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UK Civil Aviation Regulations

These are published by the CAA on our UK Regulations pages. EU Regulations and EASA Access Guides published by EASA no longer apply in the UK. Our website and publications are being reviewed to update all references. Any references to EU law and EASA Access guides should be disregarded and where applicable the equivalent UK versions referred to instead.



British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCAR) have changed so that the process for National Certificates of Airworthiness (CofA) is aligned with that of the CofA and Airworthiness Review Certificates (ARC’s) that fall within the scope of UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 and its delegated and implementing act.

Organisations can maintain/ manage aircraft excluded from the scope of UK Regulation (EU) 2018/1139, as amended, including aircraft listed in Annex I (commonly referred to as Non-Part 21 aircraft) and recommend the issue of non-expiring National Certificates of Airworthiness and National Airworthiness Review Certificates for these aircraft types.

Approval Usage
A8-15 (M3) approval for Aeroplanes and Rotorcraft not exceeding 2730kg Revised to provide National ARC privileges and application may be made for the privilege to issue a Certificate of Validity to revalidate a Permit to Fly for aircraft that are not required to be maintained under A8-20 (M5).
A8-23 (M1) Is for organisations approved for the maintenance of Non-Part 21 aircraft
A8-24 (M2) For organisations responsible for maintenance of Non-Part 21 aircraft below 5700kg MTOW and single engine helicopters, not used for commercial air transport or state purposes.
A8-25 (BCAR CAMO) For continuing airworthiness management organisations for Non-Part 21 aircraft.
A8-18 (M4) Airships has been deleted.
A6-2 and A6-7, Continuing Airworthiness Responsibilities of the Operator These are being combined into A6-1, Maintenance and Continuing Airworthiness of Non-Part 21 Aircraft

The recommendation for the initial issue of a National ARC may only be made by an appropriately approved BCAR CAMO (A8-25) or an M3 (A8-15) organisation that holds appropriate privilege for this purpose.

  • State aircraft, large aircraft and those used for commercial air transport are to be managed by an A8-25 BCAR CAMO and maintained by an A8-23 (M1) organisation.
  • Remaining CofA aircraft may have their continuing airworthiness managed by an appropriately approved BCAR CAMO organisation or they can have an annual review performed by:
    • An appropriately approved A8-25 organisation
      or
    • For aircraft of 2730kg and below, not used for commercial air transport or State purposes, an appropriately licensed engineer.
  • For aircraft below 2730kg MTOW, maintenance may be performed by M1/ M2 organisations or independent certifying staff.