Does the seller send a copy of the Bill of Sale to the FAA, or does the buyer only send that in??

I've never sold a plane before, but have recently purchased one and I sent the registration and bill of sale to the FAA. So far as I know the seller didn't send anything in, and now the airplane shows up under my name on the FAA Registration search and recently received the new registration in the mail, indicating a successful transfer of ownership.

Thanks, aaron

Buyer only

do what it says on the form

The seller takes the registration card out of the plane and sends it to the FAA indicating they sold it and put the buyer's name on it. The buyer sends in a new registration application and bill of sale.

Previous owner of a plane I used to own didn't send in the registration when he sold it to me so now the FAA records include a copy of a letter the FAA sent him asking him to verify he indeed sold it to me and his response back to the FAA.

Glidergeek wrote:do what it says on the form

The instructions are somewhat ambiguous as to who sends the form, hence my query here, thanks

The main reason I asked is because of a weird set of circumstances concerning the recent sale of my 140, where I just wanted to make sure the FAA knew I didn't own the plane anymore. Anyway just got off the phone with the buyer and all questions have been answered.

AndrewK wrote:The seller takes the registration card out of the plane and sends it to the FAA indicating they sold it and put the buyer's name on it. The buyer sends in a new registration application and bill of sale.

Previous owner of a plane I used to own didn't send in the registration when he sold it to me so now the FAA records include a copy of a letter the FAA sent him asking him to verify he indeed sold it to me and his response back to the FAA.

Thanks Andrew!! I took my registration out prior to sale but failed to read the back!! That's why I was wondering if the new owner never sends it in, how would they know?!?! Learn something new everyday!

It may be different now with the triennial registration renewals, but it used to be that sometimes a tail number look-up on the FAA database would come me up as "Sale Reported" for an owner's name (with an address). That usually meant that the seller reported the sale (sent in the registration) but the buyer never sent in the bill of sale & registration application.

I know it goes against the grain for most of us guys, but it's amazing how reading the instructions answers many questions!

Cary