An FAA final rule went into effect on Oct. 1, 2010, which replaced one-time aircraft registration with a system that requires the re-registration of all civil aircraft over the next three years, and renewal of those registrations every three years thereafter.

Under the new rule, all new aircraft registrations issued on or after Oct. 1, 2010 will be good for three years, and will include an expiration date. For all aircraft registered prior to October 1, the new re-registration requirement will be phased in over a three-year period, using an ’Aircraft Re-Registration Schedule,’ which starts with aircraft registration certificates issued in March of any year.

Aircraft registration certificates issued in August of any year expire in June 2012. Owners have until April 30, 2012 to re-register.