All Regulations
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
FAA Drone Registration Requirements
The FAA requires registration for all drones weighing 250 grams (0.55 lbs) or more that are operated in US airspace. Registration is done online through the FAA DroneZone and costs $5 for 3 years.
Effective: December 21, 2015
Who Must Register
Registration requirements vary by use case and drone weight.
- Recreational: drones 250g+ must be registered ($5, one registration covers all recreational drones)
- Commercial (Part 107): each drone must be individually registered ($5 per drone)
- Foreign operators: drones must be registered in their country of origin
- Under 250g recreational drones: exempt from registration
- Government and public safety: separate registration process
Registration Process
How to register your drone with the FAA.
- Create an account at faadronezone.faa.gov
- Choose recreational or Part 107 registration
- Pay $5 fee (covers 3 years)
- Receive a registration number (starts with FA-)
- Display registration number on the exterior of the drone
- Carry registration certificate while flying (digital is acceptable)
Transfer and Deregistration
What happens when you sell, buy, or dispose of a registered drone.
- When selling: cancel your registration for that drone
- When buying used: register the drone under your name
- When recycling: cancel registration before disposing
- Registration does not automatically transfer with sale
- Expired registrations can be renewed online