Buying guide

Buying or selling a US-registered aircraft: the FAA registration paperwork

Published November 13, 2026.

Many of the jets and piston aircraft for sale in the world carry an N registration, from the United States. Changing owners, importing such an aircraft or exporting it all go through the FAA Aircraft Registry, under Part 47 of the federal aviation rules. Below is what those rules say, in the order a buyer or a seller meets them, and the points where a deal can stall.

Registering after a purchase

To register the aircraft in the new owner's name, the rules require three things to be sent to the Registry:¹

the Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, signed by the applicant;
the original Aircraft Bill of Sale, AC Form 8050-2, or other accepted evidence of ownership;
the registration fee.

The FAA rejects the application if any form is incomplete, if the applicant's name and signature are not the same throughout, or if the signature block lacks a printed or typed name.¹

While the certificate is processed, an aircraft last registered in the United States may fly within the United States with the second copy of the application on board. That temporary authority does not exist when no registration number is assigned, and is not available for an application received more than 12 months after the first application following the transfer.¹

Who signs

Owner	What the rule requires
Company	An authorised person signs and states their title; unless that person is an officer or manager, or an authorisation is already on file, a certified copy of the board authorisation goes with it
Partnership	Full name of the partnership, name of each general partner, signature of a general partner
Co-owners	Each person who shares title signs
Agent	Signs as agent or attorney-in-fact and sends the power of attorney; without a stated expiry date, it is valid for at most 3 years

These rules come from § 47.13.²

When the seller is not an ordinary owner

Off-market aircraft often come from estates, repossessions or judicial sales. The rules set specific evidence of ownership for each case:³

Estate of a deceased owner. A bill of sale signed by the executor or administrator, with a certified copy of the letters appointing them; with no executor, a bill of sale and an affidavit from the heir.
Repossession. A certificate of repossession, FAA Form 8050-4, the security agreement and, after a foreclosure sale, the bill of sale signed by whoever conducted it.
Judicial sale or sale to satisfy a lien. A bill of sale signed by the sheriff, auctioneer or other authorised person, stating that the sale followed local law.
Title decided by a court. A certified copy of the decision.

How long a registration lasts and when it ends

A certificate of registration expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it was issued, and can be renewed during the six months before that date.⁴
It also ends when the aircraft is registered in another country, is destroyed, or when ownership is transferred, among other cases. The certificate then goes back to the Registry, within 21 days in the case of foreign registration.⁵

Exporting or importing

Export. To cancel the registration for export, the holder sends a written request with the make, model, serial number, US registration number and destination country, plus evidence that each holder of a recorded right has been paid or has agreed. The Registry notifies the destination country.⁶
Import. An aircraft last registered abroad needs a US number requested in writing, with evidence that the foreign registration has ended or an affidavit saying the number will not be used until it ends. The number assignment lapses after 90 days if the registration application is not filed.⁷

Where a deal can stall

This part is our reading as brokers.

Names that do not match. The buyer's name must be identical on the application and the bill of sale. A company name written two ways is enough for the FAA to reject it.
Recorded rights. Before closing, search the registry and the recorded documents for liens. On an export, they have to be released or consented to before the registration can be cancelled.⁶ The routine for checking the registry is in this post.
Who has authority to sign. In a company, a partnership or an estate, confirm before closing who can sign and with what document.
The aircraft's equipment after a change of country. An aircraft that crosses the Atlantic may need equipment it never needed before, as we explain in the guides to ADS-B Out and RVSM.

Sources

FAA, 14 CFR § 47.31, Application (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.13, Signatures and instruments made by representatives (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.11, Evidence of ownership (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.40, Registration expiration and renewal (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.41, Duration and return of Certificate (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.47, Cancellation of Certificate for export purpose (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov
FAA, 14 CFR § 47.15, Registration number (CFR edition of Jan. 1, 2025): govinfo.gov