The International Registry and Cape Town Convention, Explained for Operators
The International Registry is an electronic registry, created under the Cape Town Convention and its Aircraft Protocol, that records financial interests in eligible airframes, helicopters and engines and ranks them first-to-file. It works alongside the FAA Aircraft Registry rather than replacing it, so a lender on a qualifying U.S. aircraft usually records with both. For operators, the practical effect is that a clean search and correct registrations on both registries are part of closing any loan or lease on a larger aircraft.
Key takeaways
- The International Registry sets priority among interests in eligible aircraft objects on a first-to-file basis, per the registry's own FAQ.
- It sits beside the FAA Aircraft Registry: the FAA is the Authorising Entry Point for U.S. aircraft and issues the code needed before an interest can be registered.
- Eligibility is size based: airframes type certificated for at least eight persons or more than 2,750 kg of goods, helicopters for at least five persons or 450 kg, and engines of at least 1,750 lb thrust or 550 rated takeoff horsepower.
- Many piston trainers and light singles fall below the airframe threshold, though their larger engines or a larger fleet aircraft may still qualify, so check each asset by serial number.
- Ask your lender or counsel to search the International Registry before closing and to confirm every registration and discharge afterward.
What is the International Registry and the Cape Town Convention?
The Cape Town Convention is a treaty, with an Aircraft Protocol adopted on 16 November 2001, that sets common rules for creating, registering, enforcing and ranking security and other interests in aircraft equipment. The International Registry of Mobile Assets is the electronic registry that makes those rules work. It records international interests in airframes, aircraft engines and helicopters so that their priority can be established, and the registry's own FAQ says priority is determined first-to-file.
The registry describes the Convention's aim as reducing credit risk for lenders, which in turn is meant to lower the cost of credit and widen its availability. That is the stated intent. Whether it changes the price of your particular loan depends on the lender, the country and the structure, so treat it as one input to underwriting rather than a promise of better terms.
The United States implemented the treaty through the Cape Town Treaty Implementation Act of 2004, effective 1 March 2006, according to the FAA. As of 1 December 2025 the registry's FAQ lists the United States among the ratifying states.
How is the International Registry different from the FAA Aircraft Registry?
They do different jobs and both matter. The FAA Aircraft Registry handles U.S. registration and the recording of titles and security documents under 14 CFR Part 49. Under 49 U.S.C. 44108, a recorded instrument is valid against all persons from the date of filing, while an unrecorded one is valid only against the signer and anyone with actual notice. The International Registry adds a second layer: the FAA describes it as an additional place for filing interests, including prospective interests, in certain airframes, helicopters and engines.
| Question | FAA Aircraft Registry | International Registry |
|---|---|---|
| What it records | U.S. registration, titles and security documents | International interests in eligible airframes, helicopters and engines |
| Legal basis | 49 U.S.C. 44107 and 44108, 14 CFR Part 49 | Cape Town Convention and Aircraft Protocol |
| How priority works | Recorded instruments are valid against all persons from filing | First-to-file, per the registry FAQ |
| How you file | Documents sent to the FAA Registry | Online, using an authorisation code the FAA issues for U.S. aircraft |
Our guide on how aircraft title, liens and escrow work at closing covers the FAA side in detail. This guide covers the international layer on top of it.
Which aircraft and engines qualify?
Eligibility depends on size, not on whether you fly internationally. The FAA publishes the thresholds for aircraft and engines eligible for International Registry recording, and the registry's FAQ gives matching definitions.
| Object | Qualifies if |
|---|---|
| Airframe | Type certificated to transport at least 8 persons including crew, or goods in excess of 2,750 kg (6,050 lb) |
| Helicopter | Type certificated to transport at least 5 persons including crew, or goods in excess of 450 kg (990 lb) |
| Jet engine | At least 1,750 lb of thrust or its equivalent |
| Turbine or piston engine | At least 550 rated takeoff horsepower or its equivalent |
The practical reading for operators: most light piston trainers fall below the airframe threshold, while larger aircraft such as regional airliners and cabin-class turboprops and jets may be above it, depending on their type certificated capacity. Do not guess. A turboprop with a 550 horsepower engine can have an eligible engine even where the airframe rules are different, and the FAA notes that the Cape Town implementation lowered the engine size threshold for recording security instruments at the FAA from 750 to 550 rated takeoff horsepower. That matches 14 CFR 49.1, which applies Part 49 to specifically identified engines of 550 or more rated takeoff horsepower.
Whether the Convention applies to a given transaction also depends on where the aircraft is registered and where the debtor is situated. The registry's FAQ says it applies if the aircraft is registered in a Contracting State, or the debtor is situated in one, and adds that this is a simplified summary and there are other requirements, such as that the agreement be in writing. Your counsel decides this, not a checklist.
How does priority work, and why does order matter?
Priority among registered interests is first-to-file. In plain terms, if two lenders register interests against the same engine, the earlier registration generally ranks ahead of the later one, regardless of the order in which the underlying agreements were signed. The registry's FAQ also calls registering interests in existing assets best practice for protecting a financial interest, because it works as a notification to other users of the registry.
This is why lenders search before they fund and register as soon as they can. The FAA says an interested party can register a prospective interest, which lets a party stake its place in line before documents are final. For operators the lesson is simple: the sequence on closing day is not a formality. The search, the registrations and the discharge of any prior interest are separate steps, and each one needs confirmation.
How does a registration actually get filed for a U.S. aircraft?
For eligible U.S. civil aircraft and engines, the FAA is the Authorising Entry Point. The interested party files FAA Entry Point Filing Form AC 8050-135 with the related documents, the FAA reviews it for completeness only, stamps a unique authorisation code and returns it. The party then uses that code to enter the interest on the registry's website. The FAA is explicit that accepting the form does not mean it agrees with what the form says. For a prospective interest, the form can be sent by fax because there are no documents to file yet.
The registry also requires the parties to be set up as users. Searches and viewing help documents need only a free guest account, but registering or consenting to a registration requires becoming an approved user. In a typical financing the lender or its counsel handles this, and the owner consents where required. The FAQ lists fees set under ICAO's Regulations and Procedures, such as a registration fee of 120 U.S. dollars and a priority search fee of 27 U.S. dollars at the time of writing. These are modest next to the value of the aircraft, but confirm the current schedule before relying on them.
What is an IDERA and does my lender want one?
An IDERA is an Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorization. The FAA says the Cape Town implementation gives owners of eligible aircraft the right to grant one to a secured party. It is a document tied to the lender's remedies if things go wrong, so whether one is requested is a matter of the loan documents and the lender's policy. If a term sheet mentions it, ask counsel what it would permit and under what conditions before you sign.
What does this look like in a loan closing?
The following is a hypothetical example to show the sequence. The figures and timing are illustrative only, not market data.
The point is the order: search first, discharge the old interest, register the new one, then confirm that the record reads as expected. You can model the loan side of a deal with our aircraft loan calculator; the registry steps are about protecting the lender's collateral position, not about the payment.
What should operators ask before closing?
- Is the airframe, helicopter or each engine eligible for the International Registry, and have you checked by serial number?
- Who is running the International Registry search, and when? AOPA advises searching the FAA Registry and, where relevant, the International Registry as part of the title search.
- Who will register the lender's interest and any sale, and who confirms the discharge of prior interests?
- Does the lender want an IDERA or other Cape Town documents, and what do they let the lender do?
- How are spare engines and engine swaps handled, since engines are registered individually by serial number?
- Will you receive the priority search certificate and a closing binder showing each entry?
The same questions apply when you lease an aircraft, since lessors register their interests too. For the full sequence from letter of intent to closing, see our guide to business aircraft transaction support, and plan the inspection step with our pre-buy inspection guide.
What is the next step?
If you are buying or financing an eligible aircraft, add the International Registry to your closing checklist now rather than at the last minute, and ask your lender to explain its process in writing. This article is general information, not legal advice. Confirm eligibility, priority and documentation with aviation counsel or an experienced title agent. When you are ready to organize the numbers and documents, you can start a deal file with JetFinex.
Aircraft Loan Calculator
Monthly payment, total interest and balloon, with a balance chart.
Frequently asked questions
Is the International Registry the same as the FAA Aircraft Registry?
No. The FAA Aircraft Registry records U.S. registration and titles and security documents under 14 CFR Part 49. The International Registry is a separate electronic registry that records international interests in eligible aircraft objects and sets their priority. The FAA says the International Registry is an additional place for filing interests.
Does a Cessna 172 or other light trainer fall under the Cape Town Convention?
An airframe qualifies only if it is type certificated to carry at least eight persons including crew or more than 2,750 kilograms of goods. Typical single-engine trainers are below that, but individual engines, and larger aircraft in a fleet, are tested against their own thresholds. Confirm each asset with your counsel or title agent.
What is an IDERA?
It is an Irrevocable De-Registration and Export Request Authorization. The FAA says the Cape Town implementation allows owners of eligible aircraft to grant one to a secured party. Whether your lender asks for one is a matter for the loan documents and aviation counsel.
Do I have to register my own loan on the International Registry?
Typically the lender or its counsel makes the registrations, with the owner's consent where the registry requires it. The registry calls registration of existing interests best practice for protecting a financial interest. Ask your lender who will make and confirm each entry.
What does the International Registry cost?
The registry's FAQ lists fees set under ICAO's Regulations and Procedures, including a registration fee of 120 U.S. dollars and a priority search fee of 27 U.S. dollars. Fees can change, so confirm the current schedule on the registry's site.
Sources
- FAA, The Cape Town Treaty
- FAA, Registering Interests with the International Registry
- International Registry of Mobile Assets, Frequently Asked Questions
- Cornell Law School LII, 14 CFR 49.1 Applicability
- Cornell Law School LII, 49 U.S.C. 44108 Validity of recorded and unrecorded conveyances
- AOPA, Buying an airplane
This guide is educational and is not tax, legal or investment advice. See our editorial standards and disclosures. Spot an error? Tell us.
