Under 14 CFR 48.15, you may not fly an eligible small unmanned aircraft unless it is registered and marked. The exception is an aircraft that weighs 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff and is flown exclusively under the recreational statute, 49 U.S.C. 44809. Military aircraft are also excluded.
The rule in plain words
The text of 48.15 sets up three ways to be on the right side of the rule. The owner has registered and marked the aircraft under Part 48. Or the aircraft is operated only under 44809 and weighs 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff. Or it belongs to the U.S. Armed Forces.
That means the weight line is not a free pass for everyone. The light-weight exception needs two things at once: the weight and the recreational basis. A small drone flown for work does not qualify just because it is light.
How the weight is counted
The 0.55 pound figure is about 250 grams. The regulation counts everything on board or attached to the aircraft at takeoff. A drone that is under the line as sold can go over it once you add a larger battery, a propeller guard, a payload clip or a lighting kit.
So weigh the drone the way you fly it. Put on the battery, the accessories and anything else that leaves the ground with it, then read the scale. Write the number down with the date and configuration. If you swap accessories often, record the heaviest setup.
How long a registration lasts
Under paragraph (c) of 14 CFR 48.100, a certificate of aircraft registration expires 3 years after the date of issue unless it is renewed. Renewal means verifying that the information on file is accurate, or submitting updates if it is not. The text allows that verification in the six months before the expiration month.
Registration also ends early in some cases. The regulation lists foreign registration, destruction or scrapping of the aircraft, loss of U.S. citizenship by the holder, and the holder's death, which takes effect 30 days afterward.
A short checklist
- Weigh the drone with its battery and every accessory you fly with.
- If it is over 0.55 pounds, or you fly it for anything other than recreation, plan on registration and marking.
- Put the expiry date in a calendar with a reminder for the renewal window.
- Keep the registration details current if you sell, scrap or hand over the drone.
- Check the FAA's own pages for the current fee and the marking method, because neither appeared in the regulation text I read for this post.
Why registration comes up in other rules
Remote ID, covered in a separate post, applies to operators of aircraft that are registered or required to be registered. So the registration question usually comes first, and it decides which other rules you need to look at.
Quick check
Is a 249 gram drone always exempt from registration?
No. The exception in 48.15 also requires that the aircraft be operated exclusively under 49 U.S.C. 44809. If you fly it for anything beyond recreation, the light-weight exception does not apply. Also count every accessory on board at takeoff.
How often must registration be renewed?
A certificate expires 3 years after the date of issue unless renewed, according to paragraph (c) of 14 CFR 48.100. Renewal involves verifying or updating the information on file.
Sources
- 14 CFR 48.15, eCFR: registration requirement and the 0.55 pound exception.
- 14 CFR 48.100, eCFR: certificate expiry and renewal.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
