Overview of FAR Part 3 Subpart C
International FAA certificate holders without a U.S. address must designate a U.S. based agent this year to maintain the validity of their certifications.
International Holders of FAA Certifications to Designate a US Agent
On October 8th, 2024, the FAA announced the publication of the final rules for 14 CFR Part 3 Subpart C. This regulation applies to all international FAA certificate holders that do not have a U.S. mailing address on file with the FAA. These certificate holders are required to designate a US-based agent to receive and forward official communications and documents with the FAA on their behalf. If a certificate holder does not appoint an agent by the deadlines, then any certificate they have is considered invalid.
The FAA certifications are the gold standard when it comes to aviation licenses. They are recognized globally, have more favorable requalification and currency terms, and can also open the door to more employment opportunities. This key point is often overlooked but is most recognizable in the corporate and private sectors. Europe, for example, has ahigh concentration of aircraft following the FAA regulations, with nearly 70%of its private aircraft being U.S. N-registered, and furthermore almost half of the world’s aircraft are N-registered. Regulations require anybody who flies, works on, or manages these planes to hold FAA certificates and ratings.
Certificate holders of any FAA certification must comply with this rule. This includes mechanics, pilots, air traffic controllers, drone operators, and any certificate under parts 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 107. People applying for new certificates must designate an agent by April 2nd, 2025, while current certificate holders have until July 7th of 2025. Compliance with this regulation will be verified though the FAA’s MedXpress system. When applying for medical certificates, the system will automatically verify that an agent has been designated. If no designated agent is found for medical applicants, then the system will deny the application.
To comply with this regulation, international certificate holders are given a few options of getting a U.S. address on file. They can appoint any U.S. resident as their agent, use a registered agent service, or join an FAA Designated Agency. No matter who is chosen as the agent, certificate holders will need to use the new FAA USAS system (usas.faa.gov) to designate their agent. This system allows users to create a login and enter their designated agent’s information. This registers the agent into the FAA system and delegates the agent’s address as the official mailing address for the applicant.
The FAA released Advisory Circular 3-1 explaining this new regulation. It is a great resource to learn more about this regulation and has additional information regarding roles and responsibilities of agents and certificate holders. FAR part 3 Subpart C is anticipated to affect about115,000 certificate holders from every corner of the globe. While this adds another layer for individuals and businesses to maintain compliance, companies and agencies like Jet Verge make compliance a breeze and ensures that international FAA certificates stay valid.
