The FAA has extended the duration of aircraft registration certificates from three years to seven years, effective January 23, 2023.
Aircraft owners will be required to confirm their registration information and renew their certificates every seven years unless an event or circumstance requires a new registration before that time.
Prior to 2010 the registration period was indefinite, but with the stipulation that owners keep their registrations up-to-date. However, the FAA found that owners failed to do so, creating numerous outdated registrations and raising concerns of law enforcement and other government agencies.
In 2010 the FAA then changed their regulation to mandate that aircraft owners re-register their aircraft every three years.
The change addresses a few other areas surrounding aircraft registration, including removing a requirement that the agency issue a letter extending temporary authorization if a registration has not been issued or denied within 90 days of the application. Moreover, it also removes obsolete regulations addressing re-registration.
But take note: If the FAA determine that the registration information is inaccurate, an owner may be required to submit new registration forms.
Read more about the change from the FAA: FAA Aircraft Registration