New U.S. Agent For Service Regulation Affects All Foreign FAA Riggers
FAA Advisory Circular 3-1 now requires all current and future FAA Parachute Riggers to have a U.S. Agent For Service if they do not have a U.S. physical address.
This requirement is effective starting April 2, 2025, which is the date the USAS website for U.S. Agent registration will go live at this link. That is where foreign riggers and rigger candidates will designate their U.S. Agent For Service.
That U.S. Agent must:
- be an entity or an adult (individual who is 18 or older) with a U.S. address who a certificate, rating, or authorization holder or applicant designates to receive FAA service on their behalf.
- have a physical address in the States of the United States, the District of Columbia, or any U.S. territory or possession. If the agent is an entity, the address must be the U.S. agent’s office address. If the agent is an individual, the address must be the agent’s usual place of residence or, if applicable, the individual’s U.S. military office address. If the U.S. agent is serving as a U.S. agent in their official capacity with the military, the address may be a military office address. A U.S. agent address may not be a post office box, military post office box, or a mail drop box.
Current Foreign FAA Riggers have nine months from the date of the original publication, 10/11/2024, to designate their U.S. Agent For Service, which is July 7, 2025. If the individual fails to do so, the individual may not exercise any privileges of their certificate, rating, or authorization issued under parts 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, and 107.
New FAA Rigger Applicants will not be issued a certificate, rating, or authorization under parts 47, 61, 63, 65, 67, or 107 once the final rule becomes effective unless they designate a U.S. agent at the time of application.
The FAA's reasoning behind this is that international service requirements can significantly delay service of many FAA documents for months (and, in some cases, over a year) and impose additional costs on the agency. These international service requirements cannot be waived by document recipients, or circumvented by sending documents electronically. Considering these requirements, the FAA requires applicants or individuals who hold certain certificates, ratings, or authorizations and who have a foreign address and no U.S. physical address of record on file with the FAA to designate a U.S. agent for service. This rule permits the FAA to serve other safety-critical and time-sensitive documents on an individual’s U.S. agent. In turn, the FAA would be able to accomplish prompt and cost-effective service on these individuals and facilitate more expedited due process.
Note: If you do not currently have a U.S. physical address of record and are able to provide one, you may do so through the standard processes for Airmen in lieu of designating a U.S. Agent for Service at this link.
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