Reserve an aircraft registration mark

Registered aircraft in Australia all have unique registration marks. You can reserve a registration mark for up to 12 months.

The format includes:

  • the nationality mark for an Australian aircraft 'VH' (established under the Chicago Convention)
  • a hyphen
  • 3 characters.

There are special cases where we assign dealer marks to individuals and organisations.

How to apply to reserve a registration mark

  1. How to apply to reserve a registration mark

    • the mark you want to reserve
    • your aircraft details, including manufacturer, model and serial number, if available
    • your Aviation Reference Number (ARN).

    You can see which marks are available to reserve in the list of available aircraft registration marks.

    Aircraft registration marks in Australia have now changed to include alphanumeric registration marks giving you more choice in selecting an appropriate mark for your aircraft.

  2. Complete the form

    Use Application for mark reservation Form 028. Follow the instructions on the form.

    We gather and store your information according to our Privacy Statement. We will not release details about individuals or organisations who reserve a mark.

  3. Submit the form

    Submit your application along with any supporting documents to us and pay the fee. Email or post your completed application using the details on the form.

    Application by email is our preferred option.

  4. Pay the fee

    You must pay a fee when applying to reserve a registration mark for your aircraft. The fee is $65.00.

    You can pay by completing the payment details on the form.

  5. After you submit the form

    If there is information missing from your application, we will refuse your application and you will need to reapply in full.

    We process mark reservation applications in order of receipt. If we receive a request for the same mark by two different parties on the same day, we will reserve the mark for the first reservation received. This occurs if you submit your application correctly.

    If we approve your application, we will issue a Confirmation of Reservation.

    The following conditions apply to your reservation:

    • you cannot place the mark on any other aircraft
    • the mark is reserved for your use only.

    You will need to notify CASA if you want to:

    • use a different registration mark on your aircraft
    • use your registration mark on another aircraft.

    Learn how to change a registration mark.

    The reservation expires after 12 months unless a new reservation is accepted. If you wish to reserve the mark for another 12 months, an application must be submitted within 2 weeks of expiry.

Last updated:
23 Sep 2022
Online version available at: https://www.casa.gov.au//aircraft/aircraft-registration/registration-marks/reserve-aircraft-registration-mark
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