FAR 21.77 — Provisional Type Certificate Duration
FAR 21.77 sets how long provisional type certificates and their amendments stay effective—24 months Class I, 12 months Class II, and 6 months for amendments.
FAR 21.77 tells you how long a provisional type certificate (and any amendments to it) remains valid before it expires. A provisional type certificate is a temporary approval that lets a manufacturer operate an aircraft for limited purposes while final certification is still being completed.
Unless the certificate is surrendered, superseded, revoked, or otherwise terminated earlier, the durations are:
- Class I provisional type certificate: effective for 24 months after the date of issue.
- Class II provisional type certificate: effective for 12 months after the date of issue.
- Amendment to a Class I or Class II provisional type certificate: effective for the duration of the amended certificate (it rides along with the parent certificate).
- Provisional amendment to a (full) type certificate: effective for 6 months after approval, or until the amendment to the type certificate is approved—whichever comes first.
Why it matters: while you won't deal with these certificates as a pilot day-to-day, knowing the certification framework helps you understand why some new aircraft operate under temporary limitations and why those limitations have firm expiration dates.