---
kind: "section"
citation: "14 C.F.R. § 121.649"
title: "14"
number: "121.649"
heading: "Takeoff and landing weather minimums: VFR: Domestic operations."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/14/121.649"
---

# §121.649. Takeoff and landing weather minimums: VFR: Domestic operations.

- (a) Except as provided in [paragraph (b)](#b) of this section, regardless of any clearance from ATC, no pilot may takeoff or land an airplane under VFR when the reported ceiling or visibility is less than the following:
  - (1) **For day operations—** 1,000-foot ceiling and one-mile visibility.
  - (2) **For night operations—** 1,000-foot ceiling and two-mile visibility.
- (b) Where a local surface restriction to visibility exists (e.g., smoke, dust, blowing snow or sand) the visibility for day and night operations may be reduced to 1/2 mile, if all turns after takeoff and prior to landing, and all flight beyond one mile from the airport boundary can be accomplished above or outside the area of local surface visibility restriction.
- (c) The weather minimums in this section do not apply to the VFR operation of fixed-wing aircraft at any of the locations where the special weather minimums of [§ 91.157](/cfr/14/91.157.md) of this chapter are not applicable (See [part 91](/cfr/14/part91.md), appendix D, [section 3](/cfr/14/3.md) of this chapter). The basic VFR weather minimums of [§ 91.155](/cfr/14/91.155.md) of this chapter apply at those locations.

## Notes

### Amendments

[Docket 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 121-39, 33 FR 4097, Mar. 2, 1968; Amdt. 121-206, 54 FR 34331, Aug. 18, 1989; Amdt. 121-226, 56 FR 65663, Dec. 17, 1991]

### Source

Source: Docket 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40103, 40113, 40119, 41706, 42301 preceding note added by Pub. L. 112-95, sec. 412, 126 Stat. 89, 44101, 44701-44702, 44705, 44709-44711, 44713, 44716-44717, 44722, 44729, 44732; 46105; Pub. L. 111-216, 124 Stat. 2348 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note); Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 62 (49 U.S.C. 44732 note); Pub. L. 115-254, 132 Stat. 3186 (49 U.S.C. 44701 note).

### Amendments

[Docket 6258, 29 FR 19222, Dec. 31, 1964, as amended by Amdt. 121-39, 33 FR 4097, Mar. 2, 1968; Amdt. 121-206, 54 FR 34331, Aug. 18, 1989; Amdt. 121-226, 56 FR 65663, Dec. 17, 1991]