S. 4256Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 13, 2026 at 2:11 AM UTC

The Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act changes federal law so that pilots and other airmen can show their FAA certificates either as a paper document or as a digital version on a device or cloud system. It tells the FAA to create rules by the end of 2028 that explain how the digital certificates must be authenticated and how the existing regulations will be updated. The bill affects anyone who holds an FAA airman or medical certificate and the FAA inspectors who verify them.

Key Provisions

Allows an airman to present a certificate to an FAA inspector either as a physical paper certificate or as a digital certificate stored on an electronic device or cloud service, provided it meets FAA authentication requirements.
Requires the FAA Administrator to issue a final rule by November 30, 2028 updating parts 61, 63, 65, 67, and 107 of the aviation regulations to implement the new digital‑certificate option and related guidance.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 26, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 26, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee

March 26, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 26, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4256

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 26, 2026

Mr. Sheehy (for himself and Mr. Kim) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation

A BILL

To amend title 49, United States Code, to establish acceptable formats for presentation of airman certificates to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Airmen Certificate Accessibility Act.

Acceptable forms of certification

(a)

In general

Section 44703 of title 49, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(m)

Sufficiency of digital and physical airman certificates

An individual issued a certificate pursuant to this section (including a medical certificate) may present such certificate to an inspector of the Federal Aviation Administration in any of the following formats:

(1)

A physical certificate issued by the Administrator (or his or her designee).

(2)

A digital certificate issued by the Administrator that is stored on an electronic device or, in areas where there is sufficient connectivity to do so, a cloud-based system, and presented in accordance with authentication and verification requirements established by the Administrator.

(b)

Rulemaking

Not later than November 30, 2028, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration shall issue a final rule to update regulations in parts 61, 63, 65, 67, and 107 of title 14, Code of Federal Regulations, to implement the amendment made by this section, and any applicable guidance and policies.