How to Designate Your FAA U.S. Agent for Service
Designating your FAA U.S. Agent for Service takes about 10–15 minutes once you have your agent’s information ready. The process uses the FAA’s online USAS system. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Before You Begin
You’ll need:
- Your FAA certificate number(s)
- An active FAA account (or ability to create one)
- Your agent’s information — specifically:
- Agent’s full legal name (or company name)
- Agent’s U.S. physical address
- Agent’s phone number and email
If you haven’t chosen a provider yet, see our comparison of all FAA Agent for Service providers. Once you sign up with a provider, they’ll give you all the agent details needed for designation.
Step-by-Step Process
Step 1: Choose and sign up with a provider
Select your FAA Agent for Service provider and complete their registration process. Upon signup, the provider will give you the specific agent information (name, address, contact details) to enter into the FAA system.
If you’re using a friend or family member as your agent, gather their full name, U.S. physical address, phone number, and email address.
Step 2: Access the FAA USAS portal
Navigate to the FAA’s U.S. Agents for Service (USAS) system. You’ll need to log in with your FAA account credentials. If you don’t have an FAA online account, you’ll need to create one first.
Step 3: Enter your agent’s information
Once logged in, you’ll be prompted to enter your agent’s details:
- Agent name: The full legal name of your agent (or the company name, e.g., “Valiair LLC”)
- U.S. physical address: The agent’s street address. This must be a physical address — P.O. Boxes are not accepted.
- Contact information: Phone number and email for the agent.
Enter the information exactly as provided by your agent service. Accuracy matters — this is the address the FAA will use for legal correspondence.
Step 4: Review and confirm
Review all entered information carefully. Confirm the designation. The system will process your submission and your agent will be officially designated.
Step 5: Notify your provider
After completing the designation, confirm with your agent service provider that the designation is complete. Good providers (like Valiair) have dashboards where this status is tracked automatically.
Step 6: Keep your information current
Your agent designation must remain accurate as long as you hold affected FAA certificates with a foreign address. If you change providers, move to a different address, or your agent’s information changes, update the USAS system promptly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Using a P.O. Box. The FAA requires a physical U.S. address. P.O. Boxes will be rejected.
Entering your own address instead of your agent’s. The USAS system asks for your agent’s U.S. address, not your foreign address. Your personal address is already on file with the FAA separately.
Forgetting to designate for all affected certificates. If you hold multiple certificate types (e.g., a pilot certificate and an A&P mechanic certificate), ensure your agent designation covers all applicable certificates.
Not updating after switching providers. If you change agents, you must update the USAS system. The old agent information doesn’t automatically transfer.
How Long Does It Take?
The online designation process itself takes 10–15 minutes. Processing by the FAA system is typically immediate or within a few business days. Your provider can confirm when the designation appears active in their system.
Renewing Your Designation
The agent designation remains active until you change it. There’s no annual renewal process with the FAA itself — your designation stays in the system until you update it.
However, your agent service subscription may have an annual renewal. Keep your provider subscription active to ensure your agent’s address remains valid and monitored. If your subscription lapses and your agent stops monitoring their address, you could miss critical FAA correspondence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I designate my agent by phone or mail?
The USAS system is the primary designation method. Consult the FAA directly for alternative submission options if you cannot access the online system.
Can I designate more than one agent?
Check with the FAA for current guidance on multiple designations. In general, you designate one agent who receives all FAA correspondence on your behalf.
What if I made a mistake in my designation?
You can update your agent information in the USAS system at any time. Log back in and correct the details.
How do I know my designation is active?
Your agent service provider should be able to confirm the designation status. Providers with compliance dashboards (like Valiair) display this information directly.
Related: