Importing an Aircraft to the US: Deregistration, Export Certificate, Customs and FAA Inspection
This guide is for buyers who have found an airplane on a foreign register (a Canadian, European or Australian aircraft, for example) and want to bring it onto the U.S. N-register. It walks through each step in order, the documents at each step, a realistic timeline, and how to check whether the discount survives the import costs.
Is the aircraft eligible for the N-register?
Check eligibility before you pay for an inspection. The question is whether the aircraft can get a U.S. standard airworthiness certificate. That requires an FAA type certificate or validated type design for that exact model, plus FAA approval for every modification on it.
| Situation | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| U.S.-built type returning home (for example, a Cessna 182 or Piper PA-28 that spent years in Canada) | Generally straightforward. Check for modifications approved only by the foreign authority and for any FAA airworthiness directives the foreign system didn't require. |
| Foreign-built type with an FAA type certificate (for example, a Diamond DA40 or DA42) | Eligible. Conformity to the FAA-approved configuration and the export certificate from the exporting authority are the key items. |
| Type certificated abroad but never FAA type-certificated | Can't get a standard certificate. At best a special certificate with significant operating limits, which few lenders or insurers will accept. |
| Foreign amateur-built, microlight or owner-maintenance-category aircraft | Not eligible for standard certification. Import may be possible as experimental in some cases. Get specialist advice first. |
| Modifications approved only by the foreign authority | Each needs FAA acceptance, validation or removal before certification. Price this into your offer. |
Step-by-step: importing an aircraft to the US
1. Due diligence before you commit
- Records. Complete logbooks with English translations of key entries, compliance records for FAA airworthiness directives (not only the foreign authority's), and paperwork for every major repair and alteration.
- Pre-buy inspection. Use a mechanic who knows both the type and FAA conformity requirements, and ask for a written list of what must change before a U.S. certificate can be issued. See the pre-buy inspection checklist.
- Title. Search the foreign registry for owners and recorded charges. Any foreign mortgage must be discharged before deregistration.
2. A purchase agreement written for an import
Beyond the usual terms, spell out:
- Who arranges and pays for deregistration and the export certificate of airworthiness. Normally the seller, because only the registered owner can do it.
- Where delivery takes place and who carries risk of loss during the ferry or shipping leg.
- A contingency if the aircraft can't be brought into conformity within a stated cost or time.
- If the seller is in a VAT country, how the sale will be documented as an export so VAT isn't charged, or can be recovered. Rules vary by country, so have a local tax adviser confirm.
- Payment through an escrow agent experienced with cross-border closings. See aircraft title and escrow.
3. Foreign deregistration
The seller asks the foreign registry to cancel the registration for export. The FAA will accept a statement from the official in charge of that registry confirming the registration has ended (14 CFR 47.37(b)). Without it, the U.S. registration can't be completed.
4. Export certificate of airworthiness
The exporting country's aviation authority (Transport Canada, an EASA member-state authority or Australia's CASA, for example) inspects the aircraft and issues an export certificate of airworthiness. U.S. bilateral agreements commonly require one for used aircraft. Your designated airworthiness representative (DAR) can confirm exactly what the FAA needs for that country and model.
5. Getting the aircraft here: ferry or ship
- Ferry on the foreign registration. The aircraft flies on its existing registration and airworthiness certificate, with the owner's and that registry's permission, and is deregistered after arrival.
- Ferry on the new N-number. The aircraft is deregistered first and registered with the FAA. The FAA Registry can issue an expedited temporary certificate of registration (a "fly wire"), because the pink copy is valid only within the U.S. The aircraft also needs an FAA special flight permit for the trip.
- Ship it. Common for small airplanes coming from Europe or Australia. The aircraft is partly disassembled, crated or containerized, then reassembled and inspected by an A&P on arrival.
Ocean crossings in a piston single call for an experienced ferry pilot, ferry tanks, survival equipment and ferry-specific insurance. Get at least two written quotes.
6. U.S. Customs entry
- Arriving by air: the pilot files an eAPIS manifest before departure (at least 60 minutes before, for private aircraft) and lands at a designated airport of entry or one where landing rights have been granted.
- A licensed customs broker usually files the formal entry. Small airplanes fall under HTSUS 8802.20 (unladen weight up to 2,000 kg) or 8802.30 (over 2,000 kg to 15,000 kg).
- Duty: civil airplanes have historically carried a general rate of free, but tariff actions and trade deals in 2025–2026 changed treatment for some origins. Confirm before closing, along with the merchandise processing fee and, for ocean freight, the harbor maintenance fee.
7. FAA registration
- Aircraft Registration Application (AC Form 8050-1) and the $5 fee (14 CFR 47.17). A special N-number reservation is $10.
- Bill of sale from the foreign seller, or other ownership evidence the FAA accepts, with translations if needed.
- Evidence the foreign registration has ended.
- You must be an eligible owner: a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident, or a qualifying entity or trust. Non-citizen structures are covered in the cross-border financing guide.
Once issued, a U.S. registration certificate is valid for seven years (14 CFR 47.40). For the general process, see the FAA registration guide.
8. FAA airworthiness inspection
Apply for a standard airworthiness certificate on FAA Form 8130-6. An FAA inspector or a DAR (who charges a fee) inspects the aircraft for conformity to its type design and compliance with FAA airworthiness directives. Typical conformity items on imports include:
- FAA airworthiness directives not required abroad.
- Foreign-approved modifications that need FAA approval or removal.
- English placards and U.S. registration marks (the new N-number painted or applied per Part 45).
- ADS-B Out equipment if you'll fly in airspace where it's required.
- Avionics or instruments that lack the FAA approvals the type design calls for.
9. Insurance, financing and state tax
Bind U.S. hull and liability coverage before the ferry leg or the day you take risk of loss, whichever comes first. If you're financing, most U.S. lenders record their security interest at the FAA Registry and fund only once the aircraft is N-registered and in the U.S. The common structure is to pay cash (or use a short-term source) to buy and import, then refinance the aircraft once it's certificated. State use tax is generally owed where you base the aircraft; see aircraft sales tax by state.
Importing an aircraft and need a loan after it lands?
Tell us the aircraft, where it's registered now and your timeline. A financing specialist can line up lenders in our network for the post-import financing.
Typical import timeline
| Stage | Typical duration (varies) |
|---|---|
| Records review, pre-buy inspection, purchase agreement | 2–4 weeks |
| Foreign deregistration and export certificate | 1–4 weeks |
| Ferry flight, or shipping and reassembly | 1 week (ferry) to 6–8 weeks (sea freight) |
| Customs entry | Days, if the broker has the paperwork ready |
| FAA registration | Days if expedited; otherwise follow the Registry's posted processing times |
| Conformity work and airworthiness inspection | 1–4+ weeks, depending on findings |
| Total | Roughly 2–4 months |
Is the overseas discount real? A worked example
Say a comparable airplane in the U.S. is listed at $190,000, and you find one in Europe for €150,000. These are illustrative figures, not quotes:
| Import cost | Illustrative amount |
|---|---|
| Pre-buy inspection abroad, including inspector travel | $5,000 |
| Record translation and foreign title search | $2,000 |
| Ferry flight or shipping, with transit insurance | $9,000 |
| Customs broker, entry fees and any duty | $1,500 |
| DAR inspection, compliance items, N-number marks and placards | $4,500 |
| Total import costs | $22,000 |
- At 1.10 USD per euro when you make the offer, the landed cost is $187,000, which is $3,000 below the U.S. comparable.
- If the euro moves to 1.16 before you wire the funds, the landed cost is $196,000. That is $6,000 more than the U.S. airplane.
Two lessons follow. First, the headline discount has to cover five or six cost lines, plus your time. Second, fix the currency risk: price the deal in dollars, or buy the currency forward when you sign. The cross-border financing guide covers currency from the borrower's side.
Import mistakes that cost the most
- Paying before confirming that the model and every modification can get FAA approval.
- Wiring funds directly to a foreign seller instead of through escrow.
- Assuming the pink copy covers the ferry flight.
- Leaving a foreign mortgage undischarged, which blocks deregistration.
- Buying on foreign maintenance records without checking FAA AD compliance.
- Forgetting state use tax where the aircraft will be based.
How this guide differs from related guides
This page is the import procedure: getting a foreign-registered aircraft onto the N-register. For the borrower side (U.S. lenders' limits on non-residents or aircraft based abroad, currency on the loan, non-citizen trusts, and why the Cape Town Convention rarely applies to pistons), see financing an aircraft abroad. For domestic closing mechanics, see the aircraft loan closing process.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to import an aircraft into the United States?
For a common type-certificated piston single or twin with good records, two to four months from signed purchase agreement to a U.S. airworthiness certificate is a realistic plan. The pace is set by foreign deregistration and the export certificate, the ferry or shipping leg, customs entry, and how much conformity work the FAA inspector or DAR finds. Missing records or foreign-only modifications add weeks.
Do you pay import duty on a small aircraft brought into the US?
Civil airplanes under HTSUS heading 8802 (subheading 8802.20 covers unladen weight up to 2,000 kg, which includes most piston singles and light twins) have historically carried a general duty rate of free. Tariff actions and trade agreements in 2025–2026 have changed treatment for some countries of origin, so have a licensed customs broker confirm duty, the merchandise processing fee and any other charges before you sign.
Can I ferry an aircraft to the US on the pink copy of the registration application?
No. The temporary authority of the pink copy (14 CFR 47.31(c)) is valid only within the United States. Imports are usually ferried on the existing foreign registration and airworthiness certificate before deregistration, or deregistered first and N-registered with an expedited temporary certificate of registration (a "fly wire") plus an FAA special flight permit. Your import agent should choose the path.
What does the FAA need to register an aircraft that was registered in another country?
Under 14 CFR 47.37, the application (AC Form 8050-1) with the $5 fee, a bill of sale from the foreign seller or other ownership evidence the FAA accepts, and evidence that the foreign registration has ended, such as a statement from the foreign registry official. You must also meet the U.S. citizenship or eligibility rules in Part 47. Foreign-language documents need translations.
Does an imported used aircraft need an export certificate of airworthiness?
Usually. The U.S. bilateral airworthiness agreements with major aviation authorities, including Canada's and Europe's, commonly call for the exporting authority's export certificate of airworthiness. The FAA inspector or designated airworthiness representative then confirms the aircraft conforms to its FAA-approved type design, complies with FAA airworthiness directives, and is in condition for safe operation before issuing a standard airworthiness certificate.
Can I keep flying a foreign-registered aircraft in the US instead of importing it?
Foreign civil aircraft can operate here for non-commercial flights under the rules of their state of registry and 14 CFR Part 375, but that is not a long-term plan for a U.S. resident. Customs generally treats an aircraft kept here by a U.S. resident as an import, the foreign registry may have residency rules, and U.S. lenders generally will not finance it. Confirm with an aviation attorney.
This guide explains general U.S. import procedure and is not legal, customs or tax advice. Requirements vary by country of origin and aircraft. Confirm your situation with an aviation attorney, a licensed customs broker and a CPA.