An aircraft bill of sale is a formal, legal record of the sale or transfer of any non-commercial, civilian-owned plane between two parties (the seller and the buyer).
For the seller, the document indicates that they have given up title & possession of the aircraft, and are no longer legally responsible for the aircraft. For buyers, it serves as the primary proof of title & ownership. This proof is needed for proper registration and use of the aircraft for personal, business, or professional purposes.
Why Do I Need a Bill of Sale?
Whether you are buying a new plane or selling a used one, you need an aircraft bill of sale to:
- Register the aircraft with the FAA
- Establish value when insuring the aircraft
- File for taxes
- Resell an aircraft in the future
- For loan approvals
If the transaction involves a gift or trade, use the alternate version of the template (Version II).
Version II
Version II
Okay, I bought a plane! What Next?
Once you legally own an aircraft, you have to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration in line with the requirements of the Federal Aviation Act.
As the new owner, you have to submit the necessary documentation to the FAA to complete the ownership transfer. Here’s a step-by-step of the ownership transfer process for your guidance:
- Complete the FAA Forms 8050-1 & 8050-2
- Submit the form to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch
- Pay any applicable registration fees
- Update insurance policies with the new owner’s information
Failing to properly & timely register the aircraft transfer can result in legal complications and ownership disputes down the line.
What’s Inside an Aircraft Bill of Sale?
An aircraft bill of sale typically contains the following details, unique to each sale or transaction:
- Date of the sale.
- US state or region where the aircraft is being sold.
- Buyer’s full legal name, physical address, email ID, and telephone number
- Seller’s full legal name, physical address, email ID, and telephone number
- Aircraft details, such as make, model, year of manufacture, serial and registration numbers, and any unique or distinguishing features.
- Selling price followed by a clear indication of whether taxes are included in the price, and who shall pay them (usually the buyer pays the taxes!)
- Inspection clause to confirm if the buyer has conducted a pre-sale inspection of the aircraft, and if so, when.
- Details of active legal warranties, if any. This requirement is not applicable in the case of as-is sales, where used aircraft are resold to a new owner without any warranty or guarantee from the buyer.
- Dated signatures of the buyer and seller.
- Dated signature of witnesses (if any or when required by law)
You can use the blank space in our template to highlight any special modifications, upgrades, or additional equipment (e.g., autopilot, GPS, interior modifications) that are part of the sale.
Identifying an Aircraft for Legal & Practical Purposes
This section asks for technical information pertaining to the aircraft being sold. Here’s a quick guide to help you fill out this section using our template:
- Type: Describe the general type of aircraft (e.g., Fixed-Wing Single-Engine, Helicopter, Glider, etc.).
- Make: Manufacturer of the aircraft (e.g., Cessna, Piper, Beechcraft).
- Model: Specific model of the aircraft (e.g., 172 Skyhawk, PA-28 Cherokee).
- Year: Year the aircraft was manufactured.
- Color: Main color and any distinguishing stripes or markings (e.g., White with Blue Stripe).
- Registration No.: FAA-assigned N-number (e.g., N4523K). Found on the tail or fuselage.
- Serial No.: The aircraft’s unique serial number assigned by the manufacturer. Found in logbooks or airframe plates.
- Local Registration No. (if applicable): If registered under a state, club, or private registry, enter that number here. Optional field.
No. of Engines: Total number of engines (usually 1 or 2 for most general aviation aircraft). - Horsepower: Combined horsepower rating of all engines (e.g., 180 HP).
- Fuel Type: Mention type of fuel used (e.g., Avgas 100LL, Jet-A, Mogas).
- Current Total Flight Hours: Note the total number of hours the aircraft has flown. Taken from the airframe logbook.
- Last Annual Inspection Date: The date of the most recent FAA-required annual inspection. Must be within the last 12 months for airworthiness.
- Airworthiness Certificate Status: Indicate if the aircraft currently holds a valid FAA airworthiness certificate (Standard, Special, or Expired).
Remember, clearly identifying the aircraft being sold or transferred protects both parties and ensures that there’s no doubt or confusion about the identity, condition, and credentials of the aircraft.
How We Help
With our preformatted bill of sale, you get to do the following!
- Tailor this template to the specific legal, technical, or transactional needs of your sale!
- Choose from multiple formats like PDF, Google Docs, or other cloud-based tools
- Easily customize the font style, size, color, and formatting to match your preferences
- Edit offline using Microsoft Word
Supporting Documents
When it comes to aircraft, you need specialized documentation due to strict aviation regulations, FAA requirements, and safety standards.
Here are the most common documents, certificates, or formal letters attached to an Aircraft Bill of Sale:
- Airplane history
- Airworthiness Certificate
- Current registration certificate
- Release of lien, if applicable
- Registration fee
- Maintenance records
- Pre-purchase inspection report
- Proof of insurance
- Sales agreement
Clearly name, label, and reference each supporting document to facilitate the smooth exchange of information between the seller, buyer, as well as third parties such as insurers or government agencies!
Wrap Up
Whether it’s a private transaction, a dealership sale, or any other type of legal ownership transfer, you always need a valid bill of sale to lay down the terms & conditions of the sale for both parties. Without a permanent written record of the sale transaction, you can not prove that a certain sale took place on a particular date and location on stated terms. In this way, a bill of sale protects both parties from legal troubles, misrepresentations, or costly surprises down the road if the vehicle turns out to be faulty.
Download NOW to create a formal record of any simple, unregulated, personal transfers of civilian-owned aircraft!
