FAR 43.1 — Part 43 Applicability
FAR 43.1 explains which aircraft and parts are covered by Part 43 maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration rules — and key exceptions.
In Plain English
FAR 43.1 sets the scope of Part 43, the rulebook for maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration. As a pilot, knowing what falls under Part 43 helps you understand why your mechanic signs off work a certain way and why some aircraft (like experimentals) follow different rules.
Part 43 applies to:
- Aircraft with a U.S. airworthiness certificate
- Foreign-registered civil aircraft used in common carriage or carrying mail under Part 121 or 135
- Airframes, engines, propellers, appliances, and component parts of those aircraft
- All life-limited parts removed from a type-certificated product (per § 43.10)
Part 43 does not apply to:
- Aircraft holding an experimental airworthiness certificate (unless previously issued a different airworthiness certificate)
- Certain experimental light-sport aircraft previously certificated as special light-sport
- Aircraft operated under Part 107 (small UAS), except as noted in § 107.140(d)
Special light-sport aircraft are covered, but with limited exceptions for products not produced under FAA approval. Operationally, this is why your standard-category Cessna requires a logbook entry by an A&P, while a homebuilt experimental does not follow Part 43.
Regulation Text
14 CFR § 43.1§ 43.1 Applicability.
(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (d) of this section, this part prescribes rules governing the maintenance, preventive maintenance, rebuilding, and alteration of any—
(1) Aircraft having a U.S. airworthiness certificate;
(2) Foreign-registered civil aircraft used in common carriage or carriage of mail under the provisions of Part 121 or 135 of this chapter; and
(3) Airframe, aircraft engines, propellers, appliances, and component parts of such aircraft.
(b) This part does not apply to—
(1) Any aircraft for which the FAA has issued an experimental airworthiness certificate, unless the FAA has previously issued a different kind of airworthiness certificate for that aircraft;
(2) Any aircraft for which the FAA has issued an experimental airworthiness certificate under the provisions of § 21.191(i)(3) or (l) of this chapter, and the aircraft was previously issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category under the provisions of § 21.190 of this chapter; or
(3) Any aircraft that is operated under part 107 of this chapter, except as described in § 107.140(d).
(c) This part applies to all life-limited parts that are removed from a type certificated product, segregated, or controlled as provided in § 43.10.
(d) This part applies to any aircraft issued a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category except:
(1) The repair or alteration form specified in §§ 43.5(b) and 43.9(d) is not required to be completed for products not produced under an FAA approval;
(2) Major repairs and major alterations for products not produced under an FAA approval are not required to be recorded in accordance with appendix B of this part; and
(3) The listing of major alterations and major repairs specified in paragraphs (a) and (b) of appendix A of this part is not applicable to products not produced under an FAA approval.
(e) Additional applicability of maintenance provisions for powered-lift is set forth in part 194 of this chapter.
[Doc. No. 1993, 29 FR 5451, Apr. 23, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 43-23, 47 FR 41084, Sept. 16, 1982; Amdt. 43-37, 66 FR 21066, Apr. 27, 2001; Amdt. 43-38, 67 FR 2109, Jan. 15, 2002; Amdt. 43-39, 69 FR 44863, July 27, 2004; Amdt. 43-44, 75 FR 5219, Feb. 1, 2010; Docket FAA-2015-0150, Amdt. 43-48, 81 FR 42208, June 28, 2016; Docket FAA-2018-1087, Amdt. 43-51, 86 FR 4381, Jan. 15, 2021; FAA-2023-1275, Amdt. No. 43-62, 89 FR 92483, Nov. 21, 2024; Amdt. 43-63, 90 FR 35211, July 24, 2025]
Oral Exam Questions a DPE Might Ask
Q1What aircraft are governed by Part 43?
Per FAR 43.1, Part 43 applies to aircraft holding a U.S. airworthiness certificate, foreign-registered civil aircraft used in common carriage or carrying mail under Part 121 or 135, and the airframes, engines, propellers, appliances, and component parts of those aircraft.
Q2Does Part 43 apply to an experimental amateur-built aircraft?
No. Under FAR 43.1(b), Part 43 does not apply to aircraft with an experimental airworthiness certificate, unless the FAA had previously issued a different kind of airworthiness certificate for that aircraft.
Q3How does Part 43 apply to special light-sport aircraft?
FAR 43.1(d) states Part 43 applies to special light-sport aircraft, but the repair/alteration form, appendix B recording requirements, and appendix A major repair/alteration listings do not apply to products not produced under FAA approval.
Studying for a checkride?
Related Sections in Part 43