certificate of airworthiness

A Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA), or an airworthiness certificate, is issued for an aircraft by the national aviation authority in the state in which the aircraft is registered. The airworthiness certificate attests that the aircraft is airworthy insofar as the aircraft conforms to its type design. Each airworthiness certificate is issued in one of a number of different categories. A certificate of airworthiness is issued when the aircraft is registered in the name of the owner. Thereafter, a yearly currency fee is payable to renew the Certificate of Airworthiness. If this fee is not paid when due, the certificate expires and the owner must apply again for this certificate to be issued. The Certificate of Airworthiness can only be issued when a certificate of release to service from the maintenance facility declares that the maintenance due has been carried out and the aircraft is then certified as being airworthy.