Drone Registration: How to Register Your Drone with the FAA [New for 2026]

If you fly a drone in the U.S., you have to register it with the FAA.

The only exception is for recreational flyers with drones that weigh less than 250 grams (.55 lbs).

If your drone weighs 250 grams or more, you have to register it. And if you plan to fly for work (i.e., not recreationally) then you still have to register it, regardless of weight.

Here’s the breakdown by types of flying:

• Recreational flyers need to register themselves, and then their registration will apply to all the drones they fly.
• Commercial drone pilots need to register every single drone they fly individually.

This guide to drone registration walks you through the full process in plain English: how to register your drone, who needs to register, what it costs, how renewal works, and how registration fits into broader drone regulations (including Remote ID).

Now let’s get you registered.

Want to jump around? Here are all the topics we cover in this guide:

• How to Register a Drone (Step-by-Step)
• Do You Need to Register Your Drone?
• Drone Regulations: What You Need to Be Legal
• FAA Drone Registration Cost and Renewal
• Drone Registration FAQ

How to Register a Drone (Step-by-Step)

In the U.S., you register your drone through the FAA’s official portal, the FAADroneZone.

What You’ll Need to Register Your Drone

• Your physical address (and mailing address if different)
• A valid email address
• A phone number
• A credit or debit card (the FAA registration fee is $5)
• If registering under Part 107 (i.e., flying for work): your drone’s make, model, and serial number
• If your drone has Standard Remote ID (most newer models do)*: the Remote ID serial number provided by the manufacturer (or the serial number of your Remote ID broadcast module, if applicable)

*If your drone does not have Standard Remote ID (which is unusual, but still happens), you may need to enter the serial number of a Remote ID broadcast module. The only exception is if you’re planning to fly exclusively inside a FRIA, which is a special area where you can fly without Remote ID.

Step-by-Step Drone Registration Process

1. Go to FAADroneZone.
2. Create an account (or log in if you already have one).
3. Choose the registration type that matches how you fly:
   • Recreational (flying for fun)
   • Part 107 (flying for work)
4. Follow the prompts to complete your registration and pay the $5 fee.
5. Download / save your Certificate of Registration (and keep it available when you fly).

If you want the FAA’s official walkthrough, here it is: How to Register Your Drone (FAA).

After You Register, Display Your Registration Number

After you complete FAA drone registration, you’ll receive a registration number.

How that number applies depends on how you registered:

• Recreational flyers: You receive one registration number that you use on all drones you fly recreationally.
• Commercial drone pilots: Each drone is registered individually and receives its own registration number.

The FAA requires you to display the registration number on the outside of the aircraft, in a way that’s legible upon visual inspection.

A label maker, printed label, or permanent marker all work—just make it readable and durable.

If you’re unsure where to place it, choose a flat spot on the drone body or an arm—somewhere visible without opening a battery compartment or removing parts.

From a registration standpoint, you’re covered. Just remember that registration is only one piece of overall compliance.

Quick Drone Registration Checklist

• Register your drone through the FAADroneZone
• Saved your registration certificate
• Marked the outside of the drone with the registration number
• Noted the registration term (valid for 3 years)

Do You Need to Register Your Drone?

The simple answer is that yes, most drone pilots need to register their drones.

But there is the weight-related exception you mentioned in the introduction.

Here’s the breakdown:

• If you fly for fun, you need to register your drone if it weighs 250 grams (.55 lbs) or more. If it weighs less than 250 grams, you don’t need to register it.
• If you fly for work, you need to register your drone regardless of its weight.

Quick Examples of the 250 Gram Rule

• You fly a DJI Mini (under 250 g) just for fun. You don’t need to register.
• You add accessories that push a sub-250 g drone to 250 g or more. Registration is required.
• You fly under Part 107 (i.e., for work). You need to register your drone, even if it weighs less than 250 grams.
• You only fly indoors. You don’t need to register your drone—as long as you never plan to fly outside.
• You only fly in your backyard. You need to register your drone.

Recreational vs. Part 107 Registration

This is where a lot of people get tripped up.

The FAA uses different registration approaches depending on whether you’re flying recreationally or under Part 107.

But the rule is simple: for recreational flyers, you register yourself, then apply the same registration number to all your drones; for commercial drone pilots, you register each individual drone.

How Do I Know If I’m Flying for Fun or for Work?

The FAA draws the line based on the purpose of the flight.

If you’re flying purely for personal enjoyment—with no business purpose and no furtherance of a business—you’re operating as a recreational flyer.

If the flight supports a business in any way, even indirectly, and even if you’re not getting paid to do it, then it falls under the FAA’s Part 107 (commercial) rules.

Here are some quick examples:

• Recreational: Flying for fun, practicing, taking personal photos or videos with no business use.
• Part 107: Real estate photos, roof inspections, social media content for a brand, YouTube videos that are monetized, or anything tied to paid work.

When in doubt, assume that if the flight benefits any business, it’s probably a Part 107 operation.

Learn more on the FAA’s website: Recreational Flyers (FAA) and Commercial Drone Operations / Part 107.

What Happens If You Don’t Register Your Drone

If you’re required to register and you skip it, you’re operating out of compliance with FAA rules.

In the real world, the bigger issue is that registration is part of the baseline paperwork that can come up after an incident—like a complaint, a flyaway, property damage, or an interaction with law enforcement. It’s also one of the easiest compliance steps to knock out in a few minutes.

Drone Regulations: What You Need to Be Legal

Registration is important. But it’s not the only thing you need to do to fly a drone legally.

To stay legal, you also need the right pilot requirement (TRUST or Part 107), you need to follow FAA flying rules, and you need to meet Remote ID requirements.

Here’s a quick compliance checklist:

Want to learn more? Here’s the FAA’s official hub for drone rules and resources.

Compliance for Recreational Flyers

If you’re flying just for fun, your compliance checklist is straightforward: pass TRUST, register if your drone is 250 grams or more, meet Remote ID requirements for most outdoor flights, and follow the FAA’s recreational operating rules.

Here are the key rules to follow:

• Fly for recreational purposes only
• Keep visual line of sight
• Stay at or below 400 feet
• Don’t fly in controlled airspace without authorization
• Give way to crewed aircraft

Visit the FAA’s official page for recreational flyers.

Compliance for Commercial (Part 107) Drone Pilots

If your flight supports a business in any way, you’re operating under Part 107. That means holding a Remote Pilot Certificate, registering your aircraft under Part 107 in DroneZone, meeting Remote ID requirements for most outdoor flights, and following Part 107 operating rules.

Here are the key rules to follow:

• Maintain visual line of sight
• Fly at or below 400 feet (or 400 feet above a structure, when flying near structures)
• No flying over people unless your drone meets the FAA’s Operations Over People requirements and you follow the applicable rules.
• No operations from moving vehicles (except in limited cases)
• Airspace authorization required in controlled airspace

Visit the FAA’s official page for commercial drone pilots.

Drone Registration vs Remote ID

Drone registration is the FAA record that links a drone (or a pilot, depending on how you register) to an owner/operator.

Remote ID is a separate requirement. It’s a broadcast signal from a drone in flight that provides identification and location information.

In simple terms: registration is paperwork; Remote ID is broadcasting. Most drone flights require both.

Learn more about Remote ID.

FAA Drone Registration Cost and Renewal

It costs $5 to register your drone on the FAADroneZone. Registration is valid for three years.

Here’s How to Renew Your Drone Registration

1. Log in to FAADroneZone.
2. Locate your existing registration in your dashboard.
3. Select the renewal option.
4. Pay the $5 renewal fee.
5. Download your updated registration certificate.

Updating Your Information

Keeping your contact information current is part of staying compliant.

If you move, change your name, or update contact information, you should log into DroneZone and update your account.

If you sell a drone or stop flying, you can manage those details inside your DroneZone dashboard as well.

Drone Registration FAQ

Here are the drone registration questions we hear most often from drone pilots.

Where Do I Register My Drone?

The official place to register is the FAA’s DroneZone portal: FAADroneZone. Be cautious with third-party sites that charge extra fees or look “official”—you only need to register on the FAA’s official portal.

Can I Register Multiple Drones?

Yes. Many pilots own more than one drone, and FAA registration is designed for that.

The key is registering under the correct category (recreational or Part 107) and then following the FAA’s rules for how registration applies in that category.

Do I Need to Register a DJI Mini?

Most DJI Mini models are designed to be under 250 grams, which means you often don’t need to register for recreational flying.

But if your setup reaches 250 grams or more, registration is required. When in doubt, start with the FAA’s registration guidance: Register Your Drone (FAA).

Do Kids Have to Register a Drone?

Registration is tied to the person responsible for the operation—not the age of the pilot. In practice, a parent or guardian typically completes the registration and makes sure the drone is flown safely and legally. The registration process itself happens in the FAADroneZone.

Can I Transfer My Drone Registration to Someone Else?

In general, registration isn’t something you can hand off like a vehicle title.

If you sell a drone, the new owner should register it to themselves before they fly. If you’re dealing with a sale or change of ownership, the DroneZone is where you manage your account details.

Is Drone Registration the Same as a License?

No. Registration is basically an identification record. A “license” (in FAA terms) is more like pilot eligibility—TRUST for recreational flying or a Remote Pilot Certificate under Part 107 for commercial operations.

What Happens if I Sell My Drone?

If you sell a drone, the buyer is responsible for making sure they’re registered. You should also make sure your own DroneZone account accurately reflects what you currently own and operate.

Do I Need to Register if I Only Fly in My Backyard?

Yes. If you’re flying outdoors, you’re still flying in U.S. airspace, so the registration rules still apply. Backyard flying doesn’t automatically create an exception.

Do I Need to Register if I Only Fly Indoors?

Technically, no. Indoor flight is generally treated differently because you’re not operating in the same way as outdoor flight in the National Airspace System.

But most people asking this question are really planning to fly outdoors sometimes, so it’s safest to use the standard rule: if your drone is 250 grams or more and you fly outdoors at all, you’ll need to register.