However, the seller of an aircraft has some regulatory requirements that may be easy to miss regarding the registration of the aircraft itself and sometimes of the Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT).
Per FAR 47.41, an aircraft’s registration becomes ineffective upon the transfer of ownership of the aircraft. It is then the seller’s responsibility to remove the registration certificate from the aircraft, complete the reverse side, and mail it back to the FAA within the prescribed time period (typically 21 days). The buyer is responsible for applying for a new registration.
If the aircraft being sold is equipped with a 406 MHz ELT, then the seller is also responsible for notifying National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking (SARSAT). Similar to how an aircraft owner is responsible for notifying the FAA when there is a sale as discussed above, or when there is an address change per FAR 47.45, FCC regulations require that “Aircraft owners shall advise NOAA in writing upon change of aircraft or ELT ownership, or any other change in registration information” (see 47 CFR § 87.199(f)).
For more information, see FAA Advisory Circular 91-44A which addresses ELTs including information on registration at section 7.8.
