How to Use the FAA CARES System to Register Your Aircraft in 2026

For decades, registering an aircraft with the FAA meant printing forms, signing in ink, writing a check for five dollars, and mailing everything to a building in Oklahoma City. Then you waited — sometimes weeks, sometimes months, sometimes 190 days during the worst of the backlog in 2022.

That era is over. The FAA's Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services system, known as CARES, is the agency's new web-based platform for aircraft registration and ownership transfers. As of January 2025, it became the preferred method for submitting registration applications, and it's steadily replacing the paper-based system that frustrated pilots and lawyers alike for generations.

This guide covers everything you need to know about CARES — what it is, how to set up an account, and how to use it to register an aircraft or complete an ownership transfer.

What Is the FAA CARES System?

CARES stands for Civil Aviation Registry Electronic Services. It's a web-based platform that allows pilots, aircraft owners, and aviation businesses to submit registration applications, upload supporting documents, pay fees electronically, and digitally sign forms — all without printing or mailing anything.

The system launched in December 2022 for aircraft registration services. Full implementation replacing the legacy system entirely is targeted for 2027, but the platform is functional and actively used today. The FAA now issues registration certificates electronically via email rather than mailing paper certificates, which means new registrations that previously took 7–10 business days to arrive by mail now arrive in your inbox almost immediately after approval.

Why CARES Matters for Aircraft Buyers and Sellers

If you're buying or selling an aircraft, CARES changes the process significantly. Previously, completing an ownership transfer required:

• Printing FAA Form 8050-2 (Bill of Sale) in duplicate with original ink signatures
• Printing FAA Form 8050-1 (Registration Application)
• Writing a physical check for $5
• Mailing everything to Oklahoma City and waiting weeks for processing

With CARES, the entire process can be completed electronically. Digital signatures are accepted, payments are processed online, and the FAA's automated recordation system timestamps submissions at the moment they're received — eliminating the ambiguity of when mailed documents were actually processed.

This matters especially for buyers who need proof that the aircraft is properly registered before they can legally fly it.

How to Set Up a CARES Account

Setting up a CARES account requires identity verification. Here's what you'll need:

Option 1 — SSN verification (fastest): The preferred method uses the last four digits of your Social Security number combined with a smartphone authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Okta Verify for two-factor authentication.

Option 2 — Government ID: If you don't want to use your SSN, you can verify with a government-issued ID. This requires photographing your ID with your mobile phone and uploading it to the system. It works but takes longer to process.

Once verified, you'll set up multi-factor authentication and complete your CARES profile with your contact information and ownership details.

Step-by-step account setup:

• Go to cares.faa.gov
• Click Sign Up / Register
• Choose Individual, Corporation/LLC, or Dealer depending on how you hold aircraft
• Verify your identity using SSN last four digits + authenticator app
• Complete your profile with full legal name (exactly as it should appear on registration documents)
• Enable two-factor authentication

A critical note: your name in CARES must match exactly how it appears on all supporting documents. Even a small discrepancy — "Dave" vs. "David," a missing middle initial, or a hyphenated name entered differently — can cause your submission to be rejected.

How to Complete an Aircraft Title Transfer Using CARES

For an ownership transfer between buyer and seller, both parties do not necessarily need CARES accounts. Typically the buyer (as the new registrant) needs the account, and the seller completes their portion of the Bill of Sale.

Documents required for a title transfer:

• FAA Form 8050-2 (Aircraft Bill of Sale) — signed by seller
• FAA Form 8050-1 (Aircraft Registration Application) — completed by buyer
• $5 registration fee
• Supporting ownership documents if there are any gaps in the chain of title

The submission process:

• Log into CARES and navigate to Aircraft Services
• Enter the aircraft's N-number
• Upload the signed Bill of Sale (8050-2)
• Complete the Registration Application (8050-1) electronically within CARES
• Sign digitally using the built-in DocuSign integration
• Pay the $5 fee online
• Submit

CARES timestamps your submission automatically. You'll receive a confirmation and can track the status of your application through your CARES portal.

The 21% Rejection Problem

Here's something the FAA's own data makes clear: the agency rejects approximately 21% of all registration applications it receives — over 16,000 applications per year. The most common reasons include:

• Name discrepancies between the application and the Bill of Sale
• Incomplete chain of title (gaps in ownership history)
• Missing or improperly executed supporting documents
• Incorrectly completed forms

If your application is rejected, you'll need to correct the issues and resubmit — adding weeks to your timeline. For a buyer who has already paid for an aircraft and is waiting to fly it legally, a rejection is more than an inconvenience.

The Alternative: Let Someone Handle It For You

If navigating CARES feels like more than you want to deal with in the middle of an aircraft purchase, Aeradex offers a White Glove title transfer service. For $199, we handle the entire FAA submission on your behalf — pre-filled forms, coordinated e-signatures from both buyer and seller, CARES electronic submission, and status updates through completion. If the FAA rejects the submission for any reason, we fix it and resubmit at no additional charge.

For pilots who want the peace of mind of having the paperwork done correctly the first time, it's worth considering. You can start a transfer at aeradex.com.

Key Takeaways

• CARES is the FAA's new electronic system for aircraft registration, replacing paper-based submissions
• As of January 2025, electronic submissions are the preferred method and certificates are issued via email
• Setting up an account requires identity verification with your SSN last four digits and an authenticator app
• Your legal name must match exactly across all documents or your application will be rejected
• About 21% of all registration applications are rejected — most due to avoidable errors
• Full CARES implementation replacing all legacy systems is targeted for 2027