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Overview Part 139 Airport Certification

What is Part 139?
On this page …
Air Carriers using Part 139 Guidance
Airports
Regulations
Contacts
Helicopter Operations at Part 139
Airports Regional Supplemental Guidance

Airports Affected
U.S. airports serving certain air carrier operations are required to be certificated by the FAA. Under 14 CFR
Part 139, Certification of Airports (Part 139), the FAA issues Airport Operating Certificates to allow airport
Certification Process
operators to serve the following air carrier passenger operations:
Classes of Airports
Scheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft with more than 9 seats
Definitions (with some exceptions for airports in the State of Alaska); and
Unscheduled passenger-carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft with at least 31
FAQs
passenger seats.

The FAA issues Airport Operating Certificates to airports that comply with safety and emergency response
requirements specified in Part 139. Such requirements cover a wide range of issues, including signs, lights
and markings, runway safety, aircraft rescue and firefighting, aviation fueling safety, snow and ice control,
and wildlife hazard management.

Currently, the FAA certificates approximately 520 US airports. The FAA maintains a list of US airports
certificated under Part 139, which is updated monthly (see Part 139 Airport Certification Status List below).

In February 2023, Part 139 was updated to include new requirements for safety management systems (SMS)
for certain airports certificated under Part 139. These airports must develop and implement an SMS program
to identify and quantify potential hazards and risks and adopt processes to manage them. For more
information on these new Part 139 requirements, please go to Safety Management Systems (SMS) for
Airports and Airport Projects.

Part 139 Airports

Part 139 Airport Certification Status List
List of certificated airports by state, name, associated city, and identifier. It also identifies Part 139
classification, ARFF index, inactive status, and large hub airports. This list is updated every 28 days
with data pulled from the Airport Data and Information Portal. As of 2/2023, the list also includes SMS
Triggers and whether an SMS waiver has been granted.

Guidance
Advisory Circulars
 Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF)
Airport Certification Program Handbook, Order 5280.5
Application for Airport Operating Certificate, Form 5280-1
CertAlerts
External SMS - Part 139 Airports
Part 139 Presentation: Safety Enhancements Final Rule (2013) (PDF)
Sample Airport Certification Manual
Small Entity (SBREFA) Compliance Guide (PDF) | MS Word (1.3 MB)
Wildlife Hazard Mitigation

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Regulations
Current Part 139 Regulation

Other
Subject/Title Date Formats

Part 139 with Corrections (No Preamble) Includes corrections through PDF
(updated 4/24/2023) 4/24/2023

Past Part 139 Rulemaking, Final Rule, and Related Documents

Other
Subject/Title Date Formats

Part 139 Safety Enhancements, Certification ofAirports (78 FR 3311) (PDF) 1/16/2013 HTML

Corrections to Final Rule (69 FR 31522) (PDF) 6/4/2004

Corrections to Part 139 Final Rule (69 FR 24069) (PDF) 5/3/2004

February 2004 Part 139 Final Rule (with Preamble) (PDF) 2/10/2004

Report to Congress: Economic Impact of Changes to Part 139 on Air 12/2003

Service at Airports Serving Small Air Carrier Aircraft (PDF, 2.9 MB)

Part 139 Regulatory Evaluation (PDF, 2 MB) 11/21/2001

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Contacts
Part 139 Certification Contacts

Type of Inquiry Contact Office Telephone

General Anthony Airport Safety and Operations (202) 267-

Butters Division 9616
 Type of Inquiry Contact Office Telephone

Specific Airport --- Regional Airports Office ---

Press Brittany Press Office Contact (202) 340-

Trotter Information 5249

Aircraft Rescue and Fire Marc Airport Safety and Operations (202) 267-
Fighting Tonnacliff Division 8732

Safety Management Systems Jim Schroeder Airport Safety and Operations (202) 267-
(SMS) Division 4974

Wildlife John Weller Airport Safety and Operations (202) 267-

Division 3778

Wildlife Amy Anderson Airport Safety and Operations (202) 267-

Division 7205

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Regional Supplemental Guidance

Additional guidance on this topic is available for the following regions of the country:

Central (IA, KS, MO, NE)

New England (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
Northwest Mountain (CO, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, WY)
Southern (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN, VI)
Southwest (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)

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 Contact Us
Airport Safety & Operations Division
Regional & Airport District Offices
FAA Aviation Safety Hotline

Diesel Exhaust Fluid and Fuel System Icing Inhibitor

Video
Control of Fuel System Icing Inhibitor and Diesel Exhaust Fluid at Airports

FAA Disclaimer: The Energy Institute (EI) produced the video. The EI is a non-profit chartered professional membership
body, based in the United Kingdom, that brings together professionals working globally across the energy sector. The
body works to address global challenges and uses their skills and knowledge to suggest safety practices that also protect
the environment. The FAA encourages users of the aviation system to clearly and safely label Diesel Exhaust Fluid and
Fuel System Icing Inhibitor and keep them stored in separate areas, to avoid any accidental mixing of fluids.

Last updated: Wednesday, December 20, 2023

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