14 CFR §21.190
Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
- (a)Purpose. The FAA issues a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category to operate a light-sport aircraft, other than a gyroplane.
- (b)Eligibility. To be eligible for a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category:
- (1)An applicant must provide the FAA with—
- (2)The aircraft must not have been previously issued a standard, primary, restricted, limited, or provisional airworthiness certificate, or an equivalent airworthiness certificate issued by a foreign civil aviation authority.
- (3)The aircraft must be inspected by the FAA and found to be in a condition for safe operation.
- (c)Manufacturer's statement of compliance for light-sport category aircraft. The manufacturer's statement of compliance required in paragraph (b)(1)(iii) of this section must—
- (1)Identify the aircraft by make and model, serial number, class, date of manufacture, and consensus standard used;
- (2)State that the aircraft meets the provisions of the identified consensus standard;
- (3)State that the aircraft conforms to the manufacturer's design data, using the manufacturer's quality assurance system that meets the identified consensus standard;
- (4)State that the manufacturer will make available to any interested person the following documents that meet the identified consensus standard:
- (5)State that the manufacturer will monitor and correct safety-of-flight issues through the issuance of safety directives and a continued airworthiness system that meets the identified consensus standard;
- (6)State that at the request of the FAA, the manufacturer will provide unrestricted access to its facilities; and
- (7)State that the manufacturer, in accordance with a production acceptance test procedure that meets an applicable consensus standard has—
- (d)Light-sport aircraft manufactured outside the United States. For aircraft manufactured outside of the United States to be eligible for a special airworthiness certificate in the light-sport category, an applicant must meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section and provide to the FAA evidence that—
- (1)The aircraft was manufactured in a country with which the United States has a Bilateral Airworthiness Agreement concerning airplanes or Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement with associated Implementation Procedures for Airworthiness concerning airplanes, or an equivalent airworthiness agreement; and
- (2)The aircraft is eligible for an airworthiness certificate, flight authorization, or other similar certification in its country of manufacture.