Aircraft Registration

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Velocity Interoperability Network maintains the register of civil aircraft of the Velocity Interoperability Network. Every manned aircraft, and every unmanned aircraft with a maximum take-off mass of 25 kg or more, must be entered on the register before it flies in the Network, unless it is registered in another jurisdiction and is visiting. The register records the aircraft, its owner and operator and its registration mark, and is the basis on which certificates of airworthiness are issued and continuing airworthiness is overseen.

At establishment the register was formed from the registers kept by member organisations of the Network, which recorded 214 aircraft between them. Those aircraft have been entered on the Network register under their existing marks. The existing marks remain valid until 31 March 2027, by which date each aircraft will be reallocated a mark in the Network series set out below; registrants will be told their new mark by email at least 90 days before the change and may request a specific mark within their series.

Applications to register aircraft are accepted from 14 September 2026. Aircraft on the registers of member organisations at establishment have been carried onto the Network register and need not reapply.

Registration marks. Network registration marks consist of the letters VIN, a hyphen and three further letters. Series within the marks are reserved for each category of aircraft so that the category can be read from the mark. The table below shows the series and the aircraft entered on the register at establishment.

The aircraft register by category, at 6 September 2026
Category	Mark series	Aircraft registered	Principal registrants
Aeroplanes, multi-engine turbine	VIN-AAA to VIN-GZZ	96	9 air operators; 4 member organisations
Aeroplanes, single-engine	VIN-HAA to VIN-PZZ	58	Private owners, flying clubs and 2 training organisations
Helicopters	VIN-RAA to VIN-TZZ	27	3 air operators; 2 member organisations
Unmanned aircraft of 25 kg or more	VIN-UAA to VIN-XZZ	31	2 unmanned aircraft operators; 5 member organisations
Balloons and airships	VIN-YAA to VIN-ZZZ	2	Private owners
All aircraft		214

Documents required. Applications must be accompanied by the documents below. Copies are accepted; the Authority may ask to see originals before a certificate is issued.

Documents required to register an aircraft
Document	What it must show	Applies to
Proof of ownership	Bill of sale, or the lease and the owner's consent where the registrant is not the owner	All aircraft
Evidence of deregistration	Confirmation from the previous register that the aircraft has been removed from it	Aircraft previously registered outside the Network
Type and serial number	Manufacturer's data plate or certificate of conformity	All aircraft
Certificate of airworthiness or permit	Current certificate, export certificate or application for a Network certificate	Manned aircraft
Insurance	Certificate of third-party liability insurance	All aircraft
Operator details	Name, site within the Network at which documents may be served, and email address of the registrant and, if different, the operator	All aircraft
Remote pilot certificate	Certificate number of the remote pilot responsible for the aircraft	Unmanned aircraft

Registering an aircraft. Every aircraft is registered in the same way, whether it is new to the Network or transferring from another register.

Step 1: Confirm that the aircraft is eligible
An aircraft may be registered in the Network if its owner or operator is a member organisation, a citizen of the Network or an organisation established in the Network, and if it is not registered elsewhere. Unmanned aircraft must be registered if their maximum take-off mass is 25 kg or more; lighter unmanned aircraft may be registered voluntarily.
Step 2: Submit the application and documents
From 14 September 2026, write to the Authority stating the type, serial number and intended base of the aircraft and attaching the documents listed above. The Authority acknowledges every application within two working days and tells you if anything is missing.
Step 3: Allocation of the registration mark
The Authority allocates the next available mark in the series for the aircraft's category, normally within five working days of receiving a complete application. A specific mark within the series may be requested and is allocated if it is available. The mark must be displayed on the aircraft in the size and position the Authority specifies before it flies under the mark.
Step 4: Airworthiness
Manned aircraft require a certificate of airworthiness or a permit to fly before operating under a Network mark. Certificates issued by member organisations before establishment are recognised until 31 March 2027. New certificates are issued after review of the aircraft's maintenance records and, where necessary, a survey by the Authority's airworthiness inspectors.
Step 5: Certificate of registration issued
The certificate of registration is issued electronically and the aircraft is entered on the register. The registrant must tell the Authority within 14 days of any change of ownership, operator or base, and must apply to remove the aircraft from the register if it is sold outside the Network, destroyed or permanently withdrawn from use.

The register is a public record. Anyone may ask the Authority for the registered owner, operator, type and mark of an aircraft; contact details and other personal information are not disclosed. Enquiries about registration, including errors in an entry, may be sent to contact@aviation.gov.vin. For the licensing of pilots and engineers, see Licensing; for the surveillance of registered aircraft, see Safety Oversight; for the rules on where unmanned aircraft may fly, see Airspace.