Free tool

Is this N-number available?

Check any US tail number against the FAA registry and the FAA reserved list — refreshed daily. If it's taken, see what aircraft wears it. If it's reserved, see who holds it and the exact date it frees up.

Checked against FAA data updated July 1, 2026.

Available

Not on any aircraft and not reserved. Yours for $10 a year with the FAA — we show you how.

Taken

Assigned to a registered aircraft. We show the aircraft, its registration status, and when the registration expires.

Reserved

On the FAA reserved list. We show who holds it, the reservation type, and the purge date when it frees up.

Don't have a tail in mind yet?

Thousands of reserved N-numbers are scheduled for release every month when reservations lapse. Browse them by month and claim one the day it frees up.

Browse N-numbers freeing up soon →

What counts as a valid N-number

US registration numbers have one to five characters after the N: all digits (N12345), digits plus one letter (N1234A), or digits plus two letters (N123AB). Letters always come last, the first character can't be zero, and the letters I and O are never used — from the ground they read as 1 and 0.

Guides

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if an N-number is available?
Type the tail number above. We check it against the FAA aircraft registry (every registered aircraft) and the FAA reserved N-number list, both refreshed from the FAA's daily data release. If it's on neither list and the format is valid, it's available to reserve.
What makes a valid US N-number?
One to five characters after the N: all digits (N1 through N99999), one to four digits followed by one letter (N1234A), or one to three digits followed by two letters (N123AB). It can't start with zero, and the letters I and O are never used because they read as 1 and 0.
How do I reserve an available N-number?
Reserve it directly with the FAA online or by mail for $10 per year. You don't need to own an aircraft to reserve one. The reservation renews annually until you assign it to an aircraft or let it lapse.
What does it mean when an N-number is reserved?
Someone paid to hold it, a manufacturer has it blocked, an owner is in the middle of moving it onto an aircraft, or the FAA is holding it after a cancellation. Our results show which case applies, who holds it, and the purge date when the FAA will release it if it isn't renewed.
When does a cancelled N-number become available again?
After an aircraft is deregistered, the FAA holds its N-number before releasing it to the public. The hold appears on the reserved list with a purge date — we show that date, so you know exactly when to file.
How current is this data?
We refresh from the FAA's Releasable Aircraft Database every day, and every result page shows the date of the FAA data it was checked against.