A Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) is a binding US federal regulation issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. SFARs typically apply to a specific airspace, operation, or fleet for a defined purpose. SFARs receive a sequential number (for example, SFAR 77 covering Iraqi airspace and SFAR 117 covering the Tehran FIR). They are published in the Federal Register and codified in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

How is a SFAR different from a NOTAM?

A NOTAM is a Notice to Air Missions issued by an air-navigation service provider for time-critical operational information; NOTAMs are typically short-duration. A SFAR is a federal regulation that goes through formal rulemaking, has longer validity, and addresses systemic operational restrictions. SFARs covering airspace are usually accompanied by FAA NOTAMs that operationalise the regulation.

How long is a SFAR valid?

SFARs have an explicit expiration date written into the rule (commonly 2 to 4 years from publication). Before expiration, the FAA conducts a review and may extend the SFAR through an amendment, replace it with a new SFAR, or allow it to lapse if conditions no longer warrant. Some SFARs have been extended multiple times across the original conditions persisting.

Who is bound by a SFAR?

SFARs are binding on US-registered operators globally and on foreign operators while in US airspace, depending on the specific SFAR text. SFARs apply to all US Title 14 CFR Part 121 (scheduled passenger), Part 135 (on-demand), Part 91 (general aviation) operators unless the SFAR specifies a narrower scope.

How does a SFAR relate to an EASA CZIB?

SFARs (binding US regulations) and CZIBs (advisory EU bulletins) are independent instruments addressing the same underlying airspace conditions. Many regions of sustained restriction are covered by both — for example, the Tehran FIR (OIIX) is subject to FAA SFAR 117 and EASA CZIB 2026-02-R1. The two bodies coordinate on intelligence inputs but issue independent publications under their own legal frameworks.

How can I find currently active SFARs?

The FAA publishes the current list at faa.gov, and the FlySafe data page FAA SFAR Active List aggregates the current set with last-verified dates. Each SFAR is also indexed in the Code of Federal Regulations under 14 CFR Part 91 with cross-references to the affected operations.

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Process Reference Updated April 2026

How the FAA SFAR Process Works

A Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) is the principal binding instrument used by the US Federal Aviation Administration to address airspace and operational issues that need a more durable rule than a NOTAM. This page explains how SFARs are made, modified, and rescinded.

Last verified:14 days agoSources:FAA SFAR · FAA-RULEMAKING · FEDERAL-REGISTERNext review:May 26

SFAR Lifecycle Stages

Identification of need

FAA identifies a regulatory gap that cannot be addressed adequately through NOTAMs alone. Inputs include intelligence from the US Department of State, partner-agency notifications, ICAO state letters, EASA bulletins, US Department of Defense advisories, and the FAA's own Office of Air Traffic Oversight. The threshold is durable risk that warrants a formal rule.

Rulemaking

FAA drafts the SFAR text and processes it through US Administrative Procedure Act rulemaking. SFARs typically use a "good cause" exception to publish without a prior notice-and-comment period when conditions warrant immediate effect. The SFAR is published in the Federal Register, assigned a sequential number, and codified in 14 CFR.

Effective date and scope

SFARs have an explicit effective date and define their scope clearly: which operators (Part 121, 135, 91), which airspace, which exemptions. The text specifies the prohibited or restricted operations and any conditions for waivers. SFARs are accompanied by FAA NOTAMs that translate the rule into operational language for flight planning.

Operations under SFAR

US-registered operators with routes affected by the SFAR adjust dispatch and routing accordingly. Operators may apply for exemptions through the FAA's Office of Aviation Safety where the SFAR text permits. Compliance is verified through normal FAA inspection and oversight programmes.

Review, extension, replacement, or expiration

SFARs include an explicit expiration date (commonly 2 to 4 years from publication). Before expiration, the FAA reviews the underlying conditions and may extend the SFAR through an amendment in the Federal Register, replace it with a new SFAR with a different number, or allow it to expire if the underlying conditions have resolved. Some SFARs covering airspace under sustained restrictions (for example, the long-running Iranian-airspace prohibition currently codified as SFAR 117) have been extended through multiple amendment cycles, with each amendment carrying a new expiration date.

Examples of Currently Active SFARs (April 2026)

The list below summarises notable SFARs in effect as of the verification date. The full current list is published by the FAA and aggregated at /data/faa-sfar-active-list/.

SFAR	Coverage	FIR	Status
SFAR 117	Iranian airspace prohibition	OIIX	Active 31 Oct 2024 – 31 Oct 2027
SFAR 77	Iraqi airspace prohibition (with carve-outs for Erbil ORER and Sulaymaniyah ORSU)	ORBB	Active
SFAR 115	Sanaa FIR prohibition (Yemen)	OYSC	Active
NOTAM KICZ A0004/22	Ukrainian FIRs prohibition (this is a NOTAM, not a numbered SFAR; SFAR 113 was withdrawn in October 2023)	UKLV / UKBV / UKDV / UKFV / UKOV / UKBU	Active since 24 Feb 2022
Others	Various — see active list	—	See data page

Source: FAA Prohibitions, Restrictions and Notices (faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/us_restrictions), Federal Register, and 14 CFR Part 91. Verified April 2026. SFAR numbers and coverage are subject to amendment; the FAA's online list is the authoritative current source. Ukraine-airspace prohibition is implemented through NOTAM KICZ A0004/22 rather than a numbered SFAR (SFAR 113 covering parts of Ukraine was withdrawn in October 2023).

SFAR vs CZIB

Attribute	FAA SFAR	EASA CZIB
Issuer	FAA	EASA
Audience	US-registered operators	EU-registered operators
Force	Binding	Advisory (may be made binding by member state)
Validity	Explicit expiration; renewable	No fixed expiration; periodic review
Identifier	SFAR-NN (sequential)	CZIB-YYYY-NN
Codification	14 CFR (Federal Register)	EASA Safety Publications Tool

FAA SFAR — Frequently Asked Questions

Common search queries answered with current status, FIR codes, and source citations.

What is a FAA SFAR?: A Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) is a binding US federal regulation issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. SFARs typically apply to a specific airspace, operation, or fleet for a defined purpose. SFARs receive a sequential number (for example, SFAR 77 covering Iraqi airspace and SFAR 117 covering the Tehran FIR). They are published in the Federal Register and codified in Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
How is a SFAR different from a NOTAM?: A NOTAM is a Notice to Air Missions issued by an air-navigation service provider for time-critical operational information; NOTAMs are typically short-duration. A SFAR is a federal regulation that goes through formal rulemaking, has longer validity, and addresses systemic operational restrictions. SFARs covering airspace are usually accompanied by FAA NOTAMs that operationalise the regulation.
How long is a SFAR valid?: SFARs have an explicit expiration date written into the rule (commonly 2 to 4 years from publication). Before expiration, the FAA conducts a review and may extend the SFAR through an amendment, replace it with a new SFAR, or allow it to lapse if conditions no longer warrant. Some SFARs have been extended multiple times across the original conditions persisting.
Who is bound by a SFAR?: SFARs are binding on US-registered operators globally and on foreign operators while in US airspace, depending on the specific SFAR text. SFARs apply to all US Title 14 CFR Part 121 (scheduled passenger), Part 135 (on-demand), Part 91 (general aviation) operators unless the SFAR specifies a narrower scope.
How does a SFAR relate to an EASA CZIB?: SFARs (binding US regulations) and CZIBs (advisory EU bulletins) are independent instruments addressing the same underlying airspace conditions. Many regions of sustained restriction are covered by both — for example, the Tehran FIR (OIIX) is subject to FAA SFAR 117 and EASA CZIB 2026-02-R1. The two bodies coordinate on intelligence inputs but issue independent publications under their own legal frameworks.
How can I find currently active SFARs?: The FAA publishes the current list at faa.gov, and the FlySafe data page FAA SFAR Active List aggregates the current set with last-verified dates. Each SFAR is also indexed in the Code of Federal Regulations under 14 CFR Part 91 with cross-references to the affected operations.