8130-3 vs EASA Form 1 vs Certificate of Conformity
Three documents show up on most aircraft parts quotes: the FAA Form 8130-3, the EASA Form 1 and the manufacturer's certificate of conformity. They look similar on a spreadsheet, but they come from different organizations and say different things about the part. Here's how to tell them apart and which one your operation is likely to need.
FAA Form 8130-3: Authorized Release Certificate
The 8130-3 is the FAA's airworthiness approval tag. It is issued by organizations the FAA has approved to do so: a production approval holder (or its designee) for new parts, or a 14 CFR Part 145 repair station for parts that have been overhauled, repaired, inspected or modified. The form identifies the part, its status (for example new, overhauled or repaired) and the work performed.
US operators generally treat an 8130-3 as the strongest single document for a part's eligibility, though FAA guidance (AC 20-62) recognizes other acceptable records, and the operator's own quality program decides what it will accept.
EASA Form 1: Authorised Release Certificate
The EASA Form 1 is the European equivalent. It is issued by an EASA-approved production organization for new parts, or by an EASA Part-145 maintenance organization for maintained parts. Operators under EASA oversight, and many operators elsewhere that follow EASA rules, need parts released on a Form 1.
Dual release
Under the bilateral agreement between the US and the EU, a US repair station that also holds EASA approval can issue an 8130-3 that carries an EASA release as well. That single "dual release" tag satisfies both FAA and EASA operators, which is why it matters so much for exchange units, lease returns and parts that may end up on aircraft in either system. If your fleet or your customer's fleet is EASA-regulated, ask for dual release on the request rather than discovering the gap at receiving.
Certificate of conformity (CoC)
A certificate of conformity is a statement from the manufacturer, or a distributor passing along the manufacturer's statement, that the part was made to its design data. CoCs are common for new parts and standard hardware. A CoC is not an airworthiness release in the way an 8130-3 or Form 1 is, so whether it's enough depends on the part and on your quality program. A CoC is most useful when the chain back to the manufacturer is clear, which is the purpose of distributor accreditation programs under FAA AC 00-56.
Side by side
| FAA 8130-3 | EASA Form 1 | Certificate of conformity | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who issues it | FAA production approval holders, designees, Part 145 repair stations | EASA-approved production and Part-145 organizations | Manufacturer, or distributor passing along the manufacturer's statement |
| Covers | New and maintained parts | New and maintained parts | Mostly new parts and standard hardware |
| Typical buyer | FAA-regulated operators and MROs | EASA-regulated operators and MROs | Depends on part type and quality program |
| Airworthiness release? | Yes | Yes | No, it's a conformity statement |
Paperwork beyond the tag
- Trace. Documents showing where the part has been, usually back to the last operator.
- Non-incident statement. A statement that the part wasn't involved in an accident or incident, and didn't come from an aircraft that was.
- Back-to-birth records. Full history from manufacture for life-limited parts, needed to confirm remaining life.
How we quote it
Every option on a Jet Aeroparts quote lists its certification, condition and trace next to price and lead time, so you can see exactly what ships before you approve. Tell us what your quality program requires on the request and we'll only send options that meet it.
General information, not regulatory advice. Check current FAA and EASA guidance and your own quality manual for what your operation must accept.