FAR 21.329 — Export Airworthiness Certificates
FAR 21.329 explains how the FAA issues export certificates of airworthiness for aircraft, including eligibility, requirements, and importing-country deviations.
FAR 21.329 sets the rules for getting an export certificate of airworthiness from the FAA — the document that allows an aircraft to be sold and shipped to a buyer in another country.
To qualify, the aircraft must fall into one of two groups:
- A new or used aircraft manufactured under Subpart F or G that meets the Subpart H requirements for either a standard airworthiness certificate or a special airworthiness certificate in the primary or restricted category.
- A new or used aircraft not manufactured under Subpart F or G that already holds a valid standard or special (primary or restricted) airworthiness certificate.
The rule also allows flexibility: if the importing country or jurisdiction accepts a deviation from a requirement (in a form acceptable to the FAA), the aircraft does not have to meet it. However, the export certificate must list any differences between the aircraft and its approved type design as exceptions.
Operationally, this matters because exporting an aircraft is a regulated transaction — buyers and foreign authorities rely on this certificate to confirm the aircraft's airworthiness status and any known deviations.