How to read an FAA 8130-3 tag — a buyer's checklist
8130-3 traceability is the backbone of the parts market. Read it right — or pay twice.
What an 8130-3 actually is
FAA Form 8130-3 is the Authorized Release Certificate — a domestic equivalent to EASA Form 1. It says a part has been inspected, tested, or overhauled to FAA-approved data by an authorized organization, and is airworthy as described.
The tag travels with the part. Lose the tag, lose airworthiness paperwork for that serial number. You can't install a part on a certified aircraft based on the seller's word alone — the tag is the documentation.
The five must-check fields
1. Block 13a — Description: Should match the part you ordered exactly. Watch for clipped part numbers or 'as-removed' wording when you paid for 'overhauled.'
2. Block 12 — Status/Work: 'Overhauled,' 'Inspected/Tested,' 'Repaired,' or 'New' — these mean very different things. Used-serviceable parts often carry 'Inspected/Tested' tags.
3. Block 14a — Authorized Signature: Must be signed by a certificated person at the issuing organization. Stamp-only tags without a wet signature are a red flag.
4. Block 15 — Date: 8130-3 tags don't expire, but a 12-year-old tag on a hydraulic accumulator is worth a phone call.
5. Block 14d — Certificate Number: The issuing organization's FAA cert number. Cross-reference at FAA.gov to confirm the org is still active and authorized for that work.
Four red flags that disqualify a part
Mismatched serial numbers. The serial on the tag must match the serial on the part. Photograph both before you accept delivery.
'Tagged but not yellow-tagged.' Some sellers ship a tag without the airworthiness determination filled in. Block 13b must say 'Airworthy' if you're installing on a certified aircraft.
Foreign equivalents without bilateral coverage. EASA Form 1 is acceptable in the US under the FAA/EASA bilateral. CAAC and ANAC tags are NOT directly equivalent for US-registered aircraft.
'Carbon copy' or photocopied tags. Original tags must travel with the part. A photocopy is a record, not airworthiness paperwork.
When to walk away
If a vendor can't produce an 8130-3 for a part they listed as airworthy, walk away. The cost of a non-airworthy part installed on your aircraft is your repair station's labor to rip it back out, plus a discrepancy on your next IA inspection.
On Haven Jet Parts, listings flag trace doc status before you contact the vendor. Filter for '8130-3 Available' to skip the back-and-forth.
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