Skip to Content
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Home
Online services
Civil Aviation Safety Authority Home
  • Aerodromes
    • Aerodrome operations
    • Aerodromes register
    • Aerodrome safety
  • Aircraft
    • Aircraft safety
    • Cabin safety
    • Airworthiness
    • Civil aircraft register
    • Foreign operators
    • Fuel
    • Drones
    • Sport aviation
  • Airspace
    • Airspace regulation
    • Communications
    • Navigation
    • Surveillance
  • Education
    • Aviation safety advisors
    • eLearning catalogue
    • Seminars and workshops
    • Sponsorship and grants
  • Publications and resources
    • Corporate publications
    • Information sheets, checklists and kits
    • Online store
    • CASA self service
    • Flight Safety Australia
    • Forms and templates
    • Guidance materials
    • Manual authoring and assessment tool
    • Image gallery
    • OnTrack
    • Manuals and handbooks
    • Out-n-Back
    • Media hub
    • Research and statistics
    • Online services
    • Temporary management instructions
    • The CASA Briefing
    • Videos and multimedia
    • Regulatory wrap-up
  • Rules and regulations
    • Changing the rules
    • Compliance with the rules
    • Current rules
    • Regulation reform
  • Safety management
    • Dangerous goods
    • Drug and alcohol management plans
    • Emergencies and incident reporting
    • Fatigue management
    • Hazards
    • Health
    • Human factors
    • Safety management systems
    • Advice for air travellers
  • Licences and certification
    • Aerodromes
    • Aircraft Certification and design
    • Aviation medicine
    • Flight training
    • Flight training organisations
    • Individual licensing
  • About us
    • Careers at CASA
    • Who we are
    • Who we work with
    • Contact us
    • Reporting and accountability
    • Working with industry
    • Events
    • Service Delivery Statistics
    • Site information
  • Aerodromes
    • Aerodrome operations
    • Aerodromes register
    • Aerodrome safety
  • Aircraft
    • Aircraft safety
    • Cabin safety
    • Airworthiness
    • Civil aircraft register
    • Foreign operators
    • Fuel
    • Drones
    • Sport aviation
  • Airspace
    • Airspace regulation
    • Communications
    • Navigation
    • Surveillance
  • Education
    • Aviation safety advisors
    • eLearning catalogue
    • Seminars and workshops
    • Sponsorship and grants
  • Publications and resources
    • Corporate publications
    • Information sheets, checklists and kits
    • Online store
    • CASA self service
    • Flight Safety Australia
    • Forms and templates
    • Guidance materials
    • Manual authoring and assessment tool
    • Image gallery
    • OnTrack
    • Manuals and handbooks
    • Out-n-Back
    • Media hub
    • Research and statistics
    • Online services
    • Temporary management instructions
    • The CASA Briefing
    • Videos and multimedia
    • Regulatory wrap-up
  • Rules and regulations
    • Changing the rules
    • Compliance with the rules
    • Current rules
    • Regulation reform
  • Safety management
    • Dangerous goods
    • Drug and alcohol management plans
    • Emergencies and incident reporting
    • Fatigue management
    • Hazards
    • Health
    • Human factors
    • Safety management systems
    • Advice for air travellers
  • Licences and certification
    • Aerodromes
    • Aircraft Certification and design
    • Aviation medicine
    • Flight training
    • Flight training organisations
    • Individual licensing
  • About us
    • Careers at CASA
    • Who we are
    • Who we work with
    • Contact us
    • Reporting and accountability
    • Working with industry
    • Events
    • Service Delivery Statistics
    • Site information

You are here

  1. Home ›
  2. Licences and certification ›
  3. Individual licensing ›
  4. Applying for your air operator's certificate

Licences and certification

  • Aerodromes
  • Aircraft Certification and design
  • Aviation medicine
    • Pilots and ATCs
    • DAMEs, DAOs & COs
    • MRS Online
    • Complaints and objection to medical decision
    • Payment
    • Contact
  • Flight training
    • Continuation of indemnity arrangements frequently asked questions
    • Examiner Proficiency Check Form
    • Flight simulators and training devices
    • Multi-Crew Pilot Licence (MPL)
    • Notices for flight training organisations and ATOs
  • Flight training organisations
  • Individual licensing
    • Aeronautical radio operators
    • Air Operators
    • Exams
    • Air traffic controllers
    • English language proficiency for flight crew
    • Aviation medicine
    • Delegates
    • Fireworks
    • Flight crew licensing
    • Laser and light shows
    • Licence information
    • Maintenance organisations
    • Maintenance personnel
    • Security IDs
    • Applying for an aviation reference number
    • Community Service Flights
Go to top of page

Applying for your air operator's certificate

If you operate a commercial operation, you will probably need an air operator’s certificate (AOC). The following information will tell you if you need to get your operator’s certificate, and how to apply for one.

Do you need an operator’s certificate?

The following documents will tell you what you need to know before you apply for your air operator’s certificate.

  • What is an operator’s certificate?
  • Who needs one?
  • What are the requirements?
  • Aircraft descriptions on AOCs.

If you need more information, contact the Permission Application Centre on 131 757 or by email at regservices@casa.gov.au.

What do you want to do?

  • Apply for an initial certificate
  • Vary your existing certificate
  • Renew your existing certificate
  • Apply for a certificate with ANZA privileges
  • Replace a lost or damaged certificate

If you don’t know whether you need an operator’s certificate, please contact the Permission Application Centre on 131 757 or by email at regservices@casa.gov.au.

International operations

If you’re a foreign operator, you can find information on applications and requirements needed for foreign aircraft operations on our international operations page.

Air Operator's Certificate Manual Suite

Manual

Learn the national standard procedure for processing an AOC application including its related permissions by reading through the process manual.

  • AOC Process Manual

Handbooks

You can find more information about how to apply for your air operator’s certificate by reading the handbooks listed below:

  • AOC handbook volume 1 — General matters
  • AOC handbook volume 2 — Flying operations
  • AOC handbook volume 3 — Airworthiness
  • AOC handbook volume 4 — Specialist areas
  • AOC handbook volume 5 — International operations (Foreign air transport operators)

Forms

You can find a list of forms that you’ll need for your application on our air operator's certificate forms page.

Understanding the regulations

The following documents will help you understand how to comply with the regulations.

  • Civil Aviation Act 1988
  • Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR) 1998
  • Civil Aviation Orders (CAO)
  • Civil Aviation (Fees) Regulations 1995

You can find guidance material about some regulations and regulatory requirements on our advisory circulars page.

Support for air operators

You can find more information about air operator’s certificates below.

  • Search for an air operator’s certificate
  • Flying ops contacts
  • Seminars
  • Permission application centre
  • Manual authoring and assessment tool (MAAT). This is a free online tool to you write your expositions and manuals.
Last modified: 13 August 2018
Share this Share on facebook Share on twitter

Site information

  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of Information

Resources

  • Acronyms and abbreviations
  • Online store
  • Forms and templates
  • Media hub
  • Regulatory philosophy
  • Manuals and handbooks

Our other sites

  • Consultation Hub
  • Droneflyer
  • Flight Safety Australia
  • OnTrack
  • Out-n-Back
  • Visual Flight Rules Guide

Download our apps

  • Can I pack that?
  • Can I fly there?
  • Flight Safety Australia

Stay in touch

  • Phone: 131 757
  • Subscribe
  • Contact us

FacebookTwitterLinkedInYoutubeRSS Feed

View full site

View mobile site

Back to top of page