The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Office of Air Carrier Safety Assurance (ACSA) is responsible for the certification and oversight of aviation entities operating under, or integrally related to, 14 CFR Part 125.

Initiating the Certification Process

Applicants seeking certification under 14 CFR Part 125 should begin by reviewing the following guidance related to preapplication requirements and procedures:

• Dynamic Regulatory System (DRS)
  FAA Order 8900.1, Volume 10, Chapter 12, Section 1, Paragraph 10-12-1-9
• Part 125 - Certification and Operations
• Advisory Circular AC 125-1A

To initiate the process, applicants must submit their preapplication information to the ACSA Standardization Branch (AFC-640) at 9-AVS-AFC-600-AFC640@faa.gov.

The Standardization Branch will provide general information and respond to questions related to the applicant’s proposed operations.

Certification Process Improvements

Effective January 24, 2024, Flight Standards (FS) implemented a revised certification process designed to improve applicant preparedness for initial certification activities. This process applies to applicants seeking:

• An air carrier, air operator, or air agency certificate; or
• Issuance of Management Specifications (MSpecs) under 14 CFR:
  • Part 91, Subpart K
  • Part 125
  • Parts 133, 135, 137, 141, 142
  • Part 145 (Domestic)
  • Part 147

These enhancements reflect FS’s ongoing commitment to long-term, sustainable process improvements that reduce certification wait times and improve overall application processing efficiency.