A new, overhauled or repaired aircraft part usually travels with a release certificate: an FAA Form 8130-3, an EASA Form 1 or a Transport Canada Form One. The part and its certificate belong together, and a courier's job is to move both without separating, damaging or mixing them up. This guide explains what each form is, what the FAA's own order says about handling it, how Transport Canada and EASA treat each other's forms, and what to tell a courier when an aircraft is waiting.
Quick answer
- All three forms are authorized release certificates that document the approval status of a part or component. The FAA calls its version the Airworthiness Approval Tag.
- The FAA's Order 8130.21F states that the form is not a delivery or shipping document, so it never replaces the waybill, and it must be correlated with the shipment it describes.
- Parts received without their certificate must not be mixed with parts that have one.
- Transport Canada states that EASA Form 1 and TCCA Form One certificates are mutually accepted for components. The receiving organization's own quality system still decides what it will take in.
- When you book, give the courier the part number, the serial number, the form type, where the original is, and who will inspect it on arrival.
What These Three Forms Are
| Form | Issued under | What it is | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAA Form 8130-3 | The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration | The "Authorized Release Certificate, Airworthiness Approval Tag" | The FAA lists the current edition as dated February 1, 2014. Order 8130.21F explains how to complete and use it |
| EASA Form 1 | The European Union Aviation Safety Agency | An authorized release certificate for components | Mutually accepted with TCCA Form One for components, according to Transport Canada |
| TCCA Form One | Transport Canada Civil Aviation | An authorized release certificate for components | Mutually accepted with EASA Form 1 for components, according to Transport Canada |
In the FAA's words, the 8130-3 is the preferred way to document the approval of products, parts and appliances, and it is also used to document approval for return to service after maintenance. The certificate answers one question for the receiving organization: what is the approval status of this part? It does not answer where the part is or whether it has arrived, and that is where the courier comes in.
What the FAA Order Says That Matters to a Courier
FAA Order 8130.21F is written for the people who issue and use the form, not for couriers. Several of its rules still shape how a part should be moved:
- It is not a shipping document. The order says the form is not a delivery or shipping document. Keep the waybill and the certificate as two separate papers, and never treat one as the other.
- It must match the shipment. The order requires the certificate to be correlated with the shipment. In practice that means the part number and serial number on the paper must match the part in the box.
- No mixing. Parts received without a certificate must not be commingled with parts that have one. A tote of mixed parts, where some tags are missing, is a problem for the receiver before the first part is even unpacked.
- It does not approve installation. The form does not approve installing a part on a particular aircraft, engine or propeller, and aircraft themselves are not released with it. It is evidence about the part, not permission for a specific job.
- Format rules exist. The order allows computer-generated forms that duplicate the original format, requires entries in permanent ink and in English, and provides for electronic signatures. A certificate that is smudged, torn or water-damaged can raise questions for the receiver.
Canada and Europe: One Form or Two?
For components, Transport Canada says that EASA Form 1 and TCCA Form One authorized release certificates are mutually accepted by EASA and TCCA. The change is set out in a letter dated January 24, 2025, co-issued with EASA, and it follows an amendment to the Maintenance Annex Guidance signed on July 12, 2024. Transport Canada also says approved maintenance organizations that maintain products other than aircraft no longer need a specific approval under the EU-Canada bilateral agreement, and that they no longer have to add an approval number in block 12 of either form.
Two cautions apply. First, Transport Canada notes that organizations may still need to show evidence of acceptance when particular circumstances or customers require it. Second, the FAA order describes its own conditions for European authorities to recognize an 8130-3 for return to service, so an FAA tag headed to a European customer is a separate question from an EASA Form 1 headed to a Canadian one. Before an urgent part leaves, ask the receiving quality department which form it will accept. That is a two-minute call, and it is cheaper than a part that cannot be installed.
How a Courier Should Handle the Paperwork
- Confirm what travels. The original with the part, a copy with the part, or the certificate sent electronically. The shipper's quality system decides, and the courier writes it down.
- Check the match at pickup. Compare the part number and serial number on the certificate with the part and the packing slip. If they differ, stop and call before the vehicle moves.
- Protect the paper. Keep it flat, dry and clean, in a sleeve or pouch attached to or packed with the part as the shipper directs. No staples, no stamps, no handwriting, and no folding.
- Keep pairs together. When a shipment holds several parts, each certificate stays with its own part. Bag and label them so they cannot be swapped.
- Photograph before sealing. A clear photo of the tag and the part, if the shipper agrees, is useful if a question comes up later. Our guide to chain of custody explains what to record.
- Hand over to a named person. Receiving inspection or stores, with a printed name, signature and time. Do not leave an aviation part and its paperwork at a front desk.
- Report problems immediately. A missing, damaged or mismatched certificate is reported to the shipper at once. The courier does not rewrite, recreate or "fix" it.
Common Problems and What to Do
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| Certificate is missing at pickup | Do not load the part until the shipper confirms whether the paper is coming separately. Parts without a certificate should not be mixed with certified ones |
| Serial number on the paper does not match the part | Stop and call the shipper. Do not carry on and hope the receiver sorts it out |
| Certificate is damaged in transit | Photograph it, keep it with the part, and tell the shipper and the receiver straight away |
| Receiver is closed when the courier arrives | Agree a contact and a secure alternative in advance. Without one, the part stays with the courier under a documented hold |
| Shipment holds several parts with different tags | Label each part and its tag as a pair and list the pairs on the delivery record |
What to Tell the Courier When You Book
- Part number, serial number or batch number, and the form type (8130-3, EASA Form 1 or Form One).
- Where the original is, who is sending it, and whether it travels with the part or separately.
- The name, phone number and receiving hours of the person who will inspect the part.
- The deadline, such as the departure time of the aircraft, and whether this is an AOG case. See our guide to AOG parts delivery for MRO teams.
- Size, weight, crate or packaging, and any handling note. For heavy items, see oversized aircraft parts delivery.
- Whether the part is also dangerous goods, such as a battery. If it is, read shipping batteries by courier and our TDG basics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an FAA 8130-3 and an EASA Form 1?
Both are authorized release certificates, but they are issued under different authorities and rules. The FAA form is governed by FAA Order 8130.21F. For components, Transport Canada says EASA Form 1 and TCCA Form One are mutually accepted. Which form a receiving organization will take is a question for its quality department.
Is the airworthiness approval tag a shipping document?
No. FAA Order 8130.21F says the form is not a delivery or shipping document. It documents the approval status of a part, while the waybill and the delivery record document the movement.
Can a courier carry the certificate separately from the part?
Only if the shipper's quality system allows it. The FAA order requires the certificate to be correlated with the shipment, so any separate routing should be agreed in writing and recorded with the part and serial numbers.
Does Canada accept an EASA Form 1?
Transport Canada states that EASA Form 1 and TCCA Form One certificates are mutually accepted for components. Organizations may still need to show evidence of acceptance in some cases, so confirm with the receiving organization before an urgent shipment leaves.
What happens if the certificate is lost or damaged?
The courier cannot replace it. The shipper contacts the issuer of the certificate, and the part is held until the receiving organization decides what to accept. Report the problem at once so the part is not mixed with certified stock.
Keep the Part and Its Paper Together
A release certificate is only useful if it arrives with the right part, readable and in the right hands. Brief the courier on the form type, the match between paper and part, and the person who signs for it, and most paperwork problems disappear before the vehicle leaves.
Rush Expedited Courier handles aircraft parts and AOG work from Montréal, with dispatch around the clock. Send the part details and the destination through the quote form, or browse our courier services.
Sources and Further Reading
Facts on this page were checked against the sources below on October 28, 2026.
- FAA: Order 8130.21F, Procedures for Completion and Use of the Authorized Release Certificate, FAA Form 8130-3, Airworthiness Approval Tag
- FAA: Form 8130-3, Authorized Release Certificate, Airworthiness Approval Tag (form information page)
- Transport Canada: Mutual acceptance of EASA and TCCA Authorized Release Certificate for components