is not required.2Federal Aviation Administration. AC Form 8050-2 – Aircraft Bill of Sale
What Else Goes in the Package
The bill of sale alone does not complete a title transfer. It must travel with the Aircraft Registration Application (AC Form 8050-1), which the buyer signs to request that the aircraft be registered in their name.6Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Application – AC Form 8050-1 The 8050-2 proves the seller handed over ownership; the 8050-1 is the buyer asking the FAA to record it.
Entity Buyers
When a corporation, LLC, or partnership is the buyer, the FAA needs proof that the person signing has authority to act for the entity. A corporation typically submits a corporate resolution identifying the authorized signer. An LLC submits a Statement in Support of Registration listing the LLC’s name, state of organization, the names and entity types of each member, and whether the LLC is managed by members, managers, or officers. The statement must also show that the LLC meets the U.S. citizenship requirements for aircraft registration.
Who Can Register a U.S. Civil Aircraft
Not every buyer qualifies. Under 14 CFR Part 47, the aircraft cannot be registered in a foreign country and must be owned by a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident (green card holder), a qualifying non-citizen corporation organized under U.S. or state law and doing business here (with the aircraft based and primarily used in the United States), or a government entity.7eCFR. 14 CFR Part 47 – Aircraft Registration For a corporation, that means it’s organized under U.S. or state law, its president and at least two-thirds of its board are citizens, actual control rests with citizens, and citizens own at least 75 percent of the voting interest. Every partner in a partnership, general or limited, must be a U.S. citizen. Foreign nationals without permanent residency generally reach the U.S. registry through a non-citizen trust with a qualifying U.S. trustee holding title, and the FAA reviews those trust arrangements closely.
Transfers That Aren’t a Straight Sale
Some ownership changes need more than an 8050-2. An executor moving an aircraft out of a deceased owner’s estate submits a bill of sale together with certified letters testamentary or letters of administration. A repossessor files a Certificate of Repossession (FAA Form 8050-4) along with the security agreement. A buyer at a judicial sale needs a bill of sale from the sheriff or auctioneer who conducted it.8eCFR. 14 CFR 47.11 – Evidence of Ownership
Where to Send It
There are three ways to file, each with tradeoffs.
For U.S. Postal Service delivery:
FAA Aircraft Registration Branch
P.O. Box 25504
Oklahoma City, OK 73125-0504
For FedEx, UPS, and other commercial carriers, use the physical address:
FAA Aircraft Registration Branch
Registry Building Room 118
6425 South Denning
Oklahoma City, OK 73169-69379Federal Aviation Administration. Contact the Aircraft Registration Branch
A commercial delivery sent to the P.O. Box will not arrive.
The FAA accepts digitally signed documents by email at 9-avs-ar-electronic-submittals@faa.gov.5Federal Aviation Administration. Digital Document Submissions Every signature must meet the FAA’s digital signature standards. Fees cannot be paid online, so the $5.00 registration fee still has to be mailed separately.
CARES Online Portal
The Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services (CARES) portal handles online submissions for aircraft owned by individuals, corporations, or LLCs. Partnerships, non-citizen trusts, and other ownership structures are not yet supported.10Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services. CARES Home The portal requires a Login.gov account.
The Fee
The registration fee is $5.00, payable by check or money order to the Federal Aviation Administration.11eCFR. 14 CFR 47.17 – Fees There is no separate recording fee for a bill of sale submitted with the registration application.6Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Application – AC Form 8050-1
Flying the Aircraft Before the Certificate Arrives
You don’t have to wait for the FAA to finish processing before you fly. Once the registration application, fee, and evidence of ownership have been sent to the Registry, a copy of the signed 8050-1 serves as temporary authority to operate the aircraft within the United States.6Federal Aviation Administration. Aircraft Registration Application – AC Form 8050-1 Keep that copy in the aircraft. It stays valid until the FAA either issues the new Certificate of Aircraft Registration or denies the application.12eCFR. 14 CFR 47.31 – Application
One important exception. This temporary authority is not available if the aircraft’s most recent registration was expired or cancelled. In that case the aircraft cannot legally fly until the FAA issues the new certificate.
Run a Title Search Before You Sign
FAA aircraft records are public, and checking them before signing a bill of sale protects the buyer from inheriting someone else’s problem. A title search shows the chain of ownership and, more importantly, whether any liens or security interests are recorded against the aircraft. Buying an aircraft with an unresolved lien means buying someone else’s collateral.
You can request certified copies of an aircraft’s FAA records using the N-number and serial number. The FAA records security interests on Form 8050-41, which is generated when a lien is filed.13Federal Aviation Administration. Form AC 8050-41 – Notice of Recordation – Aircraft Security Conveyance For anything more valuable than a basic trainer, hiring a title search company that specializes in FAA records to pull a full abstract of title before closing is money well spent.
Two Things the FAA Filing Does Not Handle
State sales and use taxes are separate from federal registration. Most states tax aircraft purchases, but the triggering event varies: where the sale closed, where the aircraft is hangared, or in some states simply landing there regularly. Rates, exemptions, and credit rules differ. Talk to a tax professional or aviation attorney before closing to avoid a surprise bill from a state you weren’t thinking about.
Flying without valid registration is a federal crime. Under 49 U.S.C. ยง 46306, knowingly operating an unregistered aircraft or one whose certificate has been suspended or revoked carries fines and up to three years of imprisonment, rising to five years if the violation involves transporting controlled substances.14Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 46306 – General Criminal Penalty Owners can also be prosecuted for letting someone else operate the aircraft when they know or should know that person lacks proper authorization. Getting the 8050-2 package right the first time is considerably faster than restoring a cancelled registration later.