Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 21, Subpart B
14 CFR 21.20: compliance with applicable requirements
Section 21.20 is the FAA's compliance requirement for a type certificate, including an amended or supplemental one: the applicant must show compliance with all applicable requirements, provide the FAA the means by which compliance was shown, and certify in a statement that it has complied. Section 21.17(a) fixes which requirements apply: those effective on the date of application, plus any special conditions.
The text
Verbatim, with the point markers of the source. Page furniture and footnotes are left out.
The applicant for a type certificate, including an amended or supplemental type certificate, must—
(a) Show compliance with all applicable requirements and must provide the FAA the means by which such compliance has been shown; and
(b) Provide a statement certifying that the applicant has complied with the applicable requirements.
(a) Except as provided in §§ 25.2, 27.2, and 29.2 of this subchapter, and in parts 26, 34, 36, and 38 of this subchapter, an applicant for a type certificate must show that the aircraft, aircraft engine, or propeller concerned meets—
(1) The applicable requirements of this subchapter that are effective on the date of application for that certificate unless—
(i) Otherwise specified by the FAA; or
(ii) Compliance with later effective amendments is elected or required under this section; and
(2) Any special conditions prescribed by the FAA.
What it means in practice
Two obligations and one certification. Paragraph (a) of § 21.20 asks the applicant to show compliance and to hand the FAA the means by which it was shown: the tests, analyses, inspections and reports that make up the compliance data. Paragraph (b) asks for a statement certifying compliance. That statement is the FAA counterpart of the declaration under EASA point 21.A.20(d).
Section 21.17(a) is the FAA counterpart of the certification basis under EASA point 21.B.80: the requirements in effect on the date of application, unless the FAA specifies otherwise or later amendments are elected or required, plus the special conditions the FAA prescribes. The rest of § 21.17 deals with special classes of aircraft, the validity of an application and the election of later amendments.
The FAA's certification plan and compliance checklist, described in FAA Order 8110.4C, are the working documents that connect the two sections: every applicable requirement from § 21.17(a), the method of compliance, and the compliance data that will be shown under § 21.20(a).
Where Wingman360 Teammate uses it
The FAA checklist guide covers this point: the AI teammate builds the checklist from the requirements designated under § 21.17(a), row by row, with the means of compliance and the compliance report for each, and the applicant's statement under § 21.20(b) is written and signed by the applicant.
Sources
- 14 CFR Part 21, Certification Procedures for Products and Articles, eCFR current as of 8 May 2026Federal Aviation Administration, via the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. §§ 21.17 and 21.20 quoted from the current text as of 8 May 2026; checked 2026-09-20
- FAA Order 8110.4C, Type Certification, Change 7Federal Aviation Administration. Certification plan and compliance checklist; referred to, not quoted
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