How Long Does Aircraft Registration Last Before It Expires?
March 3, 2026
The Three-Year Renewal Cycle
Unlike some forms of government registration, FAA aircraft registration is not perpetual. Under regulations the FAA tightened in 2010, all aircraft registrations expire after three years and must be actively renewed by the owner. Before 2010, registrations had no fixed expiration and could remain technically active for decades without renewal — leading to a massive number of stale records in the database. The reform brought U.S. practice in line with international norms and significantly improved the accuracy of the registry.
The Renewal Process
The FAA sends renewal reminders to registered owners approximately six months and again two months before the expiration date. Owners can renew online, by mail, or in person. The process requires confirming that the registration information is still accurate — same owner, same address — and paying a modest renewal fee. If nothing has changed, renewal is straightforward.
What Happens When Registration Expires
An aircraft with an expired registration cannot legally fly in U.S. airspace. If the expiration date passes without renewal, the FAA will administratively cancel the registration. The aircraft then appears as deregistered in the registry and must go through a new registration process — not just renewal — to return to active status.
In practice, the FAA provides a grace period and the administrative cancellation process takes some time, but the legal prohibition on flying with an expired registration is immediate.
Expiration Dates in the Registry
Every active aircraft record in the FAA Civil Aviation Registry displays an expiration date. When you look up a tail number, you can see exactly when the registration is due for renewal. This is useful for buyers checking a potential purchase — an aircraft whose registration is approaching expiration is not necessarily a problem, but it is something to note.
Planning Around Expiration
Aircraft owners, especially those who operate infrequently or store aircraft for extended periods, sometimes let registrations lapse unintentionally. For buyers, a lapsed registration is a red flag worth investigating — it may indicate the aircraft has been sitting unflown, or that the owner contact information is out of date. Always verify active registration status when researching any aircraft, and check the data sources page to understand how current the data on this site is.