Title 49TransportationRelease 119-73

§41103 All-cargo air transportation certificates of air carriers

Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart subpart ii— - economic regulation › Chapter CHAPTER 411— - AIR CARRIER CERTIFICATES › § 41103

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

A U.S. citizen can apply to the Secretary of Transportation for a certificate to run cargo-only air service. The application must use the form and give the information the Secretary requires. The Secretary must issue the certificate within 180 days unless the applicant is found not qualified, willing, or able to run the service and follow the Secretary’s rules. The Secretary can add conditions to the certificate but cannot limit the places served or the prices charged. A certificate holder does not have to follow certain other rules, including section 41101(a)(1), and is treated as an air carrier except for any requirements it is excused from.

Full Legal Text

Title 49, §41103

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)A citizen of the United States may apply to the Secretary of Transportation for a certificate authorizing the citizen to provide all-cargo air transportation. The application must contain information and be in the form the Secretary by regulation requires.
(b)Not later than 180 days after an application for a certificate is filed under this section, the Secretary shall issue the certificate to a citizen of the United States authorizing the citizen, as an air carrier, to provide any part of the all-cargo air transportation applied for unless the Secretary finds that the citizen is not fit, willing, and able to provide the all-cargo air transportation to be authorized by the certificate and to comply with regulations of the Secretary.
(c)The Secretary may impose terms the Secretary considers necessary when issuing a certificate under this section. However, the Secretary may not impose terms that restrict the places served or prices charged by the holder of the certificate.
(d)A citizen issued a certificate under this section—
(1)is exempt in providing the transportation under the certificate from the requirements of—
(A)section 41101(a)(1) of this title and regulations or procedures prescribed under section 41101(a)(1); and
(B)other provisions of this part and regulations or procedures prescribed under those provisions when the Secretary finds under regulations of the Secretary that the exemption is appropriate; and
(2)is an air carrier under this part except to the extent the carrier is exempt under this section from a requirement of this part.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Pub. L. 103–272 Revised SectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 41103(a)49 App.:1388(a)(4).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 418(a)(4); added Nov. 9, 1977, Pub. L. 95–163, § 17(a), 91 Stat. 1285; Mar. 14, 1978, Pub. L. 95–245, § 1, 92 Stat. 156. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 1601(b) (1)(E); added Oct. 4, 1984, Pub. L. 98–443, § 3(e), 98 Stat. 1704. 41103(b)49 App.:1388(b)(1)(B).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 418(b)(1)(B); added Nov. 9, 1977, Pub. L. 95–163, § 17(a), 91 Stat. 1285; Mar. 14, 1978, Pub. L. 95–245, § 3, 92 Stat. 156. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41103(c)49 App.:1388(b)(2).Aug. 23, 1958, Pub. L. 85–726, 72 Stat. 731, § 418(b)(2), (c), (d); added Nov. 9, 1977, Pub. L. 95–163, § 17(a), 91 Stat. 1285. 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41103(d)(1)49 App.:1388(c). 49 App.:1551(b)(1)(E). 41103(d)(2)49 App.:1388(d). In subsection (a), the words “After the three hundred and sixty-fifth day which begins after November 9, 1977” are omitted as executed. The words “under this section” are omitted as surplus. The words “authorizing the citizen” are added for clarity and consistency in this chapter. In subsection (b), the words “pursuant to paragraph (4) of subsection (a) of this section” are omitted as surplus. The word “citizen” is substituted for “applicant” for clarity and consistency because only a citizen of the United States may be an “air carrier” as defined in section 40102(a) of the revised title and only an air carrier can provide all–cargo air transportation. The words “to provide” are added for clarity and consistency in this subchapter. The word “rules” is omitted as being synonymous with “

Regulations

”. The word “promulgated” is omitted as surplus. In subsection (c), the words “reasonable”, “and limitations”, and “and conditions” are omitted as surplus. The word “places” is substituted for “points” for consistency in the revised title. Pub. L. 103–429This amends 49:41103(a) to make the term consistent throughout subtitle VII of title 49.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–429 substituted “all-cargo” for “all-property”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1994 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 103–429 effective July 5, 1994, see section 9 of Pub. L. 103–429, set out as a note under section 321 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

49 U.S.C. § 41103

Title 49Transportation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73