---
kind: "section"
citation: "14 C.F.R. § 91.203"
title: "14"
number: "91.203"
heading: "Civil aircraft: Certifications required."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/14/91.203"
---

# §91.203. Civil aircraft: Certifications required.

- (a) Except as provided in [§ 91.715](/cfr/14/91.715.md), no person may operate a civil aircraft unless it has within it the following:
  - (1) **An appropriate and current airworthiness certificate.** Each U.S. airworthiness certificate used to comply with this subparagraph (except a special flight permit, a copy of the applicable operations specifications issued under [§ 21.197(c)](/cfr/14/21.197.md?p=c) of this chapter, appropriate sections of the air carrier manual required by parts [121](/cfr/14/part121.md) and [135](/cfr/14/part135.md) of this chapter containing that portion of the operations specifications issued under [§ 21.197(c)](/cfr/14/21.197.md?p=c), or an authorization under [§ 91.611](/cfr/14/91.611.md)) must have on it the registration number assigned to the aircraft under part [47](/cfr/14/part47.md) or [48](/cfr/14/part48.md) of this chapter. However, the airworthiness certificate need not have on it an assigned special identification number before 10 days after that number is first affixed to the aircraft. A revised airworthiness certificate having on it an assigned special identification number, that has been affixed to an aircraft, may only be obtained upon application to the responsible Flight Standards office.
  - (2) An effective U.S. registration certificate issued to its owner or, for operation within the United States, the second copy of the Aircraft registration Application as provided for in [§ 47.31(c)](/cfr/14/47.31.md?p=c), a Certificate of Aircraft registration as provided in [part 48](/cfr/14/part48.md), or a registration certification issued under the laws of a foreign country.
- (b) No person may operate a civil aircraft unless the airworthiness certificate required by [paragraph (a)](#a) of this section or a special flight authorization issued under [§ 91.715](/cfr/14/91.715.md) is displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew.
- (c) No person may operate an aircraft with a fuel tank installed within the passenger compartment or a baggage compartment unless the installation was accomplished pursuant to [part 43](/cfr/14/part43.md) of this chapter, and a copy of FAA Form 337 authorizing that installation is on board the aircraft.
- (d) No person may operate a civil airplane (domestic or foreign) into or out of an airport in the United States unless it complies with the fuel venting and exhaust emissions requirements of [part 34](/cfr/14/part34.md) of this chapter.

## Notes

### Amendments

[Docket 18334, 54 FR 34292, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91-218, 55 FR 32861, Aug. 10, 1990; Amdt. 91-318, 75 FR 41983, July 20, 2010; Amdt. 91-338, 80 FR 78648, Dec. 16, 2015; Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 91-350, 83 FR 9171, Mar. 5, 2018; Docket FAA-2022-1355, Amdt. 91-366, 87 FR 75846, Dec. 9, 2022]

### Source

Source: Docket 18334, 54 FR 34304, Aug. 18, 1989, unless otherwise noted.

### Authority

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 40101, 40103, 40105, 40113, 40120, 44101, 44111, 44701, 44704, 44709, 44711, 44712, 44715,44716, 44717, 44722, 44740, 46306, 46315, 46316, 46504, 46506-46507, 47122, 47508,47528-47531, 47534; Pub. L. 112-95, 126 Stat. 11; Pub. L. 114-190, 130 Stat. 615 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note); sec. 828, Pub. L. 118-63, 138 Stat. 1330 (49 U.S.C. 44703 note); articles 12 and 29 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, 61 Stat. 1180.

### Amendments

[Docket 18334, 54 FR 34292, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91-218, 55 FR 32861, Aug. 10, 1990; Amdt. 91-318, 75 FR 41983, July 20, 2010; Amdt. 91-338, 80 FR 78648, Dec. 16, 2015; Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 91-350, 83 FR 9171, Mar. 5, 2018; Docket FAA-2022-1355, Amdt. 91-366, 87 FR 75846, Dec. 9, 2022]