FAA 8130-3 vs EASA Form 1 vs dual release: which certificate to ask for
The same part number can arrive with an FAA 8130-3, an EASA Form 1, a "dual release" or a certificate of conformity, and receiving inspection may accept one and quarantine the next. What decides it is which half of the form was signed, by whom, and where the aircraft is registered. Below: what each document certifies, when the EU and the FAA accept each other's paperwork, why tags get rejected, and what to write in the RFQ.
The short answer
FAA Form 8130-3 and EASA Form 1 are the same kind of document under two authorities: an authorized release certificate with two halves. Block 13 (left) is a production release: the item was made to approved design data and is in a condition for safe operation. Block 14 (right) is a maintenance release: an approved maintainer did the work in blocks 11 and 12 and releases the item to service. A dual release exists only on the maintenance side.
| Document | New part: signed by | After maintenance: signed by | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAA Form 8130-3 | FAA inspector, designee or ODA unit member, or a production approval holder with release procedures under 14 CFR 21.137(o) | A person 14 CFR 43.7 allows to approve for return to service: part 145 repair station, part 121/135 air carrier, certificated mechanic, manufacturer for its own work | US system. New parts also in the EU; used parts in the EU only as a dual release (or an EASA-only release) |
| EASA Form 1 | EASA-approved production organisation (Part 21 Subpart G) | Part-145 organisation; also Part-M Subpart F and Part-CAO organisations, within a narrower scope | EU system. New parts also in the US; used parts for US aircraft only as a dual release |
| Dual release | Not applicable | An organisation holding both FAA part 145 and EASA Part-145 approval, located in the US or an EU Member State | US- and EU-registered aircraft |
| UK CAA Form 1 | UK-approved production organisation | UK CAA-approved maintenance organisation | UK system; the EU accepts it for new parts only |
| TCCA Form One | Canadian manufacturer | Transport Canada approved maintenance organisation (AMO) | Canadian system; also accepted by EASA and the UK CAA |
| Manufacturer's CoC | Manufacturer of a standard part | Not applicable | Standard parts in both systems |
Production or maintenance release: read block 11 first
Block 11, "Status/Work", tells you which release you hold. A production-side release reads
NEW, or PROTOTYPE for an item made to data not yet approved (and
USED on an FAA export airworthiness approval for a used item). A
maintenance release uses one of four terms, the same for the FAA and EASA:
OVERHAULED, REPAIRED, INSPECTED/TESTED or
MODIFIED, with the standard used described in block 12. Production- and
maintenance-released items may not be mixed on one form.
- A prototype tag does not make a part eligible for an in-service aircraft. Look for block 13a ticked "non-approved design data specified in block 12".
- New surplus can carry a later 8130-3. After a new item leaves the manufacturer's quality system, an FAA-authorized person may issue an 8130-3 once satisfied it is undamaged and airworthy. Issued at a distributor, block 12 must read "The product or article shipped under this approval was produced by [PAH name and CM project number]."
INSPECTED/TESTEDcan cover a part with no earlier release, such as one removed serviceable from an aircraft, including a teardown. EASA guidance then expects block 12 to say who last maintained or made it and when, and to list known ADs, repairs, modifications and life used.- Neither form is a shipping document or authority to install. The installer still decides.
The FAA rewrote its instructions in 2025. Order 8130.21J (signed 25 September 2025, effective 60 days later) now covers only production use of the form; the 8130-3 as a return to service moved to AC 43-9D. A quality manual still quoting Order 8130.21H cites a cancelled document.
When the EU accepts an 8130-3, and the FAA an EASA Form 1
Two documents under the EU–US safety agreement decide this. New parts: the Technical Implementation Procedures (TIP), Revision 7 with Amendment 1, effective 10 June 2025. Maintenance: the Maintenance Annex Guidance (MAG), Change 10, in force since 10 October 2025. Change 10 added a safety management system requirement for US repair stations holding EASA approval; the release rules below carried over.
New parts
Each side accepts the other's production release: an 8130-3 marked NEW from a US production approval holder in the EU, an EASA Form 1 marked NEW from an EU production organisation in the US. No dual release is involved. Two exceptions:
- PMA parts. For a product EASA has certified or validated, block 12 of the 8130-3 should carry a TIP statement, usually "This PMA part is not a critical component." AC 43-9D itself notes that some EASA-based air carriers do not accept PMA parts, so say whether you do.
- Standard parts travel on a manufacturer's certificate of conformity (see below).
Used parts for an EU-registered aircraft
A part maintained by a US repair station needs an 8130-3 issued as a dual maintenance release by a station that also holds EASA Part-145 approval and was rated for the item. Used components from a part 145 station without EASA approval "must not be used even if accompanied by FAA Form 8130-3" (MAG Section B, Appendix 1, 10.11.2.2). A correct FAA/EASA dual release shows:
- Both boxes in block 14a ticked: "14 CFR 43.9 Return to Service" and "Other regulation specified in Block 12".
- In block 12: "Certifies that the work specified in block 11/12 was carried out in accordance with EASA Part-145 and in respect to that work the component is considered ready for release to service under EASA Part-145 Approval Number [number]."
- Also in block 12: the approved data with its revision, and any ADs, repairs, alterations and PMA parts.
- A signature in 14b and the FAA repair station certificate number in 14c.
EASA publishes the status of Part-145 approvals held in the USA, so the number can be checked.
Used parts for a US-registered aircraft
The release must come from someone 14 CFR 43.7 authorizes. An EU organisation qualifies by also holding an FAA part 145 certificate and issuing an EASA Form 1 as a dual release: both boxes in 14a, and in block 12 a statement that the work was done "in accordance with 14 CFR part 43" under its FAA certificate number. A Form 1 from an organisation with no FAA certificate is not a US return to service.
Two traps
- One single-release sub-part spoils the assembly. A unit overhauled with it cannot be dual-released; the MAG gives the wording for a release eligible "only on an EU-registered aircraft", or only on a US-registered one.
- An 8130-3 cannot be a triple release. It covers the FAA plus one other authority, so a US shop serving EU and UK aircraft issues separate FAA/EASA and FAA/UK releases.
UK CAA Form 1 and TCCA Form One
UK. Since Brexit, UK-approved organisations release on a CAA Form 1. EASA accepts it for new parts but not as a maintenance release: a used part for an EU aircraft needs an EASA Form 1. Into the UK, an 8130-3 for a used part issued after 31 December 2024 must be a dual FAA/CAA (or single CAA) release; an FAA/EASA dual release counts only if issued on or before that date. For a used part released in the EU after 31 December 2022, the UK wants a CAA Form 1 from an organisation holding UK approval; new parts on an EASA Form 1 are accepted.
Canada. Under an amendment signed on 12 July 2024 and applied from 16 November 2024, EASA and Transport Canada mutually accept EASA Form 1 and TCCA Form One for components other than whole aircraft, with no approval number needed in block 12. The UK CAA accepts TCCA Form One with a dual or single release. In the US, 14 CFR 43.17 lets a Transport Canada AMO return US products located in Canada to service under the US–Canada agreement.
CoC, manufacturer certificates and standard parts
A standard part is made to a published specification anyone may manufacture to, such as NAS,
AN, SAE or EN: a NAS1149 washer, an MS20426 rivet. EASA's guidance
says no Form 1 is normally issued for these, "and, therefore, none should be expected"; the
paperwork should contain "a conformity statement plus both the manufacturing and supplier
source". Both sides of the EU–US agreement accept standard parts on a manufacturer's
certificate of conformity.
- Manufacturer's CoC for a standard part: the normal release.
- Distributor's CoC: the seller's statement. Useful trace, not an airworthiness release. Under EU rules a part needs an EASA Form 1 or equivalent unless it falls in a short list of exceptions, standard parts among them (21.A.307).
- "Manufacturer cert" on a quote can mean the manufacturer's own 8130-3 or Form 1, or only its CoC. Ask which.
The US system is less prescriptive: 14 CFR 21.137(o) asks for release procedures only "if the production approval holder intends to issue those documents", and Order 8130.21J lists a shipping document, certificate of conformance or material certification among evidence of production under part 21. Your operator's procedures decide what receiving accepts. For trace chains and suspect paperwork, see How to verify an aircraft parts supplier.
What suppliers actually put on the quote
In supplier quotes we received between June and September 2026, about 112,000 offer lines for 13,316 part numbers, 46.6% of lines named no certificate at all. Of all lines: CoC 13.9%, FAA 8130-3 12.8%, EASA Form 1 8.8%, manufacturer's certificate 7.6%, FAA/EASA dual release 4.4%, other wording 6.0%. Traceability was stated on 44.3% of lines.
Nearly half of all quote lines name no certificate, so do not count on one being stated unless you ask for it. And "8130-3" on a quote line is shorthand: it does not say whether the tag is a production or a maintenance release, or single or dual. For a used part going onto an EU aircraft, confirm before you order and ask for a copy of the tag with the quote.
Why tags get rejected at receiving inspection
| What is wrong | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Part number, serial number or quantity does not match the part | The certificate must be correlated with the item and the shipment. |
| Block 12 says only "IAW CMM" | EASA: "A statement such as 'in accordance with the CMM' is not acceptable." The FAA asks for the data used and its revision level. |
| "Dual release" with one box ticked in 14a, or no EASA statement and approval number in block 12 | A dual release needs both boxes and the EASA Part-145 statement. A form with only "Other regulation specified in Block 12" ticked and the EASA statement is a valid EU-only release; it cannot go on a US-registered aircraft. |
| Used part on an FAA-only 8130-3, for an EU aircraft | Not acceptable even with an 8130-3 (MAG). |
| Block 11 term does not fit the half that was signed | NEW, PROTOTYPE (and USED on an FAA export approval) belong to block 13; the four maintenance terms to block 14. |
| No signature in 14b, or no certificate number in 14c | Only a specifically authorized person may sign, with the certificate number. |
| Form 1 marked "THIS IS NOT A RELEASE UNDER ANNEX II (PART-145)", for an airline aircraft | Part-M Subpart F and Part-CAO organisations work outside complex motor-powered aircraft and licensed air carriers. |
| PMA part for an EASA-certified product, no TIP statement | TIP 7.11 asks for the "not a critical component" or licensing statement. |
| Photocopy that cannot be tied to the part, or a split-lot copy with no annotation | Copies are allowed, but an issuer's copies must be identified as copies (e.g. COPY or DUPLICATE). Whoever splits a bulk lot records quantity, a tracking number, name, address and date. |
Neither authority limits the number of copies, and a corrected form must carry a new tracking number and reference the one it corrects. Whether receiving takes a copy instead of the original is your own procedure, so put it in the RFQ.
What to write in the RFQ
Put the requirement on the line, next to the condition you accept (see aircraft part condition codes):
| Part goes onto | Condition | Write: "Certificate required: …" |
|---|---|---|
| EU-registered aircraft | New (NE, NS, FN) | "EASA Form 1 NEW or FAA 8130-3 NEW. PMA acceptable / not acceptable." |
| EU-registered aircraft | Used (OH, RP, SV, IN) | "EASA Form 1 from a Part-145 organisation, or FAA 8130-3 dual release FAA/EASA with the EASA 145 approval number in block 12. FAA-only 8130-3 (only the 14 CFR 43.9 box ticked) not acceptable." |
| US-registered aircraft | New | "FAA 8130-3 NEW or EASA Form 1 NEW," or the manufacturer's paperwork you accept. |
| US-registered aircraft | Used | "FAA 8130-3 return to service (14 CFR 43.9) from a part 145 repair station, or EASA Form 1 dual release from an EU organisation with an FAA part 145 certificate." |
| UK-registered aircraft | Used | "UK CAA Form 1, FAA 8130-3 dual release FAA/CAA, or TCCA Form One." |
| Any | Standard parts | "Manufacturer's CoC to [specification], with manufacturer, supplier and lot number." |
Then, once for the whole request:
- "Send a copy of the tag and trace with the quote."
- "Original certificate required," if your receiving needs it.
- For overhauled units bound for an EU aircraft: "Confirm no single-release sub-parts installed."
- For life-limited parts: how far back the trace must go.
The RFQ guide covers the rest of the line.
Send the RFQ with the certificate on each line
Email your list to [email protected] as it is, in Excel, PDF, a scan or the email body, five lines or five hundred, with the certificate you need written next to each line. Your inquiry will be reviewed by a specialist within one business day. In our client portal every quoted line shows the certificates stated, and the purchase order has a "certificate needed" tick per line and a note field for exactly this.
Our client portal, RFQ Radar, keeps every quote, order and invoice in one place.
Sources
- FAA — Order 8130.21J, Completion of FAA Form 8130-3 under Part 21 (25 September 2025; cancels Order 8130.21H Change 1)
- FAA — AC 43-9D, Maintenance Records and FAA Form 8130-3 Return to Service (22 September 2025, editorial update 30 April 2026)
- Aviation Suppliers Association — New guidance on completing the 8130-3 (2 November 2025)
- eCFR — 14 CFR part 21 (§ 21.9 replacement and modification articles; § 21.137(o) authorized release documents)
- eCFR — 14 CFR part 43 (§ 43.7 persons authorized to approve for return to service; § 43.9 records; § 43.17 Canadian persons)
- eCFR — 14 CFR part 145 (§ 145.201 privileges and limitations)
- FAA — US-EU Safety Agreement, Maintenance Annex Guidance and EASA — US-EU MAG Change 10 (entry into force 10 October 2025): Section B, Appendix 1, paragraph 10; Section C, Appendix 1, paragraph 7
- FAA — InFO 24007 Revision 1, SMS requirement for US repair stations holding EASA Part 145 certification (revised 8 July 2025)
- FAA — US-EU Technical Implementation Procedures, Revision 7 with Amendment 1 (effective 10 June 2025): paragraphs 2.3.5, 7.10, 7.11
- EASA — Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness, Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 (revision from September 2025): 145.A.42 and AMC/GM, 145.A.50 with AMC2 145.A.50(d) and GM 145.A.50(d), M.A.501, M.A.601, CAO.A.010, Part-M Appendix II (EASA Form 1 for maintenance)
- EASA — Easy Access Rules for Initial Airworthiness, Regulation (EU) No 748/2012 (revision from November 2025): 21.A.163, 21.A.307, Part 21 Appendix I (EASA Form 1 for production)
- EASA — FAQ 66700: component release documents acceptable under Part-145 and its reference table (2024)
- EASA — EASA Part-145 organisations located in the USA
- FAA — InFO 22004, Changes to certification requirements for US repair stations seeking UK Part 145 approval (15 November 2022)
- FAA — UK MIP webinar, audience questions (15 November 2022)
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — Guidance on acceptance of components
- Transport Canada — Mutual acceptance of EASA and TCCA Authorized Release Certificates for components