Is my flight legal in Canada?
A paid charter in Canada needs two things: an air operator certificate from Transport Canada under Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations, and a licence from the Canadian Transportation Agency with the required liability insurance.
- Safety regulator
- Transport Canada
- Certificate
- Air operator certificate
- Licensing body
- Canadian Transportation Agency
- Domestic licences
- Canadian carriers only
Who may fly you
A Canadian air operator holding an air operator certificate that authorizes the service, issued by Transport Canada, and a licence from the Canadian Transportation Agency, with the prescribed liability insurance. Domestic licences go only to Canadian-owned and controlled carriers. A foreign operator needs a Canadian foreign air operator certificate and its own Agency licence or permit for international flights.
The question to ask is simple: which company operates the flight, and does it hold the right certificate and licence for this aircraft? The operator may be a different company from the one selling you the flight.
Every flight we arrange is flown by a certified operator named on your quote. Our broker disclosure explains our role, and our safety page explains how we check operators.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 700.02, air operator certificateJustice Laws: Canada Transportation Act (S.C. 1996, c. 10), Part II, sections 55, 57, 59 and 61Canadian Transportation Agency: licences and charter permits
The air operator certificate
Section 700.02 of the Canadian Aviation Regulations says no person shall operate an air transport service unless they hold, and comply with, an air operator certificate that authorizes that service. To issue one, Transport Canada must be satisfied that the applicant has a management structure, approved managers including an operations manager and chief pilot, an operational control system, a training programme, maintenance control and at least one aircraft in its legal custody.
Owners can fly their own aircraft under a private operator registration and a management agreement, but only where no third party pays for the flight. That is not a route for selling flights to the public.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 700.02, air operator certificateJustice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 703.07, issue of an air operator certificate
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Air taxi, commuter and airline operations
Part VII sorts commercial operations by aircraft size. The certificate names the subpart the operator is approved for, and the aircraft has to fit it.
| Subpart | Aircraft it covers |
|---|---|
| 703, air taxi | Single-engined aircraft; multi-engined aircraft other than turbo-jet aeroplanes with a maximum take-off weight of 8,618 kg or less and nine passenger seats or fewer; single-pilot multi-engined helicopters flown under VFR |
| 704, commuter | Multi-engined aeroplanes of 8,618 kg or less with 10 to 19 passenger seats; turbo-jet aeroplanes with a maximum zero fuel weight of 22,680 kg or less, certified for no more than 19 passengers; multi-engined helicopters with 10 to 19 passenger seats |
| 705, airline | Other aeroplanes over 8,618 kg or certified for 20 or more passengers; helicopters with 20 or more passenger seats |
Transport Canada may also authorize an aircraft to be operated under any of these subparts.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 703.01, application of Subpart 3Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 704.01, application of Subpart 4Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 705.01, application of Subpart 5Transport Canada: Standard 723, Air Taxi: Helicopters (Commercial Air Service Standards)Transport Canada: Standard 724, Commuter Operations: Aeroplanes (Commercial Air Service Standards)
The licence to sell and operate air services
Under section 57 of the Canada Transportation Act, no one may operate an air service unless they hold a licence from the Agency, a Canadian aviation document such as the air operator certificate, and the prescribed liability insurance. Section 59 bars anyone from selling or publicly offering for sale in Canada an air service unless, where the Act requires it, the person holds a licence for that service.
The Agency issues licences for domestic air services to Canadian applicants only, and licences for international services to Canadian and foreign applicants. Canadian means at least 51% of voting interests owned and controlled by Canadians, with no single non-Canadian holding more than 25%. International charter flights may also need an Agency permit, advance notice or a report after the flight.
A foreign operator flying into Canada also needs a Canadian foreign air operator certificate from Transport Canada, except for overflights and technical stops.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canada Transportation Act (S.C. 1996, c. 10), Part II, sections 55, 57, 59 and 61Canadian Transportation Agency: licences and charter permitsJustice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 701.02, Canadian foreign air operator certificate
What a broker does, and does not do
A broker arranges a flight on your behalf with a licensed operator. The broker does not fly the aircraft and is not the operator. The operator holds the air operator certificate and the Agency licence and is responsible for the flight, the crew and the aircraft.
We act as broker. The operator's name, its certificate and its Agency licence appear on your quote.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canada Transportation Act (S.C. 1996, c. 10), Part II, sections 55, 57, 59 and 61Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 700.02, air operator certificate
How to check an operator
- 01Ask who the operator is
Get the full company name of the operator, which can differ from the brand or the seller.
- 02Ask for the AOC and the subpart
A Canadian operator holds a Transport Canada air operator certificate. Ask which subpart covers your aircraft: 703, 704 or 705.
- 03Look up the licence
The Canadian Transportation Agency publishes its air carrier licences online. Search the operator's name and check the licence is for the service you are buying.
- 04Check a foreign operator
A foreign operator needs a Canadian foreign air operator certificate and an Agency licence or permit. It cannot be licensed for flights between two Canadian cities.
- 05Read the price
A charter is priced for the whole aircraft. A price far below other quotes is a reason to ask why.
Sources:Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 700.02, air operator certificateCanadian Transportation Agency: air carrier licences (public register, as read on 11 September 2026)Canadian Transportation Agency: licences and charter permitsJustice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 701.02, Canadian foreign air operator certificate
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistWho regulates private jet charter in Canada?+
Transport Canada certifies operators under Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations. The Canadian Transportation Agency licenses air services and checks ownership and liability insurance.
Can a private aircraft owner charter out their jet?+
Not as a private operator. Flights where a third party pays need an air operator certificate and an Agency licence.
Can a US operator fly me from Toronto to Vancouver?+
No. The Agency issues domestic licences only to Canadian carriers, so a flight between two Canadian cities must be flown by a Canadian operator.
How do I check a Canadian operator's licence?+
Search the operator's name in the Canadian Transportation Agency's public register of air carrier licences, and ask the operator for its air operator certificate.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on 19 October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR/96-433), section 700.02, air operator certificate
- 2.Justice Laws: Canada Transportation Act (S.C. 1996, c. 10), Part II, sections 55, 57, 59 and 61
- 3.Canadian Transportation Agency: licences and charter permits
- 4.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 703.07, issue of an air operator certificate
- 5.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 703.01, application of Subpart 3
- 6.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 704.01, application of Subpart 4
- 7.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 705.01, application of Subpart 5
- 8.Transport Canada: Standard 723, Air Taxi: Helicopters (Commercial Air Service Standards)
- 9.Transport Canada: Standard 724, Commuter Operations: Aeroplanes (Commercial Air Service Standards)
- 10.Justice Laws: Canadian Aviation Regulations, section 701.02, Canadian foreign air operator certificate
- 11.Canadian Transportation Agency: air carrier licences (public register, as read on 11 September 2026)
Fly with a named, licensed operator.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.