FAR 21.75 — Provisional Type Certificate Application
FAR 21.75 explains who must apply to the FAA for a provisional type certificate, amendments, or provisional amendments to a type certificate.
FAR 21.75 is a short procedural rule that tells manufacturers and other applicants how to start the process of getting a provisional type certificate from the FAA.
Under this section, anyone applying for:
- A provisional type certificate,
- An amendment to a provisional type certificate, or
- A provisional amendment to a (regular) type certificate
must apply to the FAA and provide the information required by Subpart C of Part 21.
Why it matters operationally: a provisional type certificate lets a manufacturer operate a new aircraft design under specific limitations before the full type certificate is issued — useful for demonstration, crew training, or market surveys. As a student pilot you won't apply for one, but understanding the certification path helps you see why aircraft sometimes operate under restricted or experimental categories, and how the FAA controls airworthiness from the design stage forward. This rule is the entry point: no application, no provisional certificate.