FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale Apostille (AC Form 8050-2)

Federal authentication of your FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale through the U.S. Department of State — for international aircraft sales, foreign registration, deregistration, and export.

Hand-delivered submission in Washington, D.C. Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists. Embassy legalization handled in-house for non-Hague countries.

Flat Rate $120 per document

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What Is an FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale?

An FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale — issued on AC Form 8050-2 — is the official federal instrument used to transfer legal ownership of any aircraft on the United States civil aircraft registry (any aircraft bearing an "N-number"). The form is filed with the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Registration Branch (AFS-750) at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, where it is recorded as part of the aircraft's permanent federal title chain.

A properly executed and recorded Bill of Sale documents the conveyance of "all rights, title, and interests" in a specific aircraft from the seller to the purchaser. Once filed and accepted by the FAA, it becomes a federal record of the transaction — distinct from any state title document, contract of sale, or foreign aircraft registry filing.

A standard AC Form 8050-2 contains:

• Document title: "United States of America — U.S. Department of Transportation — Federal Aviation Administration — Aircraft Bill of Sale"
• Form number and revision: AC Form 8050-2 (current revision 12/24)
• Consideration stated by the parties (e.g., "$1.00 & OVC")
• U.S. registration number (N-number) of the aircraft
• Aircraft manufacturer, model, and serial number
• Date of execution
• Purchaser name and address (including foreign address where applicable)
• Seller name(s), signature(s), and title(s) — ink or qualifying digital signature
• Dealer Certificate number, where applicable
• FAA recordation block — populated by the FAA upon acceptance

The Bill of Sale is generally executed simultaneously with — or shortly before — the buyer's Application for Aircraft Registration (AC Form 8050-1), and the two are typically submitted to the FAA together.

What It Is Used For Internationally

Because the Bill of Sale establishes the chain of title for the aircraft under federal law, foreign governments and aviation authorities treat it as the controlling document for cross-border aircraft transactions. A federally authenticated AC Form 8050-2 is commonly required for:

• Re-registration of the aircraft in a foreign country — most foreign civil aviation authorities require an apostilled Bill of Sale to issue a new registration certificate (e.g., Mexican XB-/XA- registry, Brazilian PP-/PT- registry, Canadian C- registry, EASA member-state registries).
• Deregistration from the U.S. N-number registry — when an aircraft is exported and the new state of registry requires proof of the FAA-recorded transfer.
• Export customs clearance — customs authorities in the destination country routinely require an apostilled Bill of Sale to release the aircraft from bond.
• Foreign airworthiness and import certification — civil aviation authorities issuing a new Certificate of Airworthiness or import permit may require the authenticated transfer of ownership document.
• Cross-border aircraft financing and leasing — international lenders, lessors, and security trustees use the apostilled Bill of Sale to perfect their interest in the aircraft under the laws of the new country.
• Cape Town Convention filings — for aircraft objects registered with the International Registry, an authenticated Bill of Sale supports priority filings.
• Foreign tax, VAT, and import-duty proceedings — tax authorities frequently require federally authenticated transfer documentation to assess or exempt import duties.
• Foreign court proceedings — disputes involving aircraft title, repossession, or estate matters in foreign jurisdictions.
• Aircraft auction and bankruptcy sales — international buyers require the apostilled Bill of Sale to perfect ownership under their domestic law.

Foreign authorities require federal authentication because they cannot independently verify the legitimacy of the FAA's certification or the U.S. recordation seal.

Bill of Sale vs. Title vs. Foreign Registration Documents — Don't Confuse Them

Aircraft transactions often involve several documents that look similar but serve different legal purposes and are authenticated through different channels.

For international aircraft transfers, you may need multiple documents authenticated through different channels. The federal apostille covers the FAA Bill of Sale and related FAA registry documents; state apostilles cover notarized contracts of sale, escrow agreements, and corporate authority documents.

Originals Are Filed with the FAA — You Need a Certified Copy

This is the single most common point of confusion for first-time international aircraft sellers. The transaction works like this:

• You execute the original AC Form 8050-2.
• You submit the original to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch with the new owner's registration application.
• The FAA records the Bill of Sale, retains the original in the aircraft file at Oklahoma City, and issues the new Certificate of Aircraft Registration.
• To obtain an apostille for international use, you (or the new owner) request a FAA-Certified True Copy of the recorded Bill of Sale from the Aircraft Registry.
• The certified copy — bearing the FAA Aircraft Registry's certification statement, registrar's signature, and official seal — is what the U.S. Department of State authenticates.

Equally important:

• An uncertified photocopy of your unrecorded Bill of Sale is not eligible for federal authentication. Even if notarized, a photocopy carries no federal certification and will be rejected.
• State-level apostilles are invalid on FAA documents. The FAA is a federal agency, and only the U.S. Department of State can authenticate its certifications.
• Lamination, alteration, or annotation of the certified copy will cause rejection.

How to Obtain a FAA-Certified True Copy

The FAA Aircraft Registration Branch (AFS-750) is the only authority that can issue a certified true copy of a recorded Bill of Sale that is acceptable for federal authentication.

Where to Request

Requests are submitted to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Requests may be submitted by mail, by fax, or in person at the public counter. We can also handle the request on your behalf as part of an end-to-end order.

What to Submit

• Aircraft identification — U.S. registration number (N-number), aircraft manufacturer, model, and serial number.
• Document identification — date of the Bill of Sale and the names of the parties, when known.
• Requestor information — name, address, and contact details of the person making the request.
• Applicable FAA fee — per-document copy fee (verify current rates on faa.gov).
• Return shipping — pre-paid label or shipping instructions, for fastest return.

Processing Time

Routine requests currently take 5 to 10 business days. Expedited counter service is available in person at the Oklahoma City public counter and through expediter services. For time-sensitive transactions, we can coordinate expedited retrieval as part of the apostille order.

Acceptable Certified Copies Must:

• Be issued directly by the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch (AFS-750)
• Bear the FAA Aircraft Registry's certification statement
• Display the authorized registrar's signature
• Show the official FAA Aircraft Registry seal
• Be printed on official FAA paper or stock

Why Federal Authentication Is Required

Apostille and authentication authority in the United States is divided between state Secretaries of State and the U.S. Department of State based on the issuing authority of the document — not on the subject matter.

Because the Bill of Sale is recorded and certified by the Federal Aviation Administration — a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation — it cannot be apostilled at the state level. State authorities have no jurisdiction to authenticate federal documents, and any state apostille placed on a FAA-certified copy is invalid and will be rejected by the receiving foreign government and foreign aviation authority.

Federal authentication serves to:

• Verify that the document was issued by the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch
• Confirm the authenticity of the registrar's signature and the FAA Aircraft Registry seal
• Enable formal recognition by foreign governments under international law and the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention

Document Preparation Requirements

To be eligible for federal authentication, the FAA-Certified True Copy must meet all federal submission standards. Even minor deviations can cause rejection.

Acceptable Formats

• FAA-Certified True Copy of AC Form 8050-2 obtained directly from the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch (AFS-750).
• Must bear the official FAA Aircraft Registry certification statement and the registry seal.
• Must include the authorized signature of the FAA registrar or duly delegated officer.
• Older revisions of AC Form 8050-2 are accepted, provided the FAA certification on the copy is current.

Strict Preparation Rules

• Submit the certified copy exactly as issued by the FAA — no edits, modifications, or additions.
• Do not notarize the certified copy. Notarization does not add validity and may complicate processing.
• Do not laminate the document. Lamination obstructs the federal seal and prevents proper apostille attachment.
• Do not staple through the certification, hole-punch the seal, or fold across signatures.
• Do not write on, highlight, or annotate any portion of the certified copy.
• Photocopies, scans, or reprints of the certified copy are not acceptable.
• If the destination country requires the apostille on the reverse side or in a specific orientation, advise our team at intake so we can request the proper FAA copy format.

Step-by-Step Apostille Process

How to Visually Confirm the Document Is Ready

Before submitting your FAA-Certified True Copy for federal authentication, verify that all of the following are present and intact. (Refer to the sample image at the top of this page for what a properly executed AC Form 8050-2 looks like.)

Common Reasons FAA Bill of Sale Submissions Are Rejected

The Department of State and foreign aviation authorities routinely reject FAA Bill of Sale submissions for a small set of recurring issues. All are preventable.

1. Uncertified Photocopy Submitted

The single most common rejection. A photocopy of your file copy of the Bill of Sale — even one that looks perfect — has no federal certification. Fix: request a FAA-Certified True Copy from the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch and submit only the certified version.

2. Notarized Photocopy Submitted

A notary public has no authority to certify federal records. A notarized photocopy of an FAA Bill of Sale is invalid for federal authentication. Fix: obtain certification directly from the FAA Aircraft Registry.

3. Bill of Sale Not Yet Recorded with the FAA

If the Bill of Sale has not been filed with and accepted by the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch, there is no recorded original from which to issue a certified copy. Fix: file the Bill of Sale with the FAA first; once recorded, request the certified copy.

4. State-Level Apostille Attempted

State Secretaries of State have no authority over federal documents. Submissions routed to a state office are returned unprocessed. Fix: ensure submission goes to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications in Washington, D.C.

5. Laminated or Altered Certified Copy

Lamination obstructs the FAA seal and prevents the apostille from being properly affixed. Fix: never laminate any federal document. Request a replacement certified copy from the FAA.

6. Missing or Illegible Certification

Faded seals, unclear registrar signatures, or damaged certification language cause rejection. Fix: ensure the certified copy is clean, intact, and fully legible. Request a fresh copy if quality is compromised.

7. Wrong Country Routing (Hague vs. Non-Hague)

A Hague apostille issued for a non-Hague destination — or a non-Hague authentication for a Hague country — will be rejected by the foreign aviation authority. Fix: confirm the destination country's Hague Convention status before ordering.

8. Apostille Affixed Without Embassy Legalization (for Non-Hague Countries)

Some non-Hague countries require both U.S. Department of State authentication and their embassy's legalization stamp before recognizing the document. Fix: for non-Hague destinations, complete the embassy legalization step in Washington, D.C. before shipping the document abroad.

Hague Convention vs. Non-Hague Countries

The final form of authentication depends on whether the destination country is a member of the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention:

Hague Convention membership changes periodically — and aviation-active countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have specific embassy legalization workflows for FAA documents. Federal Apostille and Notary Processing verifies the destination country's current status and embassy requirements as part of every order. View our Country Guide for the latest list.

Processing Times & Validity

Total turnaround depends on three stages: the FAA Aircraft Registry issuing the certified true copy, the U.S. Department of State Office of Authentications processing the apostille, and (when required) embassy legalization.

• FAA-Certified True Copy request (routine): currently 5 to 10 business days.
• FAA Aircraft Registry expedited / counter pickup: available; can reduce turnaround to 1–3 business days for time-sensitive transactions.
• U.S. Department of State authentication: currently 10–12 business days for routine processing (subject to government workload — expedited service available through our office).
• Embassy legalization: varies widely by country and embassy — typically 3 business days to 4 weeks.
• Validity for foreign use: FAA Bills of Sale do not expire. However, some foreign civil aviation authorities require recently issued certified copies (typically within the last 3–6 months) and recently issued apostilles, particularly for re-registration. Confirm the destination country's specific requirement before ordering.

For time-critical international closings, we coordinate FAA certified-copy retrieval, federal authentication, and embassy legalization in parallel wherever possible. Use our Processing Time Estimator for a country-specific projection.

Why Choose Federal Apostille and Notary Processing

We are a Washington, D.C.-based document processing service specializing exclusively in federal authentications. FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale apostilles are one of our most-requested services among aircraft brokers, dealers, exporters, leasing companies, and aviation attorneys handling international aircraft transactions — particularly Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Caribbean closings.

• End-to-end FAA coordination — we can request the FAA-Certified True Copy from Oklahoma City on your behalf and have it federally authenticated in a single workflow.
• Hand-delivery to the U.S. Department of State, Office of Authentications — no mail delays.
• $120 flat-rate pricing with all government authentication fees included — no hidden costs.
• Pre-submission review by federal-document specialists who catch the most common rejection issues (uncertified copies, missing recordation, lamination, state-level routing) before they cost you time and money.
• Embassy legalization for non-Hague countries handled in-house in Washington, D.C. — important for UAE, Saudi, and other Gulf destinations.
• Certified translations in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, German, Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese, and other languages — calibrated to civil aviation authority requirements.
• Worldwide tracked shipping via FedEx, UPS, and DHL.
• Real-time order tracking from FAA retrieval through delivery abroad.
• Over 10 years of experience processing federal authentications, including FAA documents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Summary

The FAA Aircraft Bill of Sale (AC Form 8050-2) is a federal title document recorded by the Federal Aviation Administration's Aircraft Registration Branch in Oklahoma City. Because it is a federal record, only the U.S. Department of State — never a state Secretary of State — can authenticate it for international use. Original Bills of Sale are filed with and retained by the FAA; a FAA-Certified True Copy is required for apostille processing.

Federal Apostille and Notary Processing handles every step — from FAA-Certified True Copy retrieval through Department of State authentication, embassy legalization, and certified translation — so that your aircraft Bill of Sale is delivered abroad in legally recognized form for foreign re-registration, deregistration, export customs clearance, cross-border financing, and international aviation closings.