N-number lookup: how to look up any aircraft
Every US aircraft carries an N-number — the registration painted on its tail — and behind that N-number sits a public FAA record: what the aircraft is, who owns it, where it's registered, and whether its paperwork is current. Looking one up is the single most common task in aviation records, whether you're vetting a purchase, checking the jet that just landed, or chasing down a plane you used to fly.
The catch has never been access — the FAA registry is free — it's the tool. This guide covers what an N-number lookup returns, where the official inquiry falls short, and how to search the registry the way you actually think.
What an N-number lookup returns
Punch in a registration and the record ties that N-number to a specific airframe by serial number, along with:
- Manufacturer, model, and year — what the aircraft actually is
- Registered owner, with city and state
- Registration status — valid, expired, deregistered, or exported — and the dates
- Airworthiness classification and certification dates
- Engine model and horsepower
- Mode S code (hex and octal) — the aircraft's transponder identity
Where the FAA's own tool runs out
The FAA's N-number inquiry works fine if you already have the N-number. The moment you don't — you know the owner's name, or the model and the city, or half a registration you read at a distance — you're bounced across fourteen separate inquiry pages, each searching one field at a time, none of them combinable.
AvDB searches the same federal record the way you'd describe it out loud: “SR22 Columbus OH” returns the four SR22s registered in Columbus. “Mooney Ohio” works. An owner's name works. Every word narrows the result, in any order, and the true count always shows. The registry stops being a form and becomes a question you ask.
- 1
Open Registry search
AvDB's search box defaults to the Registry source — 600,000+ current FAA registrations.
- 2
Type what you know
A tail number, an owner, a make and model, a city or state — or any mix. “Cessna IL Chicago 172” narrows 600,000 aircraft to 18.
- 3
Open the full record
Every result opens the complete registry file — with the aircraft's last known position on a map, and one-tap links to its airport and its encyclopedia entry.
Reading the record like a pro
A few fields carry more signal than the rest. A recent certificate issue date on an older airframe means a recent ownership change. Registration type “LLC” or a trustee bank as the owner means the practical operator is one step removed from the paperwork. An expiration date creeping close explains why a seller is suddenly motivated.
And one field the FAA record won't give you at all: history. For that — previous owners, registration events, and whether the airframe has ever been in an NTSB report — see the aircraft history and owner lookup guides below.
Frequently asked questions
Is an N-number lookup free?+
Yes. FAA registration records are public, and AvDB includes free registry searches — with the full record, last-known position, and cross-links that the official inquiry doesn't offer.
What's the difference between an N-number and a tail number?+
For US aircraft, nothing — every American registration starts with N, so the tail number is the N-number. Other countries use their own prefixes (C- for Canada, G- for the UK).
Can I look up an aircraft by owner instead of tail number?+
In AvDB, yes — type the owner's name (quoted phrases work too) and every aircraft registered to them comes back. The FAA site puts name search on a separate inquiry page that can't be combined with model or location.
How current is the registry data?+
The FAA updates its releasable registry each federal working day, and AvDB syncs continuously from it — plus daily ADS-B snapshots for each aircraft's last known position.
Run it in AvDB
The whole federal record, one search box
Every lookup in this guide is a single search in AvDB — free to download, with free searches every month.