Proposed annual registration for VH aircraft - (PP 2616CS)

Overview

In its 2026-27 Budget, the Australian Government announced it would introduce an annual VH aircraft registration scheme from July 2027.

Consultation with aircraft owners, operators and industry stakeholders will support the effective implementation of the scheme.

The Australian Civil Aircraft Register is the official record of civilian aircraft operating in Australia. Accurate register data helps CASA support aviation safety, meet international obligations and provide safety information to the right people.

The introduction of an annual VH aircraft registration scheme will improve data accuracy and safety outcomes.

The annual registration process will provide a simple but effective checkpoint to confirm ownership, operational status and aircraft details. This information is not consistently collected through the current registration system.

Under the annual registration scheme:

• aircraft registration would be renewed each year through a digital registration system
• an aircraft registration levy would apply from 1 July 2028
• registered operators would be responsible for confirming contact and registration details each year
• registered operators would need to provide, or update, certain aircraft information, including operational status.

The levy would help CASA administer the scheme and maintain the digital registration system. Cost-recovery arrangements will be finalised following consultation.

We want your feedback on various aspects of the annual registration scheme. Your feedback will help ensure it delivers clear safety, benefits for the aviation industry.

This represents a change to how aircraft are registered in Australia.

The current system uses one-off registration that remains valid indefinitely, supported by periodic updates. In practice, this approach has proven inefficient and unreliable.

The current system:

• has low response rates to periodic updates
• limits our ability to maintain accurate, up-to-date information
• makes it difficult to know whether aircraft are active or in service
• can leave inactive, destroyed or non-airworthy aircraft on the Register.

This makes it harder to understand the real aircraft fleet and target safety activity.

Under the proposed approach, operators would renew aircraft registration online each year. The renewal is intended to fall due on the anniversary of the aircraft’s initial registration in Australia.

Most renewals would occur through myCASA.

This would improve the accuracy and integrity of the aircraft register.

The requirement for aircraft to be registered before operation would not change. Annual registration would not change other obligations, such as airworthiness requirements or certification.

The scheme would not apply to sport and recreation aircraft that do not require VH registration.

This consultation seeks industry feedback on key policy settings that will inform:

• the design of the annual registration policy and framework
• the development of enabling legislation
• supporting IT systems
• implementation planning.

Benefits of modernising aircraft registration

The key objective of introducing a contemporary online aircraft registration scheme is to support improved aviation safety across the sector.

The implementation of an annual renewal is intended to establish a regular, enforceable mechanism for aircraft and registration holder data validation. By requiring registration holders to confirm or update aircraft and ownership details at least once each year, we will be better positioned to ensure that the Register accurately reflects only active aircraft and current accountable registration holders.

Under the current system, incomplete or outdated data limits our ability to:

• communicate with operators
• oversee the fleet
• determine whether aircraft are active or in service
• understand fleet activity and emerging risks.

This is important for Australia’s ageing aircraft fleet. More than half of aircraft on the Register are over 37 years old, and 18% are over 56 years old. Better data would help CASA provide more targeted safety information and support better safety outcomes

An annual registration scheme would use an online system, with most renewals completed online through myCASA.

Operators would need to provide and confirm certain information each year.  

CASA intends to maintain a manual pathway for people with genuine technology barriers.

Annual online renewal would also give registered operators a simpler way to review and update aircraft information. This would reduce reliance on manual processes and make it easier to meet registration obligations.

More accurate data would help us to:

• provide timely safety information to the correct operators
• better understand fleet activity and risks
• plan surveillance and regulatory activities more effectively
• make better use of safety and operational data.

Overall, this would deliver a more modern, efficient and safety-focused registration system.

What we are consulting on

Consistent with Australian Government direction, we invite feedback on the following key aspects of the proposed scheme.

1. Registration levy model

There are 3 options proposed for structuring the annual registration levy:

• a flat-rate levy applied to all VH-registered aircraft
• a weight-based levy calculated using aircraft maximum take-off weight (MTOW)
• a levy based on aircraft weight and category.

The levy amount would cover the cost of administering the scheme. Some registration-related services and fees may remain. CASA will consult on any fee changes separately.

The VH Aircraft Registration Policy Proposal includes financial modelling for these options including examples for illustrative purposes only. See related documents below.

The levy model is intended to recover the cost of administering the scheme (estimated at $1.08 million annually). This estimate covers the ongoing costs of processing annual registrations, supporting users and maintaining the digital registration system. It is not intended for the purpose of funding other regulatory activities.

Based on this modelling, and assuming 15,051 aircraft (based on Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics (BITRE) activity data) the illustrative levy amounts would be:

• about $72 per aircraft each year under the flat-rate model
• between $50 and $250 per aircraft each year under the weight-based model
• between $40 and $500 per aircraft each year under the weight and category model.

The final levy amount has not been determined and is outside the scope of this consultation.

The exact levy amount would be finalised following this consultation and consultation on a Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS). The CRIS would explain the levy model, including the expected number of registered aircraft.

2. Annual registration responsibility

Registration responsibilities currently sit mainly with the aircraft owner rather than the operator. In some cases, the owner and operator are the same person. However, where ownership is held by a financial institution or another party under complex contractual arrangements, this can create unnecessary complexity.

We are seeking feedback on whether annual registration obligations should instead be assigned to the aircraft's registered operator. This would remove these obligations from the aircraft owner.

Under this proposal, the registered operator would:

• be the registration holder
• have primary responsibility for annual information validation
• be responsible for paying the registration levy.

We are also proposing to amend the regulations to remove:

• provisions that allow registrations to be established orally
• the requirement for physical signatures
• the current provision for triennial information updates.

3. Collection of additional information for improved safety outcomes

An annual registration process provides an opportunity to improve data about the aircraft fleet, use and equipment.

We seek feedback on collecting additional information at registration and renewal, including:

• aircraft time in service, measured in hours
• surveillance and avionics equipment, such as ADS‑B and transponders
• radio communications equipment
• safety systems, such as TAWS and TCAS.

Collecting aircraft time in service at renewal would help us understand:

• fleet use
• activity levels
• safety trends
• surveillance and oversight needs.

Collecting information on key aircraft equipment, such as ADS-B, radios, transponders and TAWS, would support:

• planning
• surveillance
• airspace-related decisions
• better understanding of safety technology across the fleet.

We may also consider collecting other safety-relevant equipment and information.

4. Digital registration renewals

We propose that the annual registration system will be delivered primarily as a digital (online) service, with the expectation that most registrations and renewals will be completed online through the myCASA portal.

While the myCASA portal would be designed to support and automate more aircraft registration and renewal transactions, there will remain a subset of processes that may not be fully digitised. This may include IDERAs, levy refunds, and deceased estates.

What is outside the scope of this consultation

This consultation does not seek feedback on:

• the levy amount payable
• detailed system design or implementation delivery
• administrative arrangements, such as payment methods, refunds, cancellations and suspensions
• transitional arrangements and commencement dates.

CASA will develop these matters separately. Where appropriate, we will include them in future consultation on exposure draft legislation.

The consultation does not suggest broader changes to aircraft registration requirements unless they support the annual aircraft registration scheme.

We welcome feedback on any special circumstances that may affect implementation.

Why your views matter

Your feedback will help us refine the scheme and ensure it is practical, effective and suitable for the aviation industry and broader community.

What happens next

At the end of the response period, we will register and review each submission received through the online response form. We will make all submissions publicly available on the Consultation Hub, unless you request your submission remain confidential. We will also publish a Summary of Consultation that summarises the feedback.

A second phase of consultation is planned for 2026. It will provide more detailed information on the proposed legislative package including an exposure draft of the regulations. Consultation on a Cost Recovery Implementation Statement (CRIS) would also occur prior to implementation.

Information about how we consult and how to make a confidential submission is available on the CASA website.

Related

• Policy proposal 2616CS – Proposed annual registration for VH aircraft
• MS Word copy of online consultation – Proposed annual registration for VH aircraft - (PP 2616CS)
• Australian Government 2026-27 Budget measures (Budget Paper No. 2)