Who needs a U.S. Agent for Service under the new FAA rule?

The rule applies to individuals who hold or are applying for an FAA certificate, rating, or authorization under Parts 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, or 107, whose official address on file is outside the United States, and who have no U.S. physical address on record. A P.O. box does not count; it must be a physical street address.

What is a U.S. Agent for Service?

A U.S. Agent for Service is an individual or entity based in the United States designated to receive official FAA correspondence on your behalf. The agent must be an adult 18 or older, or a business, with a physical U.S. address, not just a P.O. box. When the FAA sends legal documents or safety letters, they go to the agent, who must promptly forward them to you.

What are the FAA compliance deadlines for designating a U.S. agent?

There are staggered deadlines. By April 2, 2025, new applicants with only a foreign address must designate a U.S. agent before the FAA will issue a certificate under Part 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, or 107. By July 7, 2025, existing certificate holders with a foreign address of record must submit their U.S. agent designation.

How do I designate my U.S. agent with the FAA?

Designation is done online through the FAA's U.S. Agent for Service (USAS) system, which is the exclusive method; email or paper submissions are not accepted. You provide identifying details to locate your FAA records, enter your agent's name, physical U.S. address, phone, and email, indicate whether the agent is an individual or business, and electronically certify the designation.

What happens if I don't designate a U.S. agent by the deadline?

If you do not designate a U.S. agent by the deadlines, the FAA will not allow you to exercise your certificate privileges, effectively suspending your license until you fix it. New applicants simply will not be issued a certificate. For existing holders, the FAA may take enforcement action, and an individual's aircraft registration would be rendered ineffective as well.

What must I do if my agent's details change after designation?

Keeping your agent information current is mandatory and ongoing. If you switch to a different agent or your agent's address changes, you must log back into the USAS system and update the new information promptly. An outdated agent address could be as bad as having none at all, so treat it with the same importance as your own address on file.

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Comply with the FAA U.S. Agent for Service Rule

Learn how FAA certificate holders with foreign addresses can comply with the U.S. Agent for Service requirement.

Comply with the FAA U.S. Agent for Service Rule explains FAA Agent for Service requirements for international FAA certificate holders, foreign pilots, mechanics, drone operators, aircraft owners, and aviation businesses with non-U.S. addresses.

Aero Agent provides a U.S.-based FAA Agent for Service address, FAA mail receipt, document scanning, alerts, forwarding, storage, disposal support, and secure portal access for customers outside the United States.

Use these pages to understand the compliance requirement, compare service options, read related FAA mail and address-rule guidance, and compare Aero Agent pricing when you are ready to appoint a U.S. agent.

Aero Agent focuses on FAA U.S. Agent for Service support for people and aviation businesses outside the United States that need a dependable U.S. contact point for FAA communications.

Customers can use Aero Agent for U.S. agent details, FAA mail receipt, document scanning, timely alerts, forwarding options, storage, disposal support, and secure portal access.

Important FAA mail can involve notices, address questions, certificate issues, or other time-sensitive communications, so the agent workflow should make receipt and delivery status clear.

Aero Agent content is written for foreign FAA certificate holders, international pilots, mechanics, drone operators, aircraft owners, and aviation companies comparing compliance options.

The official FAA designation process and the customer account workflow are separate: Aero Agent supplies the service details and mail-handling support, while the customer completes any required FAA designation step.

How Overseas FAA-Certificated Pilots Can Comply with the New U.S. Agent for Service Rule | US Agent for Service

How Overseas FAA-Certificated Pilots Can Comply with the New U.S. Agent for Service Rule

Overview of the New FAA Rule (Effective 2025)

In late 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a

new regulation requiring all FAA certificate holders with foreign addresses

no U.S. physical address on record

– to designate a U.S.-based "agent for service of process". In practical terms, this means if you're a U.S.-certificated pilot living outside the United States, you

must provide a U.S. address for pilots' official FAA correspondence

, following an initiative that originated during the Trump administration. Compliance is

– it's essential for maintaining your FAA certification and privileges.

Who Needs a U.S. Agent for Service?

This requirement applies to a broad range of

FAA-certified individuals outside the U.S.

Not just pilots, but anyone holding or seeking certain FAA certificates

without a U.S. address on file

FAA Certificate Holder or Applicant:

You hold (or are applying for) an FAA certificate, rating, or authorization under Parts

47, 61, 63, 65, 67, or 107

(this includes pilot licenses, drone pilot certificates, mechanic licenses, medical certificates, aircraft registration for individuals, etc.).

Related details

Foreign Address of Record:
Your official address on file with the FAA is
outside the United States
No U.S. Physical Address:
have any U.S. residential or physical address on record (a P.O. box doesn't count – it must be a physical street address).
FAA certificate holders living abroad
– such as expatriate pilots or remote drone pilots – must comply. Prior to this rule, only airlines and certain operators had to designate U.S. agents, but now
Why Did the FAA Introduce This Rule?
The FAA's main goal is to ensure it can
reach certificate holders quickly with legal notices or safety-critical information
, even if they reside overseas. There are an estimated
115,000 FAA-certified individuals abroad
who previously were difficult to serve with official documents. The
Trump administration initially recognized this gap
, and the rulemaking process began in the years following, culminating in the 2024 final rule. By requiring a U.S. agent for service, the FAA can
simplify and speed up communication
What Exactly is a "U.S. Agent for Service"?
In FAA terms, a U.S. Agent for Service is
an individual or entity based in the United States designated to receive official FAA correspondence on your behalf
adult (18 or older) or a business with a physical U.S. address
(not just a P.O. box or mail drop). Their job is straightforward but crucial: when the FAA sends any legal documents, notifications, or safety letters to you, they will go to the
promptly forward those documents to you
(typically via email or whatever method you've arranged).
In essence, the agent acts as your stateside point of contact for any official service of process. This could be a