Can I Register a Canadian Plane I Made?

Yes, You Can Register an Amateur Canadian Aircraft 

 

If you have built your own aircraft or some kind of new aircraft, you must register it before you’re able to fly it legally. 

 

To do so, click this link for Canada aircraft registration

 

Be sure to attach a bill of sale or a statement of construction. The latter can be done from plans or raw materials. 

 

Additionally: include a pic of the aircraft’s ID plate. Ideally, this pic will show the model of aircraft, its serial number, and the name of the manufacturer. 

 

Canada Aircraft Rules 

 

These laws govern the registration of aircraft in Canada. If you have further questions, reach out. 

 

Registration of Aircraft — General

  • 202.13 (1) This section does not apply in respect of an aircraft that is
    • (a) a hang glider; or
    • (b) a parachute.
  • (2) Except as otherwise authorized under subsection 202.14(1) or 202.43(1), no person shall operate an aircraft in Canada unless it is registered in Canada, in a contracting state or in a foreign state that has an agreement in force with Canada that allows an aircraft that is registered in that foreign state to be operated in Canada.

 

Aircraft Manufacturers

  • 202.14 (1) On receipt of an application in writing, the Minister shall issue a written authorization permitting the operation in Canada of an aircraft that is not registered and in the authorization may specify conditions governing the operation of the aircraft as necessary for its safe and proper operation, where
    • (a) the aircraft was manufactured in Canada;
    • (b) the aircraft is operated by the manufacturer;
    • (c) the aircraft is operated within Canada for the purpose of
      • (i) a production test flight,
      • (ii) a customer acceptance flight, or
      • (iii) a flight undertaken to complete the manufacturing process or to export the aircraft;
    • (d) a registration mark has been reserved in respect of the aircraft pursuant to subsection 202.02(1);
    • (e) the aircraft displays its marks in accordance with section 202.01 or 202.07; and
    • (f) the manufacturer is qualified to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft pursuant to section 202.15.
  • (2) The Minister may specify conditions in the authorization governing the operation of the aircraft referred to in subsection (1) as are necessary for its safe and proper operation.
  • (3) No person shall operate an aircraft pursuant to an authorization issued under subsection (1) unless the aircraft is operated in accordance with any conditions specified in the authorization.

Qualifications to Be Registered Owner of a Canadian Aircraft

  • 202.15 (1) Subject to subsection (2), any Canadian is qualified to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft.
  • (2) No individual is qualified to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft unless the individual is at least 16 years of age.
  • (3) An entity that is not Canadian but is incorporated or formed under the laws of Canada or a province is qualified to be the registered owner of a private Canadian aircraft where
    • (a) the entity provides the Minister with a certified copy of the entity’s certificate of incorporation or other equivalent document issued under the laws of Canada or a province pursuant to which the entity was incorporated or formed;
    • (b) the entity meets the requirements, specified in the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards, respecting the keeping and preservation of records;
    • (c) the entity meets the reporting requirements specified in the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards; and
    • (d) while the aircraft is registered in Canada, the flight time accumulated in Canada by the aircraft is not less than 60 per cent of the flight time accumulated by the aircraft at the end of each six-month period.
  • (4) [Repealed, SOR/2021-152, s. 1]
  • (5) Where an entity that is qualified to be the registered owner of an aircraft pursuant to subsection (3) ceases to meet the requirements set out in paragraphs (3)(b) to (d), the aircraft’s certificate of registration is cancelled.

Previous Version

Registration Requirements

202.16 The Minister, on receipt of an application in accordance with the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards, shall register an aircraft where the owner of the aircraft

  • (a) is qualified to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft pursuant to section 202.15; and
  • (b) meets the requirements set out in those standards.

Types of Registration

  • 202.17 (1) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), the Minister shall register an aircraft as
    • (a) a state aircraft;
    • (b) a commercial aircraft; or
    • (c) a private aircraft.
  • (2) The Minister shall register an aircraft with
    • (a) a provisional registration if the aircraft is not registered in Canada or in a foreign state and is to be operated for the purpose of importing it into Canada or for the purpose of transporting it from one location in Canada to another location in Canada;
    • (b) a temporary registration if the documentation, record entries and other administrative steps necessary to grant a continuing registration cannot be completed immediately;
    • (c) a continuing registration if the documentation, record entries and other administrative steps necessary to grant a continuing registration can be completed immediately; or
    • (d) an interim registration if the requirements of subsection 202.36(1) or (4) are satisfied.
  • (3) The Minister shall register an aircraft as a state aircraft if it is a civil aircraft that is owned by and exclusively used in the service of a government in Canada.
  • (4) The Minister shall register an aircraft as a commercial aircraft if
    • (a) it is to be operated under Subpart 2, 3, 4 or 5 of Part VII or pursuant to an authorization issued under section 203.03; or
    • (b) it is an aeroplane or helicopter that is to be operated pursuant to a flight training unit operator certificate issued under Subpart 6 of Part IV.
  • SOR/2000-405, s. 10

Identity for Registration Purposes — Aircraft

202.18 For the purpose of the registration in Canada of an aircraft, other than a balloon,

  • (a) the fuselage, hull or an alternative structure of the aircraft establishes its identity; and
  • (b) where the fuselage, hull or an alternative structure of the aircraft is scrapped, the aircraft is deemed to be destroyed.

Identity for Registration Purposes — Balloons

202.19 For the purpose of the registration in Canada of a balloon,

  • (a) the envelope of the balloon establishes its identity; and
  • (b) where the envelope of a balloon is scrapped, the balloon is deemed to be destroyed.

[202.20 to 202.24 reserved]

Division III — Certificates of Registration

Issuance of a Certificate of Registration

  • 202.25 (1) Where the Minister registers an aircraft, the Minister shall issue to the registered owner of the aircraft
    • (a) a provisional certificate of registration if the aircraft has a provisional registration;
    • (b) a temporary certificate of registration if
      • (i) the documentation, record entries and other administrative steps necessary to issue a continuing registration cannot be completed immediately, or
      • (ii) the Minister intends to replace a continuing certificate of registration pursuant to section 202.27 or amend or replace a certificate of registration pursuant to subsection 202.28(1), but the documentation, record entries and other administrative steps necessary to amend or replace the certificate cannot be completed immediately;
    • (c) an interim certificate of registration if the aircraft is deemed to be registered with an interim registration pursuant to subsection 202.36(1) or (4); or
    • (d) except in the circumstances described in subparagraph (b)(ii), a continuing certificate of registration if the aircraft has a continuing registration.
  • (2) Where the Minister issues a temporary certificate of registration, the Minister may specify in the temporary certificate of registration a date on which the temporary registration expires.
  • (3) A temporary certificate of registration expires or is cancelled, as the case may be, on the earliest of
    • (a) the date specified in the temporary certificate of registration,
    • (b) the last day of the three-month period following the day on which the temporary certificate of registration was issued,
    • (c) the day on which there is a change in the legal custody and control of the aircraft, and
    • (d) the day on which a continuing certificate of registration is issued in respect of the aircraft.

Carrying Certificate of Registration on Board the Aircraft

202.26 No person shall operate an aircraft in Canada, other than an aircraft referred to in subsection 202.43(1), or a Canadian aircraft outside Canada unless the certificate of registration issued in respect of the aircraft is carried on board the aircraft.

Certificate of Registration Lost or Destroyed

202.27 The Minister shall replace a lost or destroyed certificate of registration of a Canadian aircraft on receipt of a written application from the registered owner where the registered owner continues to meet the registration requirements referred to in section 202.16.

Amendment or Replacement of Certificate of Registration

  • 202.28 (1) The Minister may request the return of a certificate of registration of a Canadian aircraft from the registered owner for the purpose of amending it or for the purpose of replacing it.
  • (2) Where the Minister requests the return of a certificate of registration pursuant to subsection (1), the registered owner shall return it to the Minister within seven days after the day on which the request is received.

[202.29 to 202.34 reserved]

Division IV — Transfer of Legal Custody and Control

General

  • 202.35 (1) Subject to Subpart 3, where the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft transfers any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft, the certificate of registration of the aircraft is cancelled.
  • (2) Where the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft transfers any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft, the registered owner shall, by not later than seven days after the transfer, notify the Minister of the transfer in writing.
  • (3) For the purposes of this Division, an owner has legal custody and control of a Canadian aircraft when the owner has complete responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the aircraft.

Interim Registration

  • 202.36 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where any part of the legal custody and control of a Canadian aircraft is transferred and the new owner meets the requirements referred to in section 202.16, the aircraft is deemed to be registered with an interim registration in the name of the new owner.
  • (2) Where any part of the legal custody and control of an aircraft referred to in subsection (1) is transferred for a second time, the aircraft is not deemed to be registered with an interim registration in the name of the new owner even if the new owner meets the requirements referred to in section 202.16.
  • (3) The interim registration of an aircraft referred to in subsection (1) expires on the earliest of
    • (a) the last day of the three-month period following the date of the transfer of any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft,
    • (b) the day on which there is a further transfer of any part of the custody and control of the aircraft, and
    • (c) the day on which a continuing certificate of registration is issued in respect of the aircraft.
  • (4) Where there is a change in the registered owner’s name, address or other information contained in the continuing certificate of registration, the aircraft is deemed to be registered with an interim registration if the requirements specified in the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards are met.
  • (5) The interim registration of an aircraft referred to in subsection (4) expires on the earliest of
    • (a) the last day of the three-month period following the date of the change or amendment,
    • (b) the day on which there is a transfer of any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft, and
    • (c) the day on which a continuing certificate of registration is issued in respect of the aircraft.
  • (6) An interim certificate of registration may not be transferred.

Provisional Registration of an Aircraft

[

  • SOR/2000-405, s. 11

]

  • 202.37 (1) If an aircraft is not registered in Canada or in a foreign state, no person shall operate it for the purpose of importing it into Canada or for the purpose of transporting it from one location in Canada to another location in Canada unless the person first obtains a provisional certificate of registration in accordance with the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards in respect of the aircraft.
  • (2) The Minister may specify in a provisional certificate of registration conditions governing the operation of the aircraft as necessary for its safe and proper operation, and the destination to which and the date or dates on which the aircraft may be operated.
  • (3) A provisional certificate of registration expires or is cancelled, as the case may be, when the aircraft
    • (a) arrives at the destination set out in the provisional certificate of registration or, if the provisional certificate of registration specifies that a test flight shall be performed, when the test flight is completed;
    • (b) is operated on a date that is not specified in the provisional certificate of registration; or
    • (c) is operated in a manner that is contrary to any condition specified in the provisional certificate of registration.
  • SOR/2000-405, s. 12

Exporting an Aircraft

202.38 Where a Canadian aircraft is sold or leased to a person who is not qualified under section 202.15 to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft and the aircraft is not in Canada at the time of its sale or lease or it is understood by the vendor or lessor, as the case may be, that the aircraft is to be exported, the vendor or lessor shall

  • (a) remove the Canadian marks from the aircraft and, if applicable, the aircraft address from the Mode S transponder and from the other avionics equipment of the aircraft at the time of the sale or lease;
  • (b) notify the Minister in writing, within seven days after the sale or lease, of the date of
    • (i) the sale or lease,
    • (ii) the exportation, if applicable,
    • (iii) the removal of the Canadian marks, and
    • (iv) the removal of the aircraft address from the Mode S transponder and from the other avionics equipment of the aircraft, if applicable;
  • (c) provide the Minister with a copy of all of the agreements that relate to the transfer of any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft resulting from the sale or lease; and
  • (d) return to the Minister the certificate of registration of the aircraft.
  • SOR/2000-405, s. 13

[202.39 to 202.41 reserved]

Division V — Operation of Foreign Aircraft

Period of Time Present in Canada

  • 202.42 (1) Subject to section 203.03, no person shall operate in Canada an aircraft that is registered in a foreign state that has been present in Canada for a total of 90 days or more in the immediately preceding twelve-month period unless
    • (a) the foreign state is a contracting state;
    • (b) the operator of the aircraft is
      • (i) the foreign state,
      • (ii) an individual who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident but is a citizen or subject of the foreign state, or
      • (iii) an entity that is incorporated or otherwise formed under the laws of the foreign state; and
    • (c) if the operator of the aircraft is an entity described in subparagraph (b)(iii), the aircraft is operated in Canada
      • (i) in accordance with an air operator certificate, or
      • (ii) in any operation other than an operation that would require a private operator certificate if the aircraft were registered in Canada.
  • (2) For the purposes of calculating the 90-day period,
    • (a) if the aircraft is present in Canada for any part of a calendar day, that part shall be counted as one day; and
    • (b) an aircraft is deemed to be present in Canada as soon as it enters Canadian airspace.
  • SOR/2003-271, s. 5

Aircraft Registered in a Foreign State

  • 202.43 (1) Where an aircraft is registered in a foreign state that is not a contracting state or is not a state that has an agreement in force with Canada that allows an aircraft that is registered in that state to be operated in Canada, the Minister may, in writing, authorize the operation of the aircraft in Canada, and in the authorization may specify conditions governing the operation of the aircraft as necessary for its safe and proper operation.
  • (2) No person shall operate an aircraft pursuant to an authorization issued under subsection (1) unless the authorization is on board and the aircraft is operated in accordance with any conditions specified in the authorization.

 

Division VI — Aircraft Information

Location of an Aircraft

  • 202.46 (1) The Minister may request that the owner of an aircraft inform the Minister, in writing, of the location of the aircraft and whether or not the aircraft is serviceable.
  • (2) Where the Minister makes a request pursuant to subsection (1), the owner shall comply with the request by not later than seven days after receiving it.
  • (3) Where, pursuant to subsection (1), the owner of an aircraft informs the Minister that the aircraft is not serviceable, the owner shall inform the Minister
    • (a) in the case of an aircraft that will be returned to service, of the place at which and the estimated date on which it will be returned to service; and
    • (b) in the case of an aircraft that is permanently withdrawn from service, of whether or not the aircraft has been or will be disposed of and the manner of disposal.

[202.47 to 202.50 reserved]

Division VII — Registered Owners

Change of Name or Address

202.51 Where the name or address of a registered owner of a Canadian aircraft changes, the registered owner shall, by not later than seven days after the change, notify the Minister in writing of the change.

Loss of Qualification to Be Registered Owner

202.52 Every registered owner of a Canadian aircraft shall, within seven days after any change in circumstances as a result of which the owner is no longer qualified to be the registered owner of the aircraft under section 202.15, notify the Minister in writing of the change.

[202.53 to 202.56 reserved]

Division VIII — Cancellation of Certificate of Registration

Conditions Where Certificate of Registration Is Cancelled

  • 202.57 (1) In addition to the circumstances set out in subsections 202.15(5), 202.35(1), 202.37(3) and 202.58(2) and sections 202.59 and 202.60, the certificate of registration of a Canadian aircraft is cancelled where
    • (a) an individual who is a registered owner of the aircraft dies;
    • (b) an entity that is a registered owner of the aircraft is wound up, dissolved or amalgamated with another entity;
    • (c) the lease termination date specified in the most recent lease received by the Minister and submitted in connection with an application for the registration of an aircraft referred to in section 202.16 is extended and the Minister is not informed of that fact in writing within seven days after that lease termination date;
    • (d) a registered owner ceases to be qualified to be a registered owner of the aircraft under section 202.15; or
    • (e) except in the case of an aircraft undergoing restoration or an ultra-light aeroplane, the aircraft has not been operated in flight during the last five years.
  • (2) Where the document pursuant to which a registered owner of an aircraft has legal custody and control of the aircraft ceases to be in effect, the certificate of registration of the aircraft is cancelled unless the registered owner
    • (a) retains legal custody and control of the aircraft after the document ceases to be in effect; and
    • (b) submits to the Minister, within seven days after the day on which the document ceases to be in effect,
      • (i) notification of the fact that the document is no longer in effect, specifying the day on which it ceased to be in effect, and
      • (ii) a copy of the new document under which the registered owner retains legal custody and control of the aircraft.
  • SOR/2000-405, s. 14

Notification Regarding Destroyed or Missing Aircraft

  • 202.58 (1) Every registered owner of a Canadian aircraft shall, within seven days after becoming aware of the fact that any of the following events has occurred, notify the Minister in writing if the aircraft
    • (a) is destroyed;
    • (b) is permanently withdrawn from use;
    • (c) is missing and the search for the aircraft is terminated; or
    • (d) has been missing for 60 days or more.
  • (2) Where an event referred to in subsection (1) has occurred, the certificate of registration of the aircraft is cancelled.

Ultra-light Aeroplanes

  • 202.59 (1) If a basic ultra-light aeroplane that is registered is no longer a basic ultra-light aeroplane, its certificate of registration is cancelled.
  • (2) If an advanced ultra-light aeroplane that is registered is no longer an advanced ultra-light aeroplane, its certificate of registration is cancelled.
  • SOR/2000-405, s. 15

Misrepresentation or Fraudulent Documentation

202.60 Where there is misrepresentation or fraudulent documentation in the application for registration of a Canadian aircraft, the certificate of registration is cancelled.

Removal of Marks

202.61 Where the certificate of registration of a Canadian aircraft expires or is cancelled, the Minister may request the owner or last registered owner to remove the Canadian marks from the aircraft and, where the Minister so requests, the owner or last registered owner, as applicable, shall remove the Canadian marks within seven days after the day on which the request is received.

Notification That Marks Are Removed

202.62 No person shall fraudulently notify the Minister that the Canadian marks on an aircraft have been removed.

Removal of Name and Address from the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register

202.63 Where a continuing or temporary certificate of registration issued in respect of an aircraft expires or is cancelled, the Minister shall remove from the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register the name and address of the person under whose name the aircraft was registered.

Removal of Aircraft Particulars from the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register

202.64 If the certificate of registration of an aircraft is cancelled, the Minister may remove all the particulars in respect of the aircraft from the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register if any part of the legal custody and control of the aircraft is transferred to a person who is not qualified to be the registered owner of a Canadian aircraft under section 202.15 or if subsection 202.58(1) or section 202.59 applies.

  • SOR/2000-405, s. 16

[202.65 to 202.68 reserved]

Division IX — Canadian Civil Aircraft Register

Publication of Register

  • 202.69 (1) The Minister shall establish, maintain and publish a register of aircraft, to be known as the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register, in which there shall be entered, in respect of each Canadian aircraft for which a continuing or temporary certificate of registration has been issued,
    • (a) the name and address of each registered owner;
    • (b) the registration mark issued pursuant to section 202.02; and
    • (c) such other particulars concerning the aircraft as the Minister considers necessary for registration, inspection and certification purposes.
  • (2) The Minister may publish information that has been entered in the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register in respect of a Canadian aircraft.

[202.70 to 202.72 reserved]

Division X — Notice to Owners

Two or More Persons As Owners

202.73 For the purposes of this Subpart, where two or more persons are the registered owners of a Canadian aircraft, a request, notice or document is duly given to each registered owner of the aircraft if the request, notice or document is given to the person who, pursuant to the Aircraft Marking and Registration Standards, has been identified as the nominee for that purpose, at the last address for that person recorded in the Canadian Civil Aircraft Register.

[202.74 to 202.77 reserved]