Anyone who wants to provide air transportation service as an air carrier must first obtain two separate authorizations from the U.S. Department of Transportation: Economic Authority from the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (the Department) in the form of a certificate for interstate or foreign passenger and/or cargo authority and Safety Authority in the form of an Air Carrier Certificate and Operations Specifications from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Title 49 of the U.S. Code
Formal application letter; required Pre-Application Checklist items (Safety) Fee dependent on type of certificate authority.
US Department of Transportation
Air Carrier Fitness Division
Office of Aviation Analysis
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-9721