The N-number census.
There are exactly 915,399 possible US tail numbers — every legal combination from N1 to N999ZZ. The overwhelming majority are taken. This is a live count of the ones that aren't — verified against FAA availability data and refreshed daily. As of August 30, 2026:
Open numbers by length
Shorter is rarer. One- and two-character numbers essentially never sit open; when a three-character number appears here it tends to leave quickly.
| Characters after N | Open today | Example format |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | N1 |
| 2 | 0 | N1A |
| 3 | 6 | N11A |
| 4 | 3,349 | N111A |
| 5 | 2,995 | N1111A |
The short numbers open right now
Every number below is three characters or fewer and confirmed available as of the last sweep.
Reading today's census
6,350open numbers sounds like plenty until you notice what's in the pile. Against 915,399 possible combinations, it means more than 98% of the namespace is spoken for — and the open slice skews long and forgettable. The patterns people actually want are the thin edge: just 6 numbers of three characters or fewer are open in the entire country right now.
That scarcity is structural, not seasonal. Reservations renew for $10 a year, so a good number rarely returns to the pool — and when one does, it tends to be re-reserved within days. The census updates daily precisely because the interesting rows change that fast: a short number listed above may already be gone by the time you read this, and a new one may have surfaced.
The practical takeaway: if a number on this page reads like your initials, your year, or your state, its availability is a moment in time, not a standing offer.
Methodology
Counts come from FAA availability data: every number in the census returned “available” from the FAA's own availability check during our most recent sweep, and the page recomputes hourly from that dataset. The 915,399 figure is the full legal format space — N plus one to five characters, digits first with no leading zero, up to two trailing letters, letters I and O excluded. Categories overlap where a number qualifies for more than one (a short number ending in a state code counts in both). Because availability changes continuously, treat any individual number as a snapshot; the live checker gives the current answer for a specific number.
Census questions
How many N-numbers are there in total?+
915,399 possible registrations exist — N followed by one to five characters, digits first with no leading zero, up to two trailing letters, and no I or O. Most are assigned to aircraft or held under active reservations.
How many N-numbers are available right now?+
6,350 numbers are confirmed open as of the latest sweep, of which 6 are three characters or fewer. The count changes daily as reservations lapse and new ones are filed.
Why are short N-numbers so rare?+
There are only 8,559 possible combinations of three characters or fewer, and they've been prized since the registry opened — holders renew them for $10 a year, so they almost never lapse. When one does, it's typically re-reserved within days.
Can I get one of the numbers listed here?+
Yes — every number in the census was open at the last check. Click any of them to verify live and reserve it in your name, or use the free checker for a number that isn't listed.
Citing this data
Journalists, bloggers, and forum posters are welcome to cite the census with a link to this page. Counts come from FAA availability data and refresh daily. Want a custom cut of the data for a story? Ask us.
Want one of these? We reserve it in your name within 24 hours →