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Aircraft Registration FAQ

Frequently asked questions about FAA aircraft registration, N-numbers, tail numbers, and the U.S. Civil Aircraft Registry.

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N-Number Basics Looking Up Aircraft Registration & Eligibility History of N-Numbers

1 N-Number Basics

What is an N-number?

An N-number is the unique alphanumeric registration identifier assigned to civil aircraft registered in the United States. The "N" prefix designates U.S. nationality, followed by up to 5 characters (numbers and letters). Every aircraft operating in U.S. airspace must display its N-number, which serves as the aircraft's "license plate" and links it to FAA registration records.

Examples: N12345, N172SP, N1

What formats are valid for N-numbers?

N-numbers consist of the letter "N" followed by up to 5 characters. Valid formats include:

  • • 1 to 5 numbers: N1, N123, N12345
  • • 1 to 4 numbers followed by 1 letter: N123A, N1234Z
  • • 1 to 3 numbers followed by 2 letters: N12AB, N123SP

Note: The letters I and O are not used to avoid confusion with 1 and 0.

What does FAA deregistration mean?

FAA deregistration means the Federal Aviation Administration has cancelled an aircraft's registration, removing it from the U.S. Civil Aircraft Register. This indicates the aircraft is no longer officially recognized as registered under that specific N-number.

Common reasons for deregistration:

  • • Export: The aircraft is being sold or moved to a foreign country
  • • Destruction/Scrapped: The aircraft was damaged beyond repair, totaled in an accident, or dismantled
  • • Sale/Ownership Change: The previous owner requested cancellation
  • • Failure to Re-register: Non-compliance with registration renewal rules

2 Looking Up Aircraft

How do I look up aircraft ownership?

You can look up aircraft ownership on MyPlane.com by entering the N-number (tail number) in the search bar at the top of any page. Each aircraft detail page shows:

  • • Registered owner name and address
  • • Aircraft make, model, and year manufactured
  • • Serial number and Mode S code
  • • Registration history and ownership changes
  • • Airworthiness classification and dates

All data comes from the FAA's public Releasable Aircraft Database, updated daily.

Where does the data on MyPlane.com come from?

All aircraft information is sourced from the FAA Releasable Aircraft Database, which is the official registry of civil aircraft in the United States. The FAA provides this data as part of its public records. All statistics on MyPlane.com are recalculated each weekday based on current data from the FAA.

I found incorrect data on MyPlane.com. How can I get it fixed?

All data corrections must go through the FAA directly, as MyPlane.com displays official FAA records without modification. You can report issues using the FAA's online form:

FAA Data Correction Form

Once the FAA updates their records, the corrections will appear on MyPlane.com within 24-48 hours.

How many registered aircraft are there in the United States?

Check the MyPlane.com homepage for current registration counts, updated every weekday with data from the FAA. As of 2026, there are more than 316,000 registered aircraft from over 34,000 different manufacturers in the FAA registry.

Note: Homebuilt/experimental aircraft are often listed under the builder's name rather than the kit manufacturer (e.g., a Van's RV-6A kit might be listed under "SMITH JOHN" rather than "VANS AIRCRAFT").

What manufacturer has the most registered aircraft?

The top manufacturers by active aircraft count are:

  1. 1. Cessna — 72,000+ registered aircraft
  2. 2. Piper — 38,000+ registered aircraft
  3. 3. Beechcraft — 19,000+ registered aircraft

3 Registration & Eligibility

What aircraft are eligible for U.S. registration?

As defined in 14 CFR Part 47, an aircraft is eligible for U.S. registration if it is not registered in another country and is owned by:

  • • An individual who is a United States citizen
  • • A partnership where each partner is a U.S. citizen
  • • A corporation organized under U.S. law, where the president and at least two-thirds of the board are U.S. citizens, and at least 75% of voting interest is U.S.-owned
  • • An individual citizen of a foreign country lawfully admitted for permanent U.S. residence
  • • A U.S. governmental unit or subdivision
  • • A non-U.S. citizen corporation doing business in the U.S., as long as the aircraft is based and primarily used in the U.S. (60% of flight hours must be U.S. domestic)

How do I reserve an N-Number?

You can reserve a special N-number through the FAA's online system for a fee of $10. Reservations are valid for one year and can be renewed.

Reserved N-numbers can be:

  • • Used to change the N-number currently on your aircraft
  • • Assigned to a new homebuilt, imported, or newly manufactured aircraft
  • • Held in reserve for future use
FAA N-Number Reservation System

How do I report a stolen aircraft?

Report stolen aircraft to your local law enforcement agency immediately. Ask them to report the theft to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which will initiate notifications to appropriate government offices.

If sufficient time has passed that return of the aircraft is no longer expected, the owner should write to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch requesting registration cancellation. The request should include a full description of the aircraft, indicate the reason for cancellation, and be signed in ink by the owner.

4 History of N-Numbers

Where do N-numbers come from?

The U.S. received "N" as its nationality designator under the International Air Navigation Convention held in 1919. The Convention prescribed an aircraft-marking scheme of a single letter indicating nationality followed by a hyphen and four identity letters (for example, G-REMS). The five letters together were to serve as the aircraft's radio call sign.

In the original 1919 allotment, only the U.S. and four other nations were assigned a unique first letter. The U.S. had complete rights to the radio letters N and W, and to combinations of K from KDA to KZZ. The U.S. Navy had used the letter N as a radio call sign since November 1909, and the government had reserved N for official use while assigning K and W to commercial radio stations. N was therefore less confusing as a single national marking for aircraft.

The choice was not universally popular—the Journal Aviation wanted the U.S. to adopt W in honor of the Wright brothers. Use of N in the early days was largely restricted to aircraft making international flights, since compliance was voluntary (the U.S. did not ratify the 1919 Convention).

How have N-number requirements evolved?

The initial Air Commerce Regulations (December 1926) specified letter markings of C (commercial), S (state), and P (private) before the registration numbers. The earliest legal requirement for N-numbers came in March 1927, mandating that U.S. aircraft in foreign air commerce display the N prefix.

Originally, a second letter indicated airworthiness category: C for standard, R for restricted, X for experimental, and later L for limited (e.g., NC1234). This changed on December 31, 1948, when new aircraft were required to display only the letter "N" followed by the registration number.

Until December 31, 1960, fixed-wing aircraft were required to display identification marks on wing surfaces and the tail or fuselage. Effective January 1, 1960, wing markings were no longer required—only vertical surfaces.

Current standards for displaying nationality and registration marks are defined in 14 CFR Part 45, Subpart C.

Still have questions?

Search for any aircraft by N-number to see detailed registration information.

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