May 13, 2025
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) recently announced it would indefinitely extend the agricultural quarantine inspection (AQI) user fee exemption for small commercial aircraft – those with 64 or fewer seats – due in part to advocacy from NBAA and member companies.
APHIS has published a final rule amending user fee regulations associated with the agricultural quarantine and inspection program. The rule went into effect on Oct. 1, 2024. Because small commercial passenger aircraft were not previously subject to this fee, the agency delayed the implementation of the fee for small commercial aircraft and requested industry input.
NBAA urged the agency to retain the exemption for small aircraft with 64 or fewer seats, explaining that small commercial aircraft are rarely inspected by APHIS representatives, instead most agricultural inspection functions are conducted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Small commercial aircraft currently remit per-passenger fees to APHIS and CBP along with additional per aircraft fees to CBP that more appropriately reflects the burden the aircraft impose on government mandated inspections. The association also questioned the cost differential between a small aircraft with nine passenger seats compared with the burden imposed by a 250-passenger seat scheduled airliner.
In response to industry feedback, APHIS determined it would retain the current AQI user fee exemption for certain passenger aircraft with 64 or fewer seats until further notice and would address the issue in future rulemaking.
“NBAA appreciates the agency’s efforts to collect and carefully consider industry perspectives, ultimately deciding to retain the current exemption for small aircraft,” said Laura Everington, NBAA director of international operations and regulations. “This exemption appropriately reflects the relatively low burden small aircraft place on APHIS and the inspection fees small aircraft operators pay in other manners.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.