14 CFR Part 45
Identification and Registration Markings
Subpart C--Nationality and Registration Marks
Sec. 45.21 General.
(a) Except as provided in Sec. 45.22, no person may operate a U.S.-
registered aircraft unless that aircraft displays nationality and
registration marks in accordance with the requirements of this section
and Secs. 45.23 through 45.33.
(b) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, no person may
place on any aircraft a design, mark, or symbol that modifies or confuses the
nationality and registration marks.
(c) Aircraft nationality and registration marks must--
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, be painted on
the aircraft or affixed by any other means insuring a similar degree of
permanence;
(2) Have no ornamentation;
(3) Contrast in color with the background; and
(4) Be legible.
(d) The aircraft nationality and registration marks may be affixed to an aircraft with readily removable material if--
(1) It is intended for immediate delivery to a foreign purchaser;
(2) It is bearing a temporary registration number; or
(3) It is marked temporarily to meet the requirements of Sec.
45.22(c)(1)
or Sec. 45.29(h) of this part, or both.
[Doc. No. 8093, Amdt. 45-5, 33 FR 450, Jan 12, 1968, as amended by Amdt.
45-17, 52 FR 34102, Sept. 9, 1987]
Sec. 45.22 Exhibition, antique, and other aircraft: Special rules.
(a) When display of aircraft nationality and registration marks in
accordance with Secs. 45.21 and 45.23 through 45.33 would be
inconsistent with exhibition of that aircraft, a U.S.-registered aircraft may be
operated without displaying those marks anywhere on the aircraft if:
(1) It is operated for the purpose of exhibition, including a motion
picture or television production, or an airshow;
(2) Except for practice and test fights necessary for exhibition
purposes, it is operated only at the location of the exhibition, between the
exhibition locations, and between those locations and the base of operations of the aircraft; and
(3) For each flight in the United States:
(i) It is operated with the prior approval of the Flight Standards
District Office, in the case of a flight within the lateral boundaries of the
surface areas of Class B, Class C, Class D, or Class E airspace designated for the takeoff airport, or within 4.4 nautical miles of that airport if it is
within Class G airspace; or
(ii) It is operated under a flight plan filed under either Sec. 91.153
or Sec. 91.169 of this chapter describing the marks it displays, in the
case of any other flight.
(b) A small U.S.-registered aircraft built at least 30 years ago or a
U.S.- registered aircraft for which an experimental certificate has been
issued under Sec. 21.191(d) or 21.191(g) for operation as an exhibition
aircraft or as an amateur-built aircraft and which has the same external
configuration as an aircraft built at least 30 years ago may be operated without displaying
marks in accordance with Secs. 45.21 and 45.23 through 45.33 if:
(1) It displays in accordance with Sec. 45.21(c) marks at least 2 inches
high on each side of the fuselage or vertical tail surface consisting of
the Roman capital letter "N" followed by:
(i) The U.S. registration number of the aircraft; or
(ii) The symbol appropriate to the airworthiness certificate of the
aircraft ("C", standard; "R", restricted; "L", limited; or "X",
experimental)
followed by the U.S. registration number of the aircraft; and
(2) It displays no other mark that begins with the letter "N" anywhere
on the aircraft, unless it is the same mark that is displayed under
paragraph
(b)(1) of this section.
(c) No person may operate an aircraft under paragraph (a) or (b) of this
section--
(1) In an ADIZ or DEWIZ described in Part 99 of this chapter unless it
temporarily bears marks in accordance with Secs. 45.21 and 45.23 through
45.33;
(2) In a foreign country unless that country consents to that operation;
or
(3) In any operation conducted under Part 121, 127, 133, 135, or 137 of
this chapter.
(d) If, due to the configuration of an aircraft, it is impossible for a
person to mark it in accordance with Secs. 45.21 and 45.23 through
45.33, he may apply to the Administrator for a different marking procedure.
[Doc. No. 8093, Amdt. 45-5, 33 FR 450, Jan. 12, 1968, as amended by
Amdt. 45-13, 46 FR 48603, Oct. 1, 1981; Amdt. 45-19, 54 FR 39291, Sept. 25,
1989; Amdt. 45-18, 54 FR 34330, Aug. 18, 1989; Amdt. 45-21, 56 FR 65653, Dec. 17, 1991]
Sec. 45.23 Display of marks; general.
(a) Each operator of an aircraft shall display on that aircraft marks
consisting of the Roman capital letter "N" (denoting United States
registration) followed by the registration number of the aircraft. Each
suffix letter used in the marks displayed must also be a Roman capital
letter.
(b) When marks that include only the Roman capital letter "N" and the
registration number are displayed on limited or restricted category
aircraft or experimental or provisionally certificated aircraft, the operator
shall also display on that aircraft near each entrance to the cabin or
cockpit, in letters not less than 2 inches nor more than 6 inches in height, the
words "limited," "restricted," "experimental," or "provisional airworthiness,"
as the case may be.
[Doc. No. 8093, Amdt. 45-5, 33 FR 450, Jan. 12, 1968, as amended by
Amdt. 45-9, 42 FR 41102, Aug. 15, 1977]
Sec. 45.25 Location of marks on fixed-wing aircraft.
(a) The operator of a fixed-wing aircraft shall display the required
marks on either the vertical tail surfaces or the sides of the fuselage,
except as provided in Sec. 45.29(f).
(b) The marks required by paragraph (a) of this section shall be
displayed as follows:
(1) If displayed on the vertical tail surfaces, horizontally on both
surfaces, horizontally on both surfaces of a single vertical tail or on
the outer surfaces of a multivertical tail. However, on aircraft on which
marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed in accordance with Sec.
45.29(b)(1),
the marks may be displayed vertically on the vertical tail surfaces.
(2) If displayed on the fuselage surfaces, horizontally on both sides of
the fuselage between the trailing edge of the wing and the leading edge
of the horizontal stabilizer. However, if engine pods or other
appurtenances are located in this area and are an integral part of the fuselage side surfaces, the operator may place the marks on those pods or appurtenances.
[Amdt. 45-9, 42 FR 41102, Aug. 15, 1977]
Sec. 45.27 Location of marks; nonfixed-wing aircraft.
(a) Rotorcraft. Each operator of a rotorcraft shall display on that
rotorcraft horizontally on both surfaces of the cabin, fuselage, boom,
or tail the marks required by Sec. 45.23.
(b) Airships. Each operator of an airship shall display on that airship
the marks required by Sec. 45.23, horizontally on--
(1) The upper surface of the right horizontal stabilizer and on the
under surface of the left horizontal stabilizer with the top of the marks
toward the leading edge of each stabilizer; and
(2) Each side of the bottom half of the vertical stabilizer.
(c) Spherical balloons. Each operator of a spherical balloon shall
display the marks required by Sec. 45.23 in two places diametrically opposite
and near the maximum horizontal circumference of that balloon.
(d) Nonspherical balloons. Each operator of a nonspherical balloon shall
display the marks required by Sec. 45.23 on each side of the balloon
near its maximum cross section and immediately above either the rigging band or the points of attachment of the basket or cabin suspension cables.
[Doc. No. 2047, 29 FR 3223, Mar. 11, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 45-15, 48
FR 11392, Mar. 17, 1983]
Sec. 45.29 Size of marks.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (f) of this section, each operator
of an aircraft shall display marks on the aircraft meeting the size
requirements of this section.
(b) Height. Except as provided in paragraph (h) of this part, the
nationality and registration marks must be of equal height and on--
(1) Fixed-wing aircraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that:
(i) An aircraft displaying marks at least 2 inches high before November
1, 1981 and an aircraft manufactured after November 2, 1981, but before
January 1, 1983, may display those marks until the aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed;
(ii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on a glider;
(iii) Marks at least 3 inches high may be displayed on an aircraft for
which an experimental certificate has been issued under Sec. 21.191(d)
or
21.191(g) for operating as an exhibition aircraft or as an amateur-built
aircraft when the maximum cruising speed of the aircraft does not exceed
180 knots CAS; and
(iv) Marks may be displayed on an exhibition, antique, or other aircraft
in accordance with Sec. 45.22.
(2) Airships, spherical balloons, and nonspherical balloons, must be at
least 3 inches high; and
(3) Rotorcraft, must be at least 12 inches high, except that rotorcraft
displaying before April 18, 1983, marks required by Sec. 45.29(b)(3) in
effect on April 17, 1983, and rotorcraft manufactured on or after April
18,
1983, but before December 31, 1983, may display those marks until the
aircraft is repainted or the marks are repainted, restored, or changed.
(c) Width. Characters must be two-thirds as wide as they are high,
except
the number "1", which must be one-sixth as wide as it is high, and the
letters "M" and "W" which may be as wide as they are high.
(d) Thickness. Characters must be formed by solid lines one-sixth as
thick as the character is high.
(e) Spacing. The space between each character may not be less than one-
fourth of the character width.
(f) If either one of the surfaces authorized for displaying required
marks under Sec. 45.25 is large enough for display of marks meeting the size
requirements of this section and the other is not, full-size marks shall
be placed on the larger surface. If neither surface is large enough for
full-size marks, marks as large as practicable shall be displayed on the
larger of the two surfaces. If any surface authorized to be marked by Sec. 45.27 is not large enough for full-size marks, marks as large as practicable shall be placed on the largest of the authorized surfaces.
(g) Uniformity. The marks required by this part for fixed-wing aircraft
must have the same height, width, thickness, and spacing on both sides
of the aircraft.
(h) After March 7, 1988, each operator of an aircraft penetrating an
ADIZ or DEWIZ shall display on that aircraft temporary or permanent
nationality and registration marks at least 12 inches high.
[Doc. No. 2047, 29 FR 3223, Mar. 11, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 45-2, 31
FR 9863, July 21, 1966; Amdt. 45-9, 42 FR 41102, Aug. 15, 1977; Amdt.
45-13, 46 FR 48604, Oct. 1, 1981; Amdt. 45-15, 48 FR 11392, Mar. 17, 1983; Amdt. 45-17, 52 FR 34102, Sept. 9, 1987; 52 FR 36566, Sept. 30, 1987]
Sec. 45.31 Marking of export aircraft.
A person who manufactures an aircraft in the United States for delivery
outside thereof may display on that aircraft any marks required by the
State of registry of the aircraft. However, no person may operate an aircraft
so marked within the United States, except for test and demonstration
flights for a limited period of time, or while in necessary transit to the
purchaser.
Sec. 45.33 Sale of aircraft; removal of marks.
When an aircraft that is registered in the United States is sold, the
holder of the Certificate of Aircraft Registration shall remove, before
its delivery to the purchaser, all United States marks from the aircraft,
unless the purchaser is--
(a) A citizen of the United States;
(b) An individual citizen of a foreign country who is lawfully admitted
for permanent residence in the United States; or
(c) When the aircraft is to be based and primarily used in the United
States, a corporation (other than a corporation which is a citizen of
the United States) lawfully organized and doing business under the laws of
the United States or any State thereof.
[Amdt. 45-11, 44 FR 61938, Oct. 29, 1979]
14 CFR 45 * Amendmant 45-22 * Dec. 28, 1995