FO.TCO.00160

Application for Third Country Operator Authorisation (TCO Authorisation)

How to apply

The preferred way to receive this application is by email to tco.applications [at] easa.europa.eu. Copy tco [at] easa.europa.eu.
Please support the paperless management of applications by submitting applications to us electronically only.

Additional documents

Together with the application form, there are additional documents that are mandatory for enabling EASA to assess eligibility of your application. Therefore you will need to submit: 

  • Certificate of Incorporation (COI) of the entity
  • AOC/ACC 
  • Operations Specifications (OPS SPECS)

Specific technical documents shall be provided after registration via the TCO web interface, for which you will be provided with an account by the TCO Department.

Particularly large files can be uploaded using the EASA file box.

Next steps

Good to know

TCO web-interface: In a separate e-mail you will receive instructions on how to access to the TCO web-interface (https://tco.easa.europa.eu/).

Please log on to the system without delay when you have your credentials. The TCO web-interface is used for all correspondence in the TCO application process. Please ensure that you react on any notification triggered by the system. We encourage you to use the user module, to nominate a secondary staff user in order to ensure that the information received from EASA will be read when you are absent.

Once you have your credentials, you have to fill an online questionnaire, the so-called Basic Operator Data form. Please fill this questionnaire within 7 days from having access to the system. Regarding the data submitted via the TCO web-interface, please ensure that they are always current, in particular with respect to fleet and contact information.

Fees and Charges:

For the vast majority of Third Country Operators (TCOs), the process to obtain and maintain an EASA TCO Authorisation is free of charge according to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2153

However, the revised Regulation introduces flat fees for some specific activities performed in the context of the initial authorisation and continuous monitoring of TCOs. In accordance with Table 7 of Part I of the Annex to this Regulation, as of 1st January 2020 EASA will charge: 

  • 10.000 Euro* (flat fee) for technical meetings with the third country operator, requested by EASA and held at EASA's headquarters in Cologne or remotely pending on health, safety and security situation, and 
  • 19.000 Euro * (flat fee) plus staff travel costs for on-site visits/audits of third country operators. Travel costs are not included and will be charged in accordance with Article 6 of the above referenced Regulation. Travel costs are composed of transport costs outside the EU, per diems (including accommodation) and a compensation for travel time, charged at the hourly rate set out in Part II of the Annex to this Regulation. A calculator is available at the EASA website to provide a cost estimate for a concrete operator.

EASA requests technical meetings and on-site visits/audits only when deemed necessary. The criteria are set in the TCO Regulation (Regulation (EU) No. 452/2014) and follow a risk-based approach that takes into account the safety performance of the operator involved, the safety information available for the State of Operator and the State of Registry, and the level of exposure to European citizens.

*According to Article 3 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2153, the amounts referred above shall be indexed, with effects of 1 January each year, to the inflation rate in accordance with the method set out in Part IV of the Annex of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2153

Applicant Services

You will find extensive information and instructions under the TCO FAQs.

Please also consult the instructions in the application form completion instructions, which are embedded in the application form (Application Form).

Should you have any further question or suggestion, please contact the Certificate Delivery Team: tco.applications [at] easa.europa.eu (tco[dot]applications[at]easa[dot]europa[dot]eu)