AerScheduler

14 CFR Part 47 · Subpart B · Certificates of Aircraft Registration

14 CFR 47.40: Registration expiration and renewal

A Certificate of Aircraft Registration expires seven years after the last day of the month it was issued. You can renew it with AC Form 8050-1B and the fee during the six months before the expiration date.

Section last amended January 17, 2025 · Text current as of October 15, 2026 · Also cited as FAR 47.40 · Read it on eCFR

14 CFR 47.40 in plain English

  • A registration lasts seven years, counted from the end of the month of issue. (a)
  • Renew with AC Form 8050-1B and the 47.17 fee in the six months before it expires. (b)
  • If the certificate's information is wrong, the FAA can require a full new application and fee before it expires. (c)

Common questions

Didn't registration used to be three years?
Yes. The FAA extended it to seven years in 2023. The section as current says seven years for certificates issued under 47.31.
What happens if registration expires?
The aircraft no longer has an effective registration certificate, so 91.203(a)(2) stops it from flying until it is registered again.

Official text of 14 CFR 47.40

§ 47.40 Registration expiration and renewal. Verbatim from the eCFR, current as of October 15, 2026.

(a)Initial Registration. A Certificate of Aircraft Registration issued in accordance with § 47.31 expires seven years after the last day of the month in which it is issued.

(b)Renewal. Each holder of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration containing an expiration date may apply for renewal of a Certificate of Aircraft Registration by submitting an Aircraft Registration Renewal Application, AC Form 8050-1B, and the fee required by § 47.17 during the six months preceding the expiration date for the Certificate of Aircraft Registration.

(c)Inaccurate Information. The Administrator may require the owner of a registered aircraft to submit a complete Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1, and fee prior to the expiration date if the Administrator finds that the Certificate of Aircraft Registration contains inaccurate information.

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