N-number lookup: check any tail number
Every U.S. tail number is public record. In under a minute you can see who an N-number is registered or reserved to, when that reservation expires, and whether the number could be yours. This guide walks through the FAA's two free official tools and — just as important — how to read what they tell you.
Tool 1: who holds a number — the N-Number Inquiry
The FAA's N-Number Inquiry(registry.faa.gov) answers “what is the status of this exact number?” Enter the characters after the N — for N123AB, type 123AB — and you will get one of four answers:
| Registered aircraft | The number is on a flying aircraft. You'll see the owner, make and model. Not obtainable unless the owner changes their tail number. |
| Reserved | A “Reserving Party Name” holds it, with a visible purge date — the day the reservation lapses unless renewed. This is the status worth watching. |
| Deregistered | The number was on an aircraft that has since been exported, scrapped, or re-registered. Depending on where it is in FAA processing, it may become reservable — see our deregistered numbers guide. |
| No record | Nothing assigned or reserved — if the number fits the FAA format, it is very likely available to reserve today for $10. |
Tool 2: what's open — the Availability Search
The lesser-known N-Number Availability Inquiryanswers the opposite question: “which numbers like this are free right now?” You give it a digit range and an optional one- or two-letter suffix — say, 1 through 99 with suffix TB — and it lists every combination in that range that is currently reservable. It is the fastest way to find a real, available number close to the one you actually want.
Reading the results like a pro
Three details most people miss. First, the registry is updated once per federal working day, at midnight — it is a daily snapshot, not a live feed, so a number that changed hands this morning still shows yesterday's status. Second, the purge date on a reservation is a public expiration date: when it passes without renewal, the number returns to the open pool. Third, a reservation showing “Cancelled/Not Assigned” is an FAA-internal placeholder — no real party holds it, but the number is still locked until the hold clears.
Together those three facts explain the market: desirable numbers are almost never sitting free, but they lapse on a published schedule — and the people who get them are the ones watching when they do.
If your number is taken
A “reserved” result is not a dead end. Reservations lapse constantly — the holder retires, loses interest, or just forgets the $10 renewal. When the purge date passes, the number releases back to the pool, and popular ones are re-reserved within a day, frequently by resellers who then charge a premium. If you want a specific number, the play is to know its purge date and be first when it lapses.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free N-number lookup?
Yes. The FAA's own N-Number Inquiry at registry.faa.gov is free and official. Type the characters after the N and it returns the aircraft registered under that number, or the party holding a reservation on it, or tells you the number is deregistered or unassigned.
What does the purge date on a reservation mean?
Every N-number reservation runs one year. The purge date is the day the current reservation expires if the holder does not renew. If it passes without a renewal, the number returns to the available pool shortly afterward — which is exactly when a watched number can be caught.
Why does a number show 'Cancelled/Not Assigned'?
That is an FAA-internal placeholder, not a person. It usually means a past reservation was cancelled but the record has not fully cleared. The number is not registerable to you until the hold clears, even though no real party is named.
How current is the FAA registry data?
The registry states it is updated once each federal working day at midnight. So a reservation made this morning may not appear until tomorrow, and weekend changes show up Monday night. If a number changed hands today, the inquiry page can still show yesterday's holder.
The number I want is taken. Is there anything I can do?
Often, yes. If it is reserved, the reservation has a visible expiration (purge) date, and many holders never renew. You can watch the number and reserve it the moment it lapses, or in some cases approach the current holder about a transfer. That watching-and-catching is exactly the service we run.
Want a number that's taken?
We track FAA purge dates around the clock and file the reservation the night a watched number releases. Tell us the number you want — if we can't secure it, you pay nothing.