The Government of the Republic of Mozambique approved new rules for private air operators, through the new Regulation on the Licensing of Private Air Operators, which recently entered into force and revoked the previous 2011 regime. The regulation applies to natural and legal persons, public or private, that operate air transport services or unpaid aerial work for private purposes, and establishes a transition period of 90 days until the end of October.
One of the main innovations is the digitization of licenses, which now include security elements such as unique coded numbering, barcode or QR Code, watermarks, special anti-fraud paper, and holographic seal or encrypted digital signature. The Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority of Mozambique must provide public electronic systems for verifying the authenticity of licenses. Operators no longer need an Air Operator Certificate, while maintaining the obligation to comply with operational safety and airworthiness requirements.
The regulation reorganizes private aerial work activities into 15 specific categories, including agricultural work and aerial spraying, firefighting, photography and aerial filming, parachute dropping, aerial advertising, thermography, altimetric topography, high-voltage power line inspection, maritime operations, and mapping. Operators are also required to submit monthly information on flight operations, including passenger names, operated routes, and flight hours, maintaining passenger lists and cargo manifests for at least three years.
The regulation maintains the prohibition on commercial exploitation of aircraft and introduces stricter suitability criteria for operators and managers, excluding persons convicted of aviation crimes, crimes against the national economy, corruption, or obstruction of oversight. The use of foreign-registered aircraft is permitted for a period not exceeding one year while registration in Mozambique is being processed. Violations, such as operating without a license or failure to comply with information obligations, are punishable by fines ranging from 80 to 100 minimum wages.
