A ramp check is not announced. An FAA aviation safety inspector sees your aircraft on the ramp, walks up while you are loading or preflighting, identifies themselves, and asks to see documents. The whole encounter is over fairly quickly — and that is exactly why it catches operators out. There is no time to call the office, dig through a flight bag, or "send it over later." Whatever the inspector reasonably asks for needs to be in your hand now.
This guide is deliberately different from our Part 135 ramp inspection checklist and our what to expect during a ramp inspection guides. Those explain what the inspector looks at and how the encounter unfolds — their side. This page is the inverse: the documents you stage so nothing is missing. It is organized into the three buckets an inspector naturally works through, and it ends with a clean, printable / tablet-ready checklist you can keep in every aircraft.
Every requirement below is anchored to the actual regulation — primarily 14 CFR §61.3 (what the pilot carries), §91.203 and §91.9 (what is aboard the aircraft), and §135.83, §135.63, and §135.179 (the Part 135 operational documents).
The Three Buckets a Ramp Check Document Set Falls Into
FAA inspectors conduct ramp inspections under their general surveillance authority, working from internal job aids (the Part 91 ramp inspection job aid in the FAA Order 8900.1 inspector handbook — that is guidance, not regulation). However an individual inspector sequences it, the documents they can ask to see line up into three natural groups. Stage your documents the same way and you can answer any request without hunting.
| Bucket | What's in it | Governing rule |
|---|---|---|
| On the pilot | Pilot certificate, current medical, photo ID | 14 CFR §61.3 |
| Aboard the aircraft | Airworthiness (displayed), registration, flight manual + placards, weight & balance (ARROW) | 14 CFR §91.203, §91.9 |
| For the operation | OpSpecs, §135.83 checklists & charts, §135.63 load manifest, §135.179 MEL records | 14 CFR Part 135 |
What a ramp check is — and what it is not
A ramp inspection is a surface check of the documents that must be present and the aircraft's outward condition at that moment. It is not a full records audit. The maintenance history — total time in service, inspection status, AD compliance, the §91.417 / §135.439 record set — generally lives at your base and is reviewed during scheduled surveillance, not pulled apart on the ramp. (For that deeper review, see our Part 135 FAA surveillance audit guide.)
The flip side: because it is a surface check, every item on it is something you can have ready in advance. A ramp finding is almost always a staging failure, not a knowledge failure.
Bucket 1 — On the Pilot (§61.3)
The first thing an inspector typically asks for are the documents on the pilot. 14 CFR §61.3(a) prohibits serving as a required pilot flight crewmember unless the pilot certificate is in the person's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft. §61.3(c) requires the appropriate medical certificate (or other FAA-acceptable documentation) to be held the same way. And §61.3(l) is the one that turns a ramp check into a document request: it requires the airman to present the certificate and photo identification for inspection on request from the FAA Administrator, an NTSB representative, any federal/state/local law enforcement officer, or TSA.
Pilot certificate
14 CFR §61.3(a)In the pilot's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft when exercising certificate privileges.
Current medical certificate
14 CFR §61.3(c)Appropriate medical (or other FAA-acceptable documentation) in physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft.
Government photo identification
14 CFR §61.3(l)Must be presented with the airman certificate for inspection on request from the FAA, NTSB, law enforcement, or TSA.
Your logbook is not a ramp document
A frequent point of confusion: §61.3(l) covers your certificate, medical, and photo ID — not your personal logbook. You are not required to surrender a logbook at a ramp. Currency and experience records are reviewed under the record rules (§61.51 for personal records, or the operator's §135.63 / §135.439 records for a Part 135 pilot), typically on request at base. Produce what §61.3(l) covers, stay courteous, and keep the logbook question separate.
Bucket 2 — Aboard the Aircraft: The ARROW Set (§91.203 & §91.9)
The second bucket is the set of documents that must physically be in the aircraft, remembered by pilots as ARROW. §91.203(a)(1) requires an appropriate and current airworthiness certificate, and §91.203(b) requires that certificate to be displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so that it is legible to passengers or crew — the one document that must be visible, not just present. §91.203(a)(2) requires an effective U.S. registration certificate aboard. §91.9 requires the current approved flight manual, markings, and placards. For the full breakdown of each letter, see our dedicated ARROW documents guide.
Airworthiness certificate (displayed)
14 CFR §91.203(a)(1) & (b)Appropriate and current; must be DISPLAYED at the cabin or cockpit entrance so it is legible to passengers or crew.
Registration certificate (effective)
14 CFR §91.203(a)(2)Effective U.S. registration aboard; the §47.40 7-year term must not be expired (or valid §47.31(c) temporary authority).
Approved flight manual / operating limitations
14 CFR §91.9Current approved AFM/RFM available in the aircraft, including STC flight-manual supplements; required markings and placards legible.
Weight and balance data
14 CFR §91.9 (AFM data)Current W&B information and equipment list reflecting the aircraft as configured today.
Aircraft radio station license
47 CFR Part 87 (FCC)INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS ONLY — not required to be aboard for purely domestic U.S. flights.
The two flight-stopping document gaps
Most aboard-the-aircraft gaps are correctable, but two are not. An expired registration means the aircraft lacks the effective registration §91.203(a)(2) requires — flying it is an operations violation regardless of maintenance status (the §47.40 term runs seven years from the last day of the month it was issued). And operating outside the approved flight-manual limitations, or with a required placard missing or illegible, violates §91.9. Underneath it all, §91.7 prohibits operating an aircraft that is not in an airworthy condition and makes the PIC responsible for that determination. These are the items to verify before, not at, the airplane.
The radio station license is international-only
The aircraft radio station license is an FCC requirement under 47 CFR Part 87, required for international operations — not the FAA, and not for purely domestic U.S. flights. Keep it on your checklist with a clear "international only" flag so a domestic crew does not chase a document they do not need, and an international crew does not forget one they do. For the full international document set, see our aircraft international operations documents guide.
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Run the FAA Readiness Score — FreeBucket 3 — For the Operation: The Part 135 Documents (§135.83, §135.63, §135.179)
This is the bucket that separates a Part 135 ramp check from a Part 91 one. On a commercial flight, the inspector can look beyond the airman and airworthiness documents to the operational paperwork the certificate holder is required to provide and the crew is required to carry. §135.83 lists the operating information that must be carried for use by the pilot; §135.63 requires a completed load manifest aboard for multiengine operations; and §135.179 governs MEL access and inoperative-item records.
Operations specifications (OpSpecs) authority
14 CFR Part 119 / issued OpSpecsThe operating authority for the flight; the relevant OpSpecs (or access to them) tied to the operation being flown.
Cockpit checklist & emergency checklist
14 CFR §135.83(a)(1)–(2)Current cockpit checklist (start, takeoff, cruise, landing, shutdown) and emergency checklist for multiengine / retractable-gear aircraft.
Current aeronautical & navigational charts
14 CFR §135.83(a)(3)–(4)Pertinent charts; for IFR, current en route, terminal-area, and approach/letdown charts — in current and appropriate form.
Performance information
14 CFR §135.83(a)(5)For multiengine aircraft, one-engine-inoperative climb performance data; IFR/over-the-top data per §135.181(a)(2) where applicable.
Completed load manifest (multiengine)
14 CFR §135.63(c)–(d)Passengers, total loaded weight, max allowable takeoff weight, CG limits, registration/flight number, origin/destination, crew — carried aboard by the PIC.
MEL access & inoperative-item records
14 CFR §135.179(a)(2) & (a)(4)Direct crew access to the approved MEL (printed or OpSpecs-approved means); records identifying any inoperative item available to the pilot.
The load manifest deserves special attention
For multiengine aircraft, §135.63(c) requires a load manifest prepared before each takeoff containing the number of passengers, the total weight of the loaded aircraft, the maximum allowable takeoff weight, the center-of-gravity limits, the registration or flight number, the origin and destination, and the identification of crew members. §135.63(d) then requires the PIC to carry a copy of the completed manifest in the aircraft, and the certificate holder to keep copies for at least 30 days. A ramp inspector can ask to see the manifest for the flight you are about to operate — so the current, signed, complete manifest must be aboard, not "back at the FBO."
For the broader operator record set behind these documents — pilot records, training records, drug and alcohol program records — see what records a Part 135 operator must keep and the records an FAA inspector asks for.
The Printable / Tablet-Ready Ramp Check Document Checklist
Here is the whole set in one place. Print it and clip it inside the aircraft document binder, or mirror it on your EFB. Work top to bottom and you can answer any reasonable ramp request without hunting. (Reminder: the airworthiness certificate must be physically displayed per §91.203(b) — an EFB image does not satisfy that.)
Part 135 Ramp Check — Documents to Stage
1 · On the pilot (§61.3)
Pilot certificate — 14 CFR §61.3(a)
Current medical certificate — 14 CFR §61.3(c)
Government photo identification — 14 CFR §61.3(l)
2 · Aboard the aircraft — ARROW (§91.203, §91.9)
Airworthiness certificate (displayed) — 14 CFR §91.203(a)(1) & (b)
Registration certificate (effective) — 14 CFR §91.203(a)(2)
Approved flight manual / operating limitations — 14 CFR §91.9
Weight and balance data — 14 CFR §91.9 (AFM data)
Aircraft radio station license — 47 CFR Part 87 (FCC)
3 · For the operation — Part 135 (§135.83, §135.63, §135.179)
Operations specifications (OpSpecs) authority — 14 CFR Part 119 / issued OpSpecs
Cockpit checklist & emergency checklist — 14 CFR §135.83(a)(1)–(2)
Current aeronautical & navigational charts — 14 CFR §135.83(a)(3)–(4)
Performance information — 14 CFR §135.83(a)(5)
Completed load manifest (multiengine) — 14 CFR §135.63(c)–(d)
MEL access & inoperative-item records — 14 CFR §135.179(a)(2) & (a)(4)
Documents-aboard is necessary but not sufficient — airworthiness itself is established by the maintenance records behind them. See Part 135 maintenance recordkeeping (CAMP).
Printable version
Print this section and keep a laminated copy in the aircraft document binder. A physical copy survives a dead tablet battery and is the fastest way to brief a new crew member.
Tablet / EFB version
Charts, checklists, and MEL information can ride on the EFB where your OpSpecs authorize it (§135.83, §135.179). Keep the device current and charged — and remember the airworthiness certificate still must be physically displayed.
How to Stage the Set So It Is Always Current
Having the list is half the battle. The other half is keeping every item on it current — because a ramp check can happen on any flight, and the FAA conducts surveillance under a risk-based, data-supported model (the Safety Assurance System, rolled out in 2016), not a fixed every-N-months schedule. You cannot predict the timing, so the only reliable posture is "ready on every flight." For more on the timing model, see how often the FAA audits a Part 135 operator.
Track the expirations that quietly lapse
The registration certificate (§47.40 seven-year term), the pilot's medical, and any time-limited operating authorization all expire on dates that are easy to miss. The aircraft is "ramp-ready" right up until one of them rolls past — with no visible change. Calendar these and surface them 90/60/30 days out.
Keep documents in sync with the aircraft
Every STC, avionics upgrade, or interior change can move the flight-manual supplements and the weight and balance data. A flight manual that predates an installed STC, or W&B numbers that do not reflect a removed air-stair, are stale documents the inspector can flag. The document set has to track the airplane as it is configured today.
Make the per-flight items a release gate
The §135.63 load manifest and the §135.179 inoperative-item records are per-flight documents. Build them into the dispatch/release flow so an aircraft never leaves the ramp without the completed manifest aboard and the MEL deferral properly documented. For mock-running the whole encounter, see our Part 135 mock audit guide.
Where FileFlo Fits on the Ramp
FileFlo is a compliance document intelligence platform — a read-only proof layer that keeps your document set current, complete, and instantly retrievable. It classifies 600+ document types against the governing CFR section, so a registration certificate is recognized as a §47.40-governed document with a seven-year expiry the system can track, a medical certificate is tied to the airman and its expiration, and a flight-manual supplement is filed against the airframe it modifies. It surfaces expirations 90/60/30 days out and can produce any document on this checklist on demand — so "show me the documents for this aircraft" is a 10-second answer, not a scramble.
What FileFlo does not do: it does not conduct the ramp inspection, represent you to the FAA, replace your director of operations or maintenance-tracking provider, or give legal advice. It is the document/proof layer — it makes the records on this list audit-ready and retrievable, and it never claims a certification (such as SOC 2) it does not hold. The judgment, the operation, and the airworthiness determination stay with you and your team.
Related Aviation Compliance Guides
Part 135 Ramp Inspection Checklist
What the inspector checks — the other side of this list
Part 135 Ramp Inspection: What to Expect
How the encounter unfolds, start to finish
The ARROW Documents Explained
Every letter of the aboard-the-aircraft set
Part 135 Operator Records
The full record set behind the ramp documents
Records an FAA Inspector Asks For
What gets requested beyond the ramp
Part 135 Records Audit Prep Checklist
Preparing for the deeper records review
How Often Does the FAA Audit?
The risk-based surveillance timing model
Most Common FAA Audit Findings
Where Part 135 operators most often get dinged
FAA Fines for Paperwork Violations
What a documentation gap can cost
MEL / CDL Records
The §135.179 deferred-item document set
Part 135 Pilot Records
The airman records behind the certificate and medical
Part 135 Maintenance Recordkeeping
The airworthiness history behind the documents
Frequently Asked Questions
What documents do you need for a ramp check?
At a Part 135 ramp check, an FAA inspector typically asks the pilot to produce three layers of documents: (1) the airman documents on the pilot — pilot certificate and current medical certificate, which under 14 CFR §61.3(a) and §61.3(c) must be in the pilot's physical possession or readily accessible in the aircraft, plus the photo ID that §61.3(l) requires you to present on request; (2) the documents that must be aboard the aircraft — an appropriate and current airworthiness certificate displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance and an effective U.S. registration certificate (14 CFR §91.203), the current approved flight manual, markings, and placards (14 CFR §91.9), and weight and balance data; and (3) the Part 135 operational documents — operations specifications authority, the §135.83 operating information the crew must carry, the completed §135.63 load manifest for multiengine flights, and the §135.179 MEL access and inoperative-item records. This page gives you all three as one printable, tablet-ready checklist.
What paperwork does the FAA check at a ramp inspection?
The paperwork falls into pilot, aircraft, and operator buckets. On the pilot: pilot certificate (§61.3(a)), current medical (§61.3(c)), and government photo ID (§61.3(l)). On the aircraft: airworthiness certificate (§91.203(a)(1), and it must be displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance per §91.203(b)), effective registration certificate (§91.203(a)(2)), current approved Airplane or Rotorcraft Flight Manual with required markings and placards (§91.9), and current weight and balance data. For a Part 135 flight, the inspector can also look at the operations specifications, the §135.83 cockpit checklists and current charts, the §135.63 load manifest, and — if anything is deferred — the §135.179 MEL and the records identifying the inoperative item. The maintenance history itself (§91.417 / §135.439 records) generally lives at base, but a ramp inspector is verifying the documents that have to be on the airplane right now.
Do I have to show my pilot logbook during a ramp check?
Generally no — your personal logbook is not one of the documents you must carry on the aircraft. 14 CFR §61.3(l) requires you to present your airman certificate, medical certificate, and photo identification for inspection on request from the FAA Administrator, an NTSB representative, a federal/state/local law enforcement officer, or TSA. It does not require you to hand over your logbook at a ramp. Logbooks and currency records are reviewed under the certificate-and-record rules (for example §61.51 personal records, or the §135.63 / §135.439 operator records for a Part 135 pilot) — typically on request at base, not as a ramp document. Be courteous and cooperative, produce the certificate, medical, and ID that §61.3(l) does cover, and keep the logbook question separate.
What is the difference between a ramp check document checklist and the inspection checklist the FAA uses?
They are two sides of the same encounter. The FAA inspector works from a ramp inspection job aid — internal FAA guidance (the Part 91 ramp inspection job aid in the FAA Order 8900.1 inspector handbook) that tells the inspector what items to look at and how to record findings. That is what THEY check. Your ramp check document checklist is the inverse: it is the list of documents YOU stage so that whatever the inspector reasonably asks for is in your hand within seconds. Our sibling guide on the Part 135 ramp inspection checklist covers what the inspector looks at; this page is the documents-to-have-ready companion you can print or load on a tablet and keep in the aircraft.
Does an aircraft need a radio station license aboard for a ramp check?
Only for international operations. The aircraft radio station license is an FCC requirement (47 CFR Part 87), not an FAA requirement, and the FCC requires it for aircraft operated in international airspace or that communicate with foreign stations. For purely domestic U.S. flights, no aircraft radio station license is required to be aboard. If your Part 135 operation flies internationally, the FCC aircraft radio station license — and the operator's FCC restricted radiotelephone authority where applicable — belongs in your international document set. We keep it on the checklist with a clear 'international only' flag so a domestic crew does not chase a document they do not need and an international crew does not forget one they do.
Where should ramp check documents be kept — paper or on a tablet?
Either, as long as the documents that must physically be aboard are actually aboard and accessible. The airworthiness certificate is the one item the regulation singles out: §91.203(b) requires it to be displayed at the cabin or cockpit entrance so it is legible — that is a physical-display requirement, not something a tablet satisfies. The registration certificate must be aboard and effective. For the §135.83 operating information and the §135.179 MEL, the rule allows printed or other means approved by the Administrator in the operations specifications, so an EFB can carry charts, checklists, and MEL information if your OpSpecs authorize it. The completed §135.63 load manifest must be carried in the aircraft. A practical setup: airworthiness certificate physically displayed, registration physically aboard, and everything else mirrored on a current, charged EFB plus a printed backup.
How often does the FAA do a ramp check on a Part 135 operator?
There is no fixed public interval. The FAA conducts surveillance, including ramp inspections, under a risk-based, data-supported model — the Safety Assurance System (SAS), rolled out in 2016 — rather than on a set every-N-months schedule. Office management decides which ramp inspections to perform based on factors like overall safety risk, inspector location, and resources, prioritizing the highest-risk surveillance. Practically, a ramp check can happen any time your aircraft is operating at an airport an inspector is working — scheduled or not. Because you cannot predict the timing, the only reliable defense is to keep the full document set staged and current on every flight. Our companion guide on how often the FAA audits a Part 135 operator goes deeper on the risk-based model.
What happens if you are missing a document at a ramp check?
It depends on which document and whether the underlying requirement is met. A missing required document can be recorded as a discrepancy or finding and, depending on severity, can lead to the flight being delayed until the issue is resolved or to follow-up enforcement. Some items are flight-stopping: an expired registration means the aircraft lacks the effective registration §91.203(a)(2) requires aboard; an airworthiness certificate that is not displayed violates §91.203(b); operating outside the approved flight-manual limitations violates §91.9. Other gaps are administrative and correctable. The point of a staged document checklist is to never find out at the airplane — FileFlo's role is to make every document on this list current and retrievable on demand so a missing or expired item is caught days before an inspector ever asks. This is general compliance-document guidance, not legal advice; consult an aviation attorney on any specific enforcement matter.
Be Ready to Produce Any Document on This List
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Written by Chad Griffith, Founder, FileFlo — compliance document intelligence · Reviewed June 15, 2026 · Primary sources: Cornell LII 14 CFR §61.3, §91.203, §91.9, §91.7, §135.83, §135.63, §135.179; FAA Safety Assurance System