What is a special flight permit?
A special flight permit is an FAA authorization to fly an aircraft that "may not currently meet applicable airworthiness requirements but is capable of safe flight." It's defined in 14 CFR 21.197. Pilots and mechanics usually call it a ferry permit. It's a special airworthiness certificate for a specific flight, with operating limitations attached.
When do I need one?
Under 21.197(a), the FAA can issue a permit for these purposes:
- Flying the aircraft to a base where repairs, alterations or maintenance will be done, or to a point of storage
- Delivering or exporting the aircraft
- Production flight testing new production aircraft
- Evacuating aircraft from areas of impending danger
- Customer demonstration flights in new production aircraft that have finished production flight tests
For owners, the common cases are an expired annual inspection (an annual is due within the preceding 12 calendar months under 14 CFR 91.409), an overdue airworthiness directive, or damage or a squawk that grounds the airplane but still leaves it safe to fly to the shop.
When don't I need one?
If the airplane is airworthy, with a current annual, ADs complied with, required equipment working (or handled under 14 CFR 91.213), and the airworthiness and registration certificates on board, a ferry flight is a normal Part 91 flight. No permit is needed.
A permit also can't fix an airplane that isn't safe. "Capable of safe flight" is the test. The FAA may require inspections or tests (14 CFR 21.199(b)). The FAA's guidance says that in practice this means an FAA-certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic or a Part 145 repair station inspects the aircraft before the flight.
Who applies, and who issues it?
The registered owner, or the owner's agent, applies (FAA: Airworthiness Certification of Aircraft). We help owners with the paperwork, but the application is in the owner's name.
The FAA says ferry permits (other than for production flight testing and customer demonstrations) are issued by the Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) geographically responsible for the area where the flight starts (FAA special flight permit guidance). You can also ask for a Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) to handle it, or let the FAA assign one. Use the FAA's FSDO locator to find the office for your departure airport.
How do I apply?
The FAA prefers online applications through the Airworthiness Certification (AWC) Applicant Portal. The paper alternative is FAA Form 8130-6, Application for U.S. Airworthiness Certificate, explained in Advisory Circular 21-12. In the portal, the FAA's steps are:
- Log in or register, then under Create Application choose Special Flight Permit.
- Answer the questionnaire and enter the N-number so the aircraft details fill in.
- Enter the aircraft's location and choose the operation, usually "Ferry flight for repairs, alterations, maintenance or storage."
- Enter the destination and crew, then describe how the aircraft doesn't comply and any restrictions for the flight.
- Choose a designee or let one be assigned, attach documents, sign as owner or agent, review and submit.
What information does the FAA need?
Under 14 CFR 21.199(a), the application must state:
- The purpose of the flight
- The proposed itinerary
- The crew required to operate the aircraft
- How, if at all, the aircraft doesn't comply with airworthiness requirements
- Any restrictions you consider necessary for safe operation
- Anything else the FAA asks for to set operating limitations
Have the mechanic's inspection and logbook entry ready, and keep the list of discrepancies specific, for example "annual inspection expired on [date]; no known defects."
How long does it take?
It depends on the office. The FAA's San Jose FSDO, for example, asks applicants to allow 10 to 15 business days to receive a permit by email. Apply as early as you can and build that time into your schedule.
What has to be in the airplane?
The FAA's guidance says the operator must display the current airworthiness certificate and the special flight permit, with its operating limitations, in the aircraft. The pilot must follow every limitation on the permit. Common ones are day VFR only, no passengers, a specific route and a time window. We don't depart until the permit is in hand and its limitations have been briefed.
What does a permit ferry cost?
The trip itself is priced like any other: pilot days plus expenses (see pricing). As an estimate, a single-engine airplane with an expired annual, flown about 100 nautical miles from Van Nuys to a shop, would typically be one billable day ($475) plus about an hour of fuel (≈ 9 gallons at an assumed $7.50 ≈ $70) and the pilot's ground travel back, so roughly $600 to $650 before any mechanic or designee fees. Mechanic inspection and DAR fees are separate and set by those providers, so ask before you book them.
Estimate only, not a quote or a past trip. Fuel price is an assumption based on early-November 2026 averages.
Does a ferry permit flight need Part 135?
No. Ferry flights of an owner's aircraft are excluded from Part 119/135 certification under 14 CFR 119.1(e)(3). The owner keeps operational control and we provide the pilot under Part 91. More on this in how a ferry flight works.
Next steps: see ferry pilot rates, read how a ferry flight works, check the ferry flight FAQ, or request a written quote.