Application process

A Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) exists between EASA and the USA, Canada and Brazil and aims at the mutual acceptance of certificates.

As per the Technical Implementation Procedure (TIP) with the FAA (US) and TCCA (Canada), applicants applying to EASA have to submit their EASA application via their local FAA/TCCA office and request that their application be forwarded to EASA. The FAA/TCCA will forward the complete application package to EASA together with the FAA/TCCA concurrence letter. Applications that have not been forwarded via the FAA or the TCCA are considered incomplete and cannot be registered.

For further information on the TIP - FAA, click here.
For further information on the TIP - TCCA, click here.
For further information on the TIP - Brazil, click here.

TIP revision 6 entered into force on 22 March 2018.

This Revision of the TIP is the first milestone of the implementation of the validation improvement roadmap signed between EASA and FAA in February 2016. All design changes now have common approval path:

• Accepted (The approval or certificate issued by the certifying authority are automatically accepted by the validating authority) e.g. any design change by the TC or STC holder classified as basic, all design changes classified as minor, PMA Parts, design data for a repair, design data for an alteration except for critical components
• Streamlined validation (Basic) (The validating authority issues its certificate on the basis of the certificate issued by the certifying authority without technical involvement) e.g. all STCs and subsequent amended STCs
• Technical Validation (non-Basic) (The technical validation is performed by the validating authority according to a work plan focused on safety emphasis items) e.g. STC, Major Changes

The verifying authority shall issue the corresponding certificate or design approval within fifteen (15) working days for design change and twenty (20) working days for TC of receipt of the complete application.

This revision extends to all repair design their acceptance by the validating authority, removes the last restrictions to the acceptance of ETSO/TSO approvals and introduces the concept of Basic Type Certificates (limited to piston engines and propellers). Amendment 1 to the TIP was signed on 22 June 2018. 

For costs related to your approval, please refer to the tables sorted by application type that are provided in the Annex of the EASA fees and charges regulation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2153.

For further information please consult also the Fees and Charges FAQs.

Part 21 capability

As an EASA Member State applicant you need to prove eligibility by demonstrating capability in accordance with 21.A.14, i.e. be a Design Organisation Approval (DOA) or Alternative Procedures to Design Organisation Approval (APDOA) holder.

However, Part 21.A.14(c) provides the possibility for any natural person to apply on an ELA 1 aircraft by demonstrating capability through a certification programme. Alternative procedures are not necessary. ELA 1 is generally defined as aircraft with a max MTOW of 1200kg or less, including balloons up to 3400m^3 and sailplanes.

Please refer to our website for information on how to obtain a DOA or APDOA:
DOA
FAQs on DOA 
APDOA

While applying for a DOA/APDOA, you may, in parallel apply, for a Type Certificate. However, the Type Certificate will only be issued once the DOA/APDOA has been granted. 

Processing times

For the timely processing of any application, please consider the following:

• ensure that your supporting documents are correct, complete and provided in a timely manner;
• respond promptly to requests for further information, the closure of findings and scheduling site
• visits;
• meet the certification schedule indicated in the Certification Plan accepted by EASA;
• have the requisite technical capability available.

Application forms

The corresponding application forms are available on our website: 

Type Certificate
DOA/APDOA 

Fees and charges

Information on the related yearly fees and charges for both TC and DOA/APDOA applications are available in the Annex of our Fees & Charges Regulation (EU) 2019/2153.

EASA PORTAL

If you are an applicant from one of the EASA member states, the UK, the US and Canada, online submission of your application via the EASA Portal is now the preferred method for receiving your application. The EASA Portal offers numerous benefits:

- Simplifies applying for certification tasks - saving time and effort
- Enables viewing and monitoring the status of applications
- Allows applicants to manage their own contact details and user credentials
- Reduces administrative transactions
- Improves data quality due to integration with a centralised list for aeronautical products.

The list of applications that are covered by the EASA Portal can be found on the Portal website.

If you wish to register to use the EASA Portal or in case of questions and technical issues please send an email to portal [at] easa.europa.eu (portal[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu).

Please inform us if you wish to receive further information or a demonstration of the Portal.

The use of the EASA Portal has been introduced to other non-EASA Member State applicants. Please contact portal [at] easa.europa.eu (portal[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu) for further information.

View list of EASA Member States

Application forms
For applications that are not yet covered by the EASA Portal, please download from the EASA website the application form you need. Depending on your application, please send it to the email address indicated on the last page of the application form.

Users of the EASA Portal will instantly receive an acknowledgement email containing the request number as soon as the application has been submitted over the EASA Portal.
For submissions of applications via email and provided that the application is complete, we will acknowledge receipt within two working days and provide you with the EASA task number.

As soon as your project has been allocated either to an EASA PCM or externally, you will receive the EASA Acceptance Letter providing you with the contact details of the PCM. The technical investigation may begin. Below please find the administrative milestones for your application:

It is only possible to edit an application that is either at status Draft or at status Request for Revision. Please contact applicant.services [at] easa.europa.eu (applicant[dot]services[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu) and we will re-open your application so that you can revise the application data. You can then re-submit the application with the corrected data to EASA.

Currently, the feature for editing or revising an already registered application in the EASA Portal is still being developed. In the meantime, if you wish to make any amendments, please contact EASA by sending an email to applicant.services [at] easa.europa.eu (applicant[dot]services[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu) quoting the EASA task number. Upon receipt we will update our database accordingly.

The bilateral applicant will complete the application data in the EASA Portal and press “Submit”.

The EASA Portal will send an email to the applicant with the application summary document (Application Acknowledgement, FO.APMAN.00046) attached to it.

The applicant forwards the document to their National Aviation Authority in lieu of a completed EASA application form.

Meanwhile, EASA will change the application status in the EASA Portal to “Pending”.

The National Aviation Authority reviews the application and forwards it together with the forwarding letter to EASA.

EASA performs the full eligibility check and, if applicable, changes the application status in the EASA Portal to “Registered”.

The technical checks and investigation can start upon formal EASA acceptance.

The US applicant can indeed submit the application online to EASA via the Portal.

An online application document is then generated, which replaces the current application forms as you know them.

In order to stay in line with the bilateral procedures, the US applicant will send the online application document together with the requested data for the validation request to the responsible FAA ACO which will forward the complete validation request to EASA along with the FAA concurrence letter. 

EASA ensures that only once the FAA letter is received along with the application summary document and the requested data for the validation request, EASA will further proceed with the application registration. 

The EASA Portal simply logs the application, which is held pending until the FAA has reviewed the application and provided EASA with a concurrence letter. It is not required for US applicants to upload supporting documents for the validation request to the EASA Portal.

The EASA Portal is currently set up to only provide the applicant with an acknowledgement message, not the FAA. As can be seen in the illustration, it is incumbent on the US applicant to notify the responsible FAA ACO of their EASA application by providing the online application document to the FAA. Once notified by the applicant themselves, FAA can initiate the review of their submission and only then can the FAA provide EASA with the required concurrence letter.

Once EASA receives the FAA concurrence letter, which confirms that the FAA has conducted their review of the application, only then will EASA perform their full eligibility check of the application, and once eligible, the EASA task number is assigned and the technical checks and investigation will start.

The EASA Portal is an alternative to the previous procedure of having to use MS-Word forms when submitting applications for design approval to EASA.

Applicants can easily register to the EASA Portal by sending an email to portal [at] easa.europa.eu.

While the MS-Word forms are still acceptable, online submittal of applications over the EASA Portal is now the preferred method by EASA for receiving applications.

The overall application process to EASA under the TIP remains essentially the same.

The EASA Portal guide can be accessed at the following link: EASA Portal guide.

Following an overview of how the submittal process for US applicants works in order to stay in line with TIP procedures:

The US applicant will complete the application data in the EASA Portal and press “Submit”.
The EASA Portal will send an email to the applicant with the application summary document (Application Acknowledgement) attached to it.
The applicant forwards the document to their FAA ACO in lieu of a completed EASA application form.
Meanwhile, EASA will change the application status in the EASA Portal to “Pending”.
FAA ACO reviews the application and forwards together with forwarding letter to EASA.
EASA performs the full eligibility check and, if applicable, changes the application status in the EASA Portal to “Registered”.
The technical checks and investigation can start upon formal EASA acceptance.

The EASA Portal is an alternative to the previous procedure of having to use MS-Word forms when submitting applications for design approval to EASA. 

Once the on-line application is filed, the Canadian applicant will receive an acknowledgement message that an application has been filled. This on-line application will not be processed yet nor validated outright. It simply logs it and is held pending until such time TCCA has reviewed the application and provided EASA with a forwarding letter.

The EASA Portal is currently set up to provide the applicant only with an acknowledgement message, and not the TCCA. As can be seen in the illustration, it is incumbent on the Canadian applicant to actually notify TCCA of their EASA application by providing the Applicant Data Summary (FO.APMAN.00046) to TCCA. Once notified by the applicant themselves, TCCA can initiate the review of their submission and only then can TCCA provide EASA with the required forwarding letter.

Once EASA receives the TCCA forwarding letter, which confirms TCCA has conducted their review of the application, only then will EASA perform their full eligibility check of the application, and once eligible the EASA task number is assigned and the technical checks and investigation started.

The EASA Portal guide can be accessed at the following link: EASA Portal guide

If a Canadian applicant elects to use the MS-Word forms, the forms cannot be electronically submitted via the portal. The MS-Word forms have to be filled by the applicant and a copy submitted to TCCA, who in turn will file the application to EASA. While the MS-Word Forms are still acceptable, EASA prefers the transition to using the on-line portal due to the efficiencies brought to the process (drop down boxes ensure the correctness of Applicant information, EASA product list, etc.).

The EASA Portal requires our applicant to notify TCCA that they have filed an application to EASA that without such notification their application will not be processed further by EASA.

The overall application process to EASA under the TIP remains essentially the same. 

The Canadian applicant will complete the application data in the EASA Portal and press “Submit”. 
The EASA Portal will send an email to the applicant with the application summary document (Application Acknowledgement) attached to it. 
The applicant forwards the document to TCCA in lieu of a completed EASA application form. 
Meanwhile, EASA will change the application status in the EASA Portal to “Pending”.
TCCA reviews the application and forwards together with forwarding letter to EASA.
EASA performs the full eligibility check and, if applicable, changes the application status in the EASA Portal to “Registered”. 
The technical checks and investigation can start upon formal EASA acceptance.