Title 49 — TransportationRelease 119-73
§44924 Repair station security
Title 49 › Subtitle SUBTITLE VII— - AVIATION PROGRAMS › Part PART A— - AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › Subpart subpart iii— - safety › Chapter CHAPTER 449— - SECURITY › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER I— - REQUIREMENTS › § 44924
Summary
Require the TSA, working with the FAA, to inspect and audit the security of foreign repair stations that are FAA‑certified and work on air carrier planes and parts. Those audits must be finished no later than 6 months after TSA issues the rules called for in subsection (f). After an audit, TSA must tell a repair station about problems and give it 90 days to fix them. TSA will tell the FAA about any deficiencies. If after the 90th day the station still does not have effective security, TSA will tell the FAA and the FAA must suspend the station’s certificate until TSA says it is fixed. If TSA finds an immediate security risk, FAA must revoke the certificate. TSA and FAA must set up a process for appealing a revocation. If the audits are not done by the 6‑month deadline, the FAA may not certify any new foreign repair stations (except ones already certified or being certified) until the audits are finished. Audits must focus first on stations in the countries the government has identified as highest risk. TSA, with the FAA, must issue final regulations to secure foreign and domestic repair stations. If TSA misses the deadline in subsection (f), it must send a report to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation explaining why and giving a schedule for the rules.
Full Legal Text
Title 49, §44924
Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)To ensure the security of maintenance and repair work conducted on air carrier aircraft and components at foreign repair stations, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall complete a security review and audit of foreign repair stations that are certified by the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, and that work on air carrier aircraft and components. The review shall be completed not later than 6 months after the date on which the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration issues regulations under subsection (f).
(b)The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall require a foreign repair station to address the security issues and vulnerabilities identified in a security audit conducted under subsection (a) within 90 days of providing notice to the repair station of the security issues and vulnerabilities so identified and shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration that a deficiency was identified in the security audit.
(c)(1)If, after the 90th day on which a notice is provided to a foreign repair station under subsection (b), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that the foreign repair station does not maintain and carry out effective security measures, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration of the determination. Upon receipt of the determination, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall suspend the certification of the repair station until such time as the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that the repair station maintains and carries out effective security measures and transmits the determination to the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
(2)If the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration determines that a foreign repair station poses an immediate security risk, the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall notify the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration of the determination. Upon receipt of the determination, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall revoke the certification of the repair station.
(3)The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall establish procedures for appealing a revocation of a certificate under this subsection.
(d)If the security audits required by subsection (a) are not completed on or before the date that is 6 months after the date on which the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration issues regulations under subsection (f), the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall be barred from certifying any foreign repair station (other than a station that was previously certified, or is in the process of certification, by the Administration under this part) until such audits are completed for existing stations.
(e)In conducting the audits described in subsection (a), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall give priority to foreign repair stations located in countries identified by the Government as posing the most significant security risks.
(f)The Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, in consultation with the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, shall issue final regulations to ensure the security of foreign and domestic aircraft repair stations.
(g)If the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration does not issue final regulations before the deadline specified in subsection (f), the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a report containing an explanation as to why the deadline was not met and a schedule for issuing the final regulations.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
Amendments
2018—Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(D), substituted “Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration” for “Under Secretary” wherever appearing. Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(A), substituted “Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration,” for “Under Secretary for Border and Transportation Security of the Department of Homeland Security,” and “Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration under” for “Administrator under”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(B), substituted “Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration” for “Administrator”. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(B), which directed substitution of “Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration” for “Administrator”, was executed by making the substitution wherever appearing, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Subsecs. (d), (e). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(B), substituted “Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration” for “Administrator”. Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(C), substituted “The” for “Not later than 240 days after the date of enactment of this section, the”. Pub. L. 115–254, § 1991(d)(20)(B), substituted “Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration” for “Administrator”. 2007—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 110–53, § 1616(b)(1), substituted “6 months” for “18 months”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 110–53, § 1616(b)(2), inserted “(other than a station that was previously certified, or is in the process of certification, by the Administration under this part)” after “foreign repair station”. Pub. L. 110–53, § 1616(b)(1), which directed amendment of subsec. (b) by substituting “6 months” for “18 months”, was executed by making the substitution in subsec. (d), to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
Section applicable only to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 2003, except as otherwise specifically provided, see section 3 of Pub. L. 108–176, set out as an
Effective Date
of 2003 Amendment note under section 106 of this title. Suspension of Certification of Foreign Repair Stations Pub. L. 110–53, title XVI, § 1616(a), Aug. 3, 2007, 121 Stat. 488, provided that: “If the
Regulations
required by section 44924(f) of title 49, United States Code, are not issued within 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [Aug. 3, 2007], the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration may not certify any foreign repair station under part 145 of title 14, Code of Federal
Regulations
, after such date unless the station was previously certified, or is in the process of certification by the Administration under that part.”
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
49 U.S.C. § 44924
Title 49 — Transportation
Last Updated
Apr 6, 2026
Release point: 119-73