How to become a certificated regulated air cargo agent

Our Certification teams are consistently carrying heavy workloads and because of this, you can expect delays with your application(s). To help us process your application smoother, please plan ahead, get applications in early, ensure that your applications are on the current (not outdated) forms, and that they’re complete with all appropriate information.

If your organisation moves cargo (including mail) on international passenger flights, you can apply to us for a regulated cargo agent (RACA) certificate to do so.

Here’s a guide to that process

1	Complete an application for certification 24109/01 – Application for issue, renewal or amendment of a regulated air cargo agent certificate [PDF 236 KB].
2	Complete fit and proper person questionnaire forms 24FPP [DOCX 61 KB]. There’s both a PDF and Word version. A questionnaire needs to be completed for: the chief executive officer all other senior persons. (Senior persons manage all the functions associated with an operation, and foster the safety culture of the organisation). Advisory Circular AC109-1 – Regulated air cargo agent - certification
3	Get criminal and transport offence history reports to accompany the fit and person questionnaire(s). Criminal history can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice on form Priv/FI (see 24FPP [DOCX 61 KB]) Transport offence can be obtained by requesting a traffic offence history report from the Transport Agency (see 24FPP [DOCX 61 KB]). Apply for both even if you have a ‘clean sheet’.
4	Send the following completed documents to the Director of Civil Aviation, via security@caa.govt.nz: Application form 24109/01 [PDF 236 KB] Senior person fit and proper questionnaire form(s) 24FPP [DOCX 61 KB] Company exposition 24109/02 [PDF 5.1 MB] – Rule compliance matrix (This is in both PDF and Word versions).
5	Each person in your organisation authorised to carry out security control functions, or have access to access-controlled areas, has to be approved by the Director. The Aviation Security Service will examine your history to ensure you’re not a threat to aviation security. This is called a security check determination. Your organisation may need to start getting these security check determinations before a final RACA certificate is issued. In that case, send us completed form 24109/01 [PDF 236 KB] with a note that your company exposition will be provided later. We will provide you with a CAA client number so the security check determinations for authorisations under rule 109.59 can be started with the Aviation Security Service (note certification will not be completed until the exposition has been accepted by the Director). 109.59 Authorisation procedures Security checks AIC Helpdesk email aichelpdesk@avsec.govt.nz
6	We will assess your company’s application and exposition to ensure it complies with Part 109.
7	We may conduct interviews with the CEO and other senior persons to make sure they understand what Part 109 requires.
8	We may visit the access-controlled area of your facilities as part of the certification process.
9	If satisfied with your company’s exposition, facilities and senior persons, the Director will grant your organisation a regulated air cargo agent certificate in accordance with rule 109.9. Initial certification lasts two years, and then your organisation will need to reapply. Certificates after the first one have a life of five years.