Title 49, TransportationRelease 119-110
§44924 Repair Station Security
Title 49 › SUBTITLE VII — AVIATION PROGRAMS › PART A — AIR COMMERCE AND SAFETY › subpart iii — safety › CHAPTER 449 — SECURITY › SUBCHAPTER I — REQUIREMENTS › § 44924
Summary
TSA, with help from the FAA, must inspect and audit foreign repair stations that work on U.S. air carrier planes and parts. Those audits must be finished within 6 months after TSA issues its final security rules. If an audit finds security problems, the repair station has 90 days after notice to fix them. If, after those 90 days, TSA finds the station still does not have effective security, TSA tells the FAA and the FAA must suspend the station’s certificate until TSA says it is secure. If TSA finds an immediate security risk, the FAA must revoke the certificate right away. TSA and the FAA must create a process to appeal revocations. Audits should focus first on stations in countries the government deems highest risk. If TSA misses the 6‑month audit deadline, the FAA may not certify any new foreign repair stations (except ones already certified or being certified) until the audits are done. TSA must issue final rules for repair station security, and if it misses the rule deadline it must report to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate explaining why and giving a schedule.
Full Legal Text
Title 49, §44924
Transportation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Security Review and Audit.—
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)Addressing Security Concerns.—
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)Suspensions and Revocations of Certificates.—
(1)Failure to carry out effective security measures.—
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)Immediate security risk.—
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)Procedures for appeals.—
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)Failure To Meet Audit Deadline.—
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)Priority for Audits.—
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)Regulations.—
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)Report to Congress.—
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
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110