Registration Hints
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Registering the aircraft and obtaining an N-number. For the airworthiness certificate itself see E-LSA vs E-AB; for the E-AB major-portion checklist see NKET Checklist.
Before you start
- Some insurers require your kit project to be registered as an aircraft with the FAA even for non-moving (ground) coverage. Falcon does; Avemco does not.
- You will need the engine details including the serial number.
- Consider the EAA Amateur-Built Certification Kit — cockpit and experimental placards, FAA forms and instructions.
Kit bill of sale from Van's
You need a formal kit bill of sale, which is not the same as your kit invoices.
- Email "registrations" at Van's to request it.
- They will send a waiver to sign and a document request form to complete.
- End to end takes about two weeks, because it travels by USPS.
- You receive an original and a copy of FAA Form 8050-2, "Aircraft Bill of Sale", modified to read "Kit Bill of Sale".
- The N-number field is left blank for you to fill in — do not forget to fill it in before uploading.
- The form has no price field; the online portal captures date and price at upload.
- When uploading, select the kit bill of sale option, not the bill of sale option.
Notarised form
- FAA Form 8050-88 must be completed and notarised. It comes with the EAA kit. Plan a trip to a print shop or notary.
Online registration
- Create a CARES login at FAA MyAccess, with verified cell phone, email and a Google Authenticator app (works on iPhone too). Log in at least every six months or the account expires — you will get a warning email.
- Register the aircraft at the Online Aircraft Registration Portal.
- Expediting services exist (for example AIC Title, around $135) that hand-carry your registration to the FAA. As of March 2023 a mailed-in new registration was taking about two weeks anyway.
Repairman certificate
- AC 65-23A covers the repairman certificate. Note that since MOSAIC, an owner of an Experimental/Amateur-Built aircraft who holds a Repairman (light-sport) inspection certificate may perform the annual condition inspection — this no longer requires being the primary builder. See E-LSA vs E-AB.