Qualified Ownership

Any aircraft may use one of the following criteria:

• Only the following persons are qualified to hold a legal or beneficial interest by way of ownership in an aircraft registered in the Isle of Man or in a share in such an aircraft:
  • the Crown in right of the Isle of Man, the United Kingdom or any part of the United Kingdom;
  • Commonwealth citizens;
  • Nationals of any European Economic Area (EEA) State or Switzerland;
  • British protected persons;
  • bodies incorporated in some part of the Commonwealth or having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business in a part of the Commonwealth; or
  • undertakings formed in accordance with the law of the Isle of Man, an EEA State or Switzerland and having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business within the Isle of Man, an EEA State or Switzerland.

Only “transitional aircraft” may use the following criteria (“transitional aircraft” are aircraft (typically airliners) which are awaiting a commercial lease or sale):

• The following persons are qualified to hold a legal interest by way of ownership in a transitional aircraft registered in the Isle of Man or in a share in such an aircraft:
  • bodies incorporated in or having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business in any of the States or territories listed below; or,
  • undertakings formed in accordance with the law of and having their registered office, central administration or principal place of business within any of the States or territories listed below.

• The States or territories referred to above are:
  • Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region);
  • Japan;
  • People’s Republic of China;
  • United States of America.

Exceptions for all aircraft:

• If an unqualified person resides or has a place of business in the Isle of Man and holds a legal or beneficial interest by way of ownership in an aircraft or in a share in an aircraft, the IOMAR may register the aircraft in the Isle of Man if it is satisfied that the aircraft may otherwise be properly registered.
• If an aircraft is chartered by demise to a person who qualifies under the above criteria, the IOMAR may, whether or not an unqualified person is entitled as owner to a legal or beneficial interest in the aircraft, register the aircraft in the Isle of Man in the name of the charterer by demise if it is satisfied that the aircraft may otherwise be properly so registered. Such an aircraft may remain registered during the continuation of the charter.

“Commonwealth” means the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, the countries mentioned in Schedule 3 to the British Nationality Act 1981 and all other territories forming part of Her Majesty’s dominions or in which Her Majesty has jurisdiction and “Commonwealth citizen” is to be construed accordingly;

EEA States

Other Qualifying Countries