N-Number Reservations

[Matt Ricciardi]

For U.S. customers desiring a "custom" tail number, the FAA now offers fully online availability checks and reservations:

https://aircraft.faa.gov/e.gov/NN/reserve.aspx

The cost is $10.00 per N-number for a one-year reservation.  If you don't assign the N-number to an airplane within the year, you can renew it indefinitely for $10.00 per year.

The website will instantly (but unofficially) confirm whether an N-number is available.  Processing the official reservation took about six months when I filed for my N-number earlier this year, so don't wait until the last minute.  With any luck, you'll receive a letter confirming the reservation by snail mail.

[Michael Hodes]

I submitted mine in early August and just received it a few days ago.  JMB will paint the N-number on the plane if you have it.

[Matt Ricciardi]

15 hours ago, Michael Hodes said:

JMB will paint the N-number on the plane if you have it.

Yep.  They can also use high-quality, semi-permanent stickers.  Allows you to more easily keep a custom N number when/if you sell the plane down the road.