Foreign aircraft

News and highlights

# 27/08/2025

Conditions for issuing permits to fly to foreign ultralight aircraft that do not comply with the French definition of an “ULM” have been clarified: see paragraph “Specific case of foreign ultralight aircraft” below.

# 02/04/2025

Update of the application form “DGAC Form LP6” for validation of a foreign airworthiness document. From now on, the operator who will be performing the flights in France must be identified in the application form and must sign a statement confirming that they are aware of the rules when flying under a permit to fly. 

General principles

Airworthiness document

Aircraft holding a Certificate of Airworthiness issued pursuant to the ICAO Convention are allowed to overfly the territory of ICAO contracting States without prior validation of this certificate.

Aircraft holding an EASA permit to fly (Form 20a or Form 20b) are allowed to overfly the territory of EASA member states without prior validation of this permit, except when the permit to fly explicitly limits the authorised area.

Except for the specific cases identified below, aircraft not holding a Certificate of Airworthiness issued pursuant to the ICAO Convention nor an EASA permit to fly cannot overfly French territory before prior validation of their airworthiness document by the DSAC: see paragraph “Validation of a foreign airworthiness document ” below.

Pilot qualification

Pilots must hold an aeronautical title issued or recognised by the authority of the State of registry (except in very rare cases of ultralight aircraft where that authority does not require such a qualification for the concerned aircraft category).

An authorisation from DSAC Aircrew Directorate (DSAC/PN) is required in the following cases:

• The pilot's aeronautical title has not been issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1 or European regulations*, or
• Commercial operations are planned over French territory, or

• The aircraft does not belong to a category listed in the European regulations about crew qualifications.

*Examples of titles requiring a DSAC authorization:

• Pilot holding a LAPL issued by the UK CAA before or after UK left the EU
• Pilot of an ultralight aircraft that does not comply with the limits of French ultralight regulations flying with a non-ICAO national aeronautical title (if the pilot holds several aeronautical licenses, the license to be considered is the one used to fly the aircraft in the aircraft state of registration: see paragraph “Specific case of foreign ultralights” below)

Note: an authorisation from DSAC DSAC/PN is not required, in certain special cases of automatic recognition identified in the following sections.

Validation of a foreign airworthiness document

The application form is the “DGAC Form LP6” document, which shall be sent to DSAC Airworthiness Office (DSAC/NO/NAV) : dsac-nav-bf@aviation-civile.gouv.fr. 

The applicant shall indicate:

• The reason why the aircraft does not hold a standard certificate of airworthiness issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 8;
• The purpose of the flights in France;
• The requested period for these flights.

The form also includes an operator statement that must be signed by the operator who will be performing the flights over French territory.

The applicant must enclose with the application:

• A flight authorisation (restricted certificate of airworthiness, permit to fly, etc.) issued by the State of registry, covering the type of flights that will be performed over French territory and valid during the requested period;
• Any document associated with this flight authorisation, such as operational limitations or a certificate of validity;
• The certificate of registration or equivalent, valid during the requested period;
• A proof of payment: the issuance of permit to fly is subject to a fee of 100€ for aircraft with MTOW > 5.7 tons and 50€ for aircraft with MTOW ≤ 5.7 tons. See Payment modalities.

DSAC may request any further justification and/or prescribe any restriction deemed necessary to ensure flight safety.

Flights over French territory must be performed under the conditions of validity and limitations defined in the flight authorisation of the State of registry and its associated documents, as modified or supplemented by the general and special conditions mentioned on the permit to fly issued by DSAC.

The foreign flight authorisation and the DSAC permit to fly must be carried on board the aircraft during flights over French territory.

The aircraft must have a valid certificate of registration or equivalent document issued by the State of registry. This document must be carried on board the aircraft during flights over French territory.

The aircraft must be insured to adequately cover the planned flights in accordance with applicable French and international regulations.

The DSAC permit to fly is issued without prejudice to any applicable regulation other than those related to airworthiness (including regulations related to operations, crew licenses and airspace).

Aerial work operations excluded from European regulations must be authorised by DSAC, under the conditions described on the Aerial work with a foreign-registered aircraft page.

Specific case of foreign ultralight aircraft

Definitions

• An “ultralight” is an aircraft that meets the criteria of paragraphs 1.e), 1.f) or 1.h) of Annex 1 to Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 or Article 2.8 of the Regulation.

• A “ULM” is an ultralight which complies with the French definition set out in Article 2 of the Order dated 23 September 1998 related to ultralight motorises aircraft (ULM).
   

• A "ULM-S" is an ultralight aircraft which is not a “ULM” and which complies with the French definition of a ULM-S set out in Article 2 of the Order dated 13 August 2024 related to special ultralight powered aircraft (ULM-S).

• A "European" aircraft is an aircraft registered in a member State of the European Economic Area (other than France), in Switzerland or in the United Kingdom.

European ULM

In application of the Order dated 7 January 2015 pertaining to the conditions applying to European microlight traffic over French territory:

• A European ULM may circulate over French territory to perform non-commercial flights, without airworthiness-related DSAC validation, provided that the aircraft holds a flight authorisation issued by the State of registry or by a body delegated by that State, and that it complies with the limits thereof. Flight tests are prohibited.

• For a European ULM not belonging to “classe 1” (known as paramotors) or “classe 5” (known as ultralight airships) and for which the State of registry does not impose identification or registration marks, provisional identification marks must be requested from the Interregional Directorate for Civil Aviation Safety (DSAC IR) in whose territorial jurisdiction the applicant has elected domicile or whose territorial jurisdiction they plan to fly over first.

• The pilot must hold a license to fly the ULM, issued by the State of registry or by a body delegated by that State, or a license validated or recognised by this State. If this State does not require the holding of a title, the pilot must hold an ULM pilot license issued by DSAC.

• Download Decree dated 7 January 2015 pertaining to the conditions applying to European microlight traffic over French territory (Courtesy translation only) PDF

• Order dated 7 January 2015 pertaining to the conditions applying to European microlight traffic over French territory

Applicable operational rules: Order dated 17 February 2025 related to the conditions of use of ultralight powered aircraft (ULM).

• Order dated 17 February 2025 related to the conditions of use of ultralight powered aircraft (ULM)

Take-off and landing area:

• European ULM can use platforms reserved for ULM located outside aerodromes;
• European ULM shall apply aerodrome traffic rules and restrictions specified in the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) and applicable to “ULM”.

Non-ULM European ultralight

For a European ultralight which complies with the French definition of a ULM set out in Article 2 of the Order dated 23 September 1998 related to ultralight powered aircraft, a permit to fly must be issued by DSAC: see paragraph “Validation of a foreign airworthiness document ”.

The DSAC permit to fly is only issued if:

• The European aircraft complies with the limits of § 1.f) of Annex 1 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (gyrocopters) or Article 2.8 of the aforementioned Regulation (aeroplanes and helicopters); and
• The aircraft holds a flight authorisation issued by the State of registry or by a body delegated by that State.

The DSAC permit to fly authorises presence on French territory for a maximum of 90 days over the last twelve months. For the application of this rule:

• Every day from the entry of the aircraft into French airspace until its exit from French airspace is to be counted (whether or not actual flights were performed);
• Days accumulated prior to the issue of each permit and after the date of issue of the first permit under this rule are to be counted;
• Every flight departing from or arriving into French airspace is to be recorded in a logbook or equivalent document, which is to be kept up to date and completed at the end of the day, under the responsibility of the pilot in command, with mention of the date, name and function of crew members, flight origin and destination, departure and arrival time, and flight nature; this logbook shall be presented in the event of an inspection and could be requested when applying for a permit renewal.

The following is prohibited under the DSAC permit:

• Commercial activities;
• Special activities and sensational flights as defined in chapters III and VIII of the appendix to the Order dated 24 July 1991 related to conditions for the use of civil aircraft in general aviation;
• Student pilot training;
• Sailplane towing flights;
• Flights other than those by day Visual Flight Rules (VFR);
• Test flights.

The pilot must hold an aeronautical title issued or recognized by the authority of the State of registry. A decision from DSAC Aircrew Directorate (DSAC/PN) is required before any flight under DSAC permit to fly in the following cases:

• The aeronautical title of the pilot used to fly the aircraft under the rules of the State of registry has not been issued in accordance with ICAO Annex 1 or European regulations, or
• The aircraft does not belong to a category listed in the European regulations about crew qualifications.

The application form, which can be downloaded below, must be sent to DSAC License Office (DSAC/PN/LIC) at: licences-navigants@aviation-civile.gouv.fr.

Each pilot must hold their own decision for the concerned aircraft.

Applicable operational rules:

• ULM-S: Order dated 17 February 2025 related to conditions for the use of ultralight powered aircraft (ULM)”;
• Other ultralights (non-ULM and non-ULM-S): Order dated 24 July 1991 on the conditions of use of civil aircraft in general aviation.

Take-off and landing area:

• Use of platforms reserved to ULM located outside aerodromes is prohibited, except for ULM-S;
• Non-ULM European ultralights shall apply aerodrome traffic rules and restrictions specified in the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication) and applicable to “ULM” of equivalent class in terms of design principles as defined in Article 2 of the Order dated 23 September 1998 related to ultralight powered aircraft.

Non-European ultralight

For a non-European ultralight, a permit to fly must be issued DSAC *: see paragraph “Validation of a foreign airworthiness document ”.

The conditions are identical to those in the "Non-ULM European ultralight" section above, except for the following:

• Presence on French territory, which is limited to a maximum of 30 days over the last twelve months;
• The applicable operational rules are the Order dated 17 February 2025 related to conditions for the use of ultralight powered aircraft (ULM) if the ultralight is a ULM or a ULM-S (see definitions);
• Take-off and landing area: use of platforms reserved for ULM located outside aerodromes is possible if the ultralight is a ULM or a ULM-S (see definitions).

* Special case of non-European ultralights taking part in gatherings or competitions and sporting events organised by or under the aegis of the FFPLUM:
These aircraft are exempt from a DSAC permit to fly under the conditions defined by the Order dated 7 January 2015 related to the participation by foreign pilots and foreign powered ultralights in gatherings, competitions and sporting events organised by or under the aegis of the French Federation of Ultralight Powered Aircraft.
 

Specific case of amateur-built aircraft

Amateur built aircraft, registered in a Member State of the European Economic Area (other than France), in Switzerland or in the United Kingdom are allowed to overfly French territory without prior validation of their airworthiness document for a maximum of 90 cumulated days over the last twelve months. Every day from the entry of the aircraft into French airspace until its exit from French airspace is to be counted, whether or not actual flights were performed (see Order dated 8 January 2018 on the operation in France of foreign amateur-built aircraft). The courtesy translation provided below will be updated shortly to reflect the last changes.

For non-European amateur-built aircraft, a validation of their airworthiness title (and potentially their pilot aeronautical title) must be obtained.

Specific case of historic aircraft

Some historic aircraft, registered in a European Economic Area member State (other than France), in Switzerland or in the United Kingdom, are allowed to overfly French territory without prior validation of their airworthiness document for a maximum of 90 cumulated days over the last twelve months. Every day from the entry of the aircraft into French airspace until its exit from French airspace is to be counted, whether or not actual flights were performed (see Order dated 8 January 2018 related to operation in France of certain foreign historic aircraft). The courtesy translation provided below will be updated shortly to reflect the last changes.

For the other historic aircraft, particularly non-European aircraft, a validation of their airworthiness title (and potentially their pilot aeronautical title) must be obtained.