EASA PART-145 APPROVAL · Aero Support Group FZCO · Updated 22 October 2026
Who needs a Part-145 approval and who issues it?
An organisation that maintains aircraft or components for operators within the EU system needs a Part-145 approval, unless the work falls under the lighter Part-CAO or Part-ML regimes for smaller aircraft. The competent authority depends on where the organisation is based (145.1):
- Principal place of business in an EU Member State: the national competent authority designated by that State, unless responsibility has been reallocated to EASA under Articles 64 or 65 of Regulation (EU) 2018/1139.
- Located outside the EU: EASA, which issues the approval as a foreign Part-145 organisation. Applications go to EASA using EASA Form 2.
Bilateral agreements change the route for some countries. Organisations in the United States, Canada and Brazil can obtain EU acceptance through their own authority under the respective Maintenance Annex Guidance (for the US, the EU–US MAG Change 10, effective 10 October 2025). The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement has no maintenance annex, so UK organisations need an EASA foreign Part-145 approval.
The structure of Part-145 today
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1963, applicable from 2 December 2022, restructured Part-145 around a management system. The main organisation requirements are:
- 145.A.20 to 145.A.25: terms of approval, scope of work and facilities;
- 145.A.30: personnel requirements, including the accountable manager and nominated persons;
- 145.A.35 and 145.A.37: certifying staff, support staff and airworthiness review staff;
- 145.A.40 to 145.A.48: equipment and tools, components, maintenance data, production planning and performance of maintenance;
- 145.A.50 to 145.A.60: certification of maintenance, record-keeping and occurrence reporting;
- 145.A.65: maintenance procedures, covering human factors and good maintenance practice;
- 145.A.70: the maintenance organisation exposition (MOE);
- 145.A.75 and 145.A.85: privileges and changes to the organisation, including the changes that need prior approval;
- 145.A.200: the management system, with safety risk management and compliance monitoring;
- 145.A.200A: the information security management system required by Part-IS since 22 February 2026;
- 145.A.202 and 145.A.205: the internal safety reporting scheme, and contracting and subcontracting.
Point 145.A.80 was deleted in 2022; the limits on subcontracting base maintenance checks and complete engine workshop visits now sit in 145.A.75(b).
Certifying staff and Part-66
Part-145 separates certifying staff, support staff and other maintenance personnel. Certifying staff hold a Part-66 licence in the appropriate category (A, B1, B2, B2L, B3, L or C) with the relevant type or group ratings, and receive a certification authorisation from the organisation under 145.A.35. Support staff in base maintenance hold B1 or B2 qualifications. Mechanics who carry out tasks under supervision do not need a Part-66 licence, but the organisation must define and record their qualification and competence.
For foreign Part-145 organisations, EASA’s user guides explain how certifying staff are qualified where national licences differ from Part-66.
The maintenance organisation exposition
The MOE required by 145.A.70 describes how the organisation complies with Part-145. Its content follows AMC1 145.A.70(a), and for foreign organisations EASA’s MOE User Guide UG.CAO.00024. The usual structure is:
- Part 0: general organisation and document control;
- Part 1: management, including the accountable manager’s statement, safety policy, nominated persons, facilities, scope of work and the change procedure;
- Part 2: maintenance procedures;
- Part L2: additional line maintenance procedures;
- Part 3: management system procedures, including safety risk management, compliance monitoring, human factors and staff qualification;
- Part 4: contracted operators and customers;
- Part 5: supporting documents and lists, such as subcontractors and line stations.
Organisations add sections for information security and, where they hold an FAA certificate, the FAA supplement. The MOE has to describe what the organisation actually does. Authorities test it against records and interviews during the initial audit and every oversight visit.
Initial approval and continued oversight
The initial certification follows 145.B.310: review of the application and MOE, an audit of the organisation against Part-145, closure of findings and issue of the approval certificate with its scope of work. For foreign organisations, EASA charges fees under Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2347, which replaced Regulation (EU) 2019/2153 from 1 January 2026. The maintenance organisation approval fee depends on staff numbers and on the technical ratings held.
After approval, the authority runs an oversight programme under 145.B.305. The planning cycle must not exceed 24 months. It may be extended to 36 months where the organisation has managed its risks, kept control of changes, had no level 1 findings and closed corrective actions on time, and to 48 months where it also reports its safety performance to the authority through an approved continuous system. Findings are classified as level 1 or level 2 under 145.B.350.
Where Part-145 approvals run into difficulty
- The MOE is adapted from another organisation and describes facilities, tooling or procedures that do not exist.
- The management system exists on paper, but the hazard log, risk assessments and safety performance indicators are not used to make decisions.
- Compliance monitoring audits the quality department’s own records rather than the maintenance performed.
- Certifying staff authorisations do not match licences, type training and recent experience.
- The scope of work in the application cannot be supported by the maintenance data, tooling and staff available.
- Changes such as new types, new locations or new nominated persons are introduced without the prior approval required by 145.A.85.
- Part-IS has not been integrated, even though 145.A.200A has applied since February 2026.
How ASG supports Part-145 organisations
- Gap analysis against Part-145, the current AMC and GM and, for foreign applicants, EASA’s user guides.
- MOE drafting or revision to the AMC1 145.A.70(a) structure, written around the organisation’s actual facilities, scope and procedures.
- Management system and SMS implementation under 145.A.200, with a working hazard log, risk register and safety performance indicators.
- Part-IS integration under 145.A.200A.
- Preparation of the EASA Form 2 application and supporting documents, and responses to authority questions.
- Mock audits and briefings for the accountable manager and nominated persons before the initial audit.
- Ongoing compliance through Part-145 RADAR: periodic reviews of compliance monitoring, change management under 145.A.85, certifying staff records and readiness for oversight visits.
Conclusion
A Part-145 approval now rests on a working management system as much as on facilities and licensed staff. Authorities read the MOE against what they see in the hangar and the records, and they expect safety risk management and information security to be part of daily work. ASG helps organisations reach that standard and keep it through each oversight cycle.
Frequently asked questions
An organisation holding an approval certificate under Part-145, issued by its national authority in the EU or by EASA for organisations outside the EU. The certificate lists the aircraft, engines and components it may maintain and release to service.
EASA Part-145 is Annex II to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014. It sets the requirements an organisation must meet to be approved to maintain aircraft and components used in the EU system, including facilities, personnel, maintenance data, the MOE and a management system with safety management.
For organisations based in an EU Member State, the national competent authority. For organisations outside the EU, EASA, unless a bilateral agreement provides another route, as with the United States, Canada and Brazil.
No. Certifying staff need a Part-66 licence and a certification authorisation, and base maintenance support staff need B1 or B2 qualifications. Mechanics working under supervision do not need a licence, but the organisation must define and record their competence.
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1963, applicable from 2 December 2022, introduced a management system under 145.A.200 with safety risk management, compliance monitoring and an internal safety reporting scheme (145.A.202). The MOE had to be restructured to describe these processes.
The oversight planning cycle is no more than 24 months. It can be extended to 36 or 48 months for organisations with a good record of risk management, change control and finding closure, and shortened if safety performance declines (145.B.305).
Yes. Since 22 February 2026, Part-145 organisations must have an information security management system under 145.A.200A and Regulation (EU) 2023/203, unless the authority approves a derogation.
No. The EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement does not include a maintenance annex, so UK organisations need a separate EASA foreign Part-145 approval.
Key takeaways
- EU-based organisations are approved by their national authority; non-EU organisations by EASA
- Part-145 requires a management system with SMS (145.A.200) and, since February 2026, an ISMS (145.A.200A)
- Only certifying staff and support staff need Part-66 licences
- The MOE follows AMC1 145.A.70(a) and must describe actual practice
- The oversight planning cycle is 24 months, extendable to 36 or 48
Planning a Part-145 approval or audit?
Tell us your scope of work, location and target date. ASG will assess readiness against Part-145 and plan the work to approval.
References
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 (Continuing Airworthiness)
- EUR-Lex, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/1963 (SMS in Part-145)
- EASA, ED Decision 2026/005/R (AMC and GM to Part-145, Amendment 9)
- EASA, Foreign Part-145 approvals
- EASA, Easy Access Rules for Continuing Airworthiness
- EUR-Lex, Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2347 (EASA fees and charges)