Virginia Code 5.1-5: Registration of aircraft
A. Every resident of the Commonwealth owning a civil aircraft, every nonresident owning a civil aircraft based in the Commonwealth for more than 90 days during any calendar year, and every owner of an aerial application aircraft operating within the Commonwealth or of a civil aircraft operated in the Commonwealth as a for-hire intrastate air carrier shall register such aircraft with the Department before such aircraft is operated in the Commonwealth. Any owner of an unmanned aircraft as defined in § 19.2-60.1 shall not be required to register such aircraft.
Terms Used In Virginia Code 5.1-5
- Aircraft: means any contrivance now known, or hereafter invented, used, or designed for navigation of or flight in the air, including a balloon or other contrivance designed for maneuvering in airspace at an altitude greater than 24 inches above ground or water level, except that any contrivance now or hereafter invented of fixed or flexible wing design, operating without the assistance of any motor, engine, or other mechanical propulsive device, which is designed to utilize the feet and legs of the operator or operators as the sole means of initiating and sustaining forward motion during the launch and of providing the point of contact with the ground upon landing and commonly called a "hang glider" shall not be included within this definition. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Airport: means any area of land or water which is used, or intended for public use, for the landing and takeoff of aircraft, and any appurtenant areas that are used, or intended for use, for airport buildings or other airport facilities or rights-of-way, easements and together with all airport buildings and facilities located thereon. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Board: means the Virginia Aviation Board. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Civil aircraft: means any aircraft other than a public aircraft. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Commercial aircraft: means any civil aircraft used in flight activity for compensation or for hire. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Department: means the Department of Aviation. See Virginia Code 5.1-1
- Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
B. The Department shall provide for the issuance, expiration, suspension, and revocation of aircraft registration in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board. For the purposes of the tax imposed pursuant to Chapter 15 of Title 58.1, including any credit granted pursuant to § 58.1-1504 against such tax, such aircraft registration shall be considered the licensure required by such chapter. The Department shall furnish any necessary forms pursuant to the issuance of such registration and may assess a fee for such issuance not in excess of $5 annually. The Department may, in lieu of issuing aircraft registration required by subsection A, issue commercial aircraft registration to air carriers and commercial dealers and issue to noncommercial dealers noncommercial dealer fleet registration, to cover all aircraft owned by such dealers and all aircraft for sale held by dealers on a consignment basis from an aircraft manufacturer. The Department may assess a fee not in excess of $50 annually for any such noncommercial dealer fleet registrations issued and a fee not in excess of $100 annually for any such commercial fleet registrations issued. The fee for a commercial single aircraft registration shall not be in excess of $10 annually.
C. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection A, no aircraft shall be required to be registered if the aircraft is brought into the Commonwealth solely for major maintenance or major repair. An aircraft owner shall provide proof that the aircraft is based at an airport in another state, shown by evidence of a hangar or tie-down lease for a minimum of 12 months prior to the aircraft being brought into the Commonwealth, and proof of the work being performed in the Commonwealth, shown by presentation of invoices that describe such work.
Code 1950, § 5-5; 1966, c. 576; 1970, c. 717; 1974, c. 431; 1979, c. 272; 1980, c. 721; 2017, c. 793; 2020, c. 1255; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, cc. 45, 46, 372.