Definition of Qualified Owner for aircraft registration in the Cayman Islands
Changes in eligibility of ownership on the Cayman Islands Aircraft Register, effective January 15, 2015
The Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) (Amendment) Order 2014
This Amendment Order amends the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013 (SI No 2870) to incorporate provisions concerning aviation security and to amend the qualification criteria for registering an aircraft in the Overseas Territories. Three typographical errors are also being corrected, comprising removal of extraneous characters and correction of a cross-reference within two articles.
The Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) (Amendment) Order 2014 (SI 2014 No 2925) is available on the UK Government legislation website:
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2925/article/3/made
This Order comes into force on 1 April 2015. However, the amendments to Articles 3 and 11 came into force on 15 January 2015.
“Qualifications for registration”
16. (1) The following persons are qualified to hold a legal or beneficial interest by way of ownership in an aircraft registered in a Territory or a share in such an aircraft
  1. the Crown in right of Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom or in right of the Government of the Territory (Cayman Islands);
  2. United Kingdom nationals;
  3. Commonwealth citizens (which includes citizens of the Cayman Islands);
  4. nationals of any European Economic Area State;
  5. bodies incorporated in any part of the Commonwealth and which have their registered office or principal place of business in any part of the Commonwealth; or
  6. undertakings formed in accordance with the law of an European Economic Area State and which have their registered office, central administration or principal place of business within the European Economic Area.”
Notwithstanding article 15(2)(b) of the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2013 any aircraft that was validly registered before 1st January 2014 and has not since then been de-registered is, and remains, validly registered even if any person then owning a legal or beneficial interest by way of ownership in the aircraft would have been unqualified to hold such an interest after that date and before the date paragraph (2) comes into force. For further enquiries on the Cayman Islands Aircraft Registry please email