Cost recovery for services
In line with Australian Government policy, CASA is required to recover costs for providing regulatory services to the aviation industry.
CASA began charging for a wider range of regulatory services from 1 January 2006 and must charge fees that reflect the real cost of providing those services.
View CASA's Cost Recovery Impact Statement (CRIS) - Phase 2.
Fees currently apply to 231 regulatory services including licences and ratings, examinations, medicals, aircraft registration, certificates, permits, exemptions, approvals and authorities.
Fees are charged at hourly rates of $100, $130, $160 and $190 per hour or as fixed fees starting from $25.
Current rates for CASA regulatory services
Civil Aviation (Fees) Regulations 1995
Changes to fees
Following consultation with the aviation industry, CASA finalised new fees introduced in 2007 as part of the second phase of cost recovery.
Some fees, such as charges for the processing of medical certificates, reduced. This service, previously charged at a rate of $130, reduced to $75.
Other fees changed in line with the Australian Government's cost recovery policy. CASA has agreed with the Government on a long term funding strategy to progressively arrive at full cost recovery for all of CASA's regulatory services.
Therefore, in line with the long term funding strategy, recovery of costs associated with the provision of regulatory services must increase from the previous $10.5 million a year to $15 million for 2007-08. This amount reflects around 12 per cent of CASA's total funding.
Rates
In response to industry calls for refinements to the user-pays system, CASA reviewed existing charges and moved from the previously charged two hourly rates to four. These rates also better reflect the range of skills and expertise required to provide different services.
Following consultation on proposed changes, the top two hourly rates slightly increased to cover travel expenses, meaning members of the aviation industry will no longer be billed separately for travel costs such as flights or accommodation where a CASA officer is required to travel to provide a regulatory service. Travel time remains cost recoverable.
The current hourly rates are $100, $130, $160 and $190.
Only four hourly rates apply to ensure administrative costs are kept to a minimum.
Fixed fees still apply for a range of services where appropriate.
Listening to industry
CASA remains strongly committed to engaging in effective consultation with people in the aviation industry. Consultation on the new fees began in September 2006 and finished on 31 October, with a second round of consultation conducted from December 2006 to January 2007.
During this time more than 250 people attended a special series of cost recovery forums around Australia and nearly 300 written submissions were lodged with CASA.
Senior aviation representatives also attended meetings of CASA's fee policy management committee during the development of the new regulations.
As a result of this feedback a number of important changes were made to the final fees to be introduced for the second phase of cost recovery, most notably in the areas of medical processing, travel charges and some licensing fees.
Reviewing charges
New charges were determined by CASA and independent consultants using a detailed costing model and comprehensive review of CASA activities. The rates reflect changes to the revenue CASA must collect from regulatory services.
CASA continues to look for ways to improve the timeliness and efficiency of services delivered to the aviation industry and is working hard to keep costs to a minimum.
Answers to common questions
Read answers to common questions about CASA charges. These include answers to:
- What fees apply to CASA regulatory services
- How CASA reviewed fees following consultation with the aviation industry
- Why CASA must recover costs associated with providing regulatory services
- How hourly rates have been determined
- How hourly rates are applied
- How CASA is working to improve the service it provides
- How other CASA activities are funded.
More information
If you have any questions about CASA fees email costrecovery@casa.gov.au or ring the CASA Service Centre on 136 773.