Federal Aviation Regulations
14 CFR § 91.213 — Inoperative instruments and equipment
Volume 2 · Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations, 2025 annual edition. U.S. Government work — public domain (17 U.S.C. §105).
The regulation, in full
Sec. 91.213 Inoperative instruments and equipment.
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (d) of this section, no person
may take off an aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment
installed unless the following conditions are met:
(1) An approved Minimum Equipment List exists for that aircraft.
(2) The aircraft has within it a letter of authorization, issued by
the responsible Flight Standards office, authorizing operation of the
aircraft under the Minimum Equipment List. The letter of authorization
may be obtained by written request of the airworthiness certificate
holder. The Minimum Equipment List and the letter of authorization
constitute a supplemental type certificate for the aircraft.
(3) The approved Minimum Equipment List must--
(i) Be prepared in accordance with the limitations specified in
paragraph (b) of this section; and
(ii) Provide for the operation of the aircraft with the instruments
and equipment in an inoperable condition.
(4) The aircraft records available to the pilot must include an
entry describing the inoperable instruments and equipment.
(5) The aircraft is operated under all applicable conditions and
limitations contained in the Minimum Equipment List and the letter
authorizing the use of the list.
(b) The following instruments and equipment may not be included in a
Minimum Equipment List:
(1) Instruments and equipment that are either specifically or
otherwise required by the airworthiness requirements under which the
aircraft is type certificated and which are essential for safe
operations under all operating conditions.
(2) Instruments and equipment required by an airworthiness directive
to be in operable condition unless the airworthiness directive provides
otherwise.
(3) Instruments and equipment required for specific operations by
this part.
(c) A person authorized to use an approved Minimum Equipment List
issued for a specific aircraft under subpart K of this part, part 121,
125, or 135 of this chapter must use that Minimum Equipment List to
comply with the requirements in this section.
(d) Except for operations conducted in accordance with paragraph (a)
or (c) of this section, a person may takeoff an aircraft in operations
conducted under this part with inoperative instruments and equipment
without an approved Minimum Equipment List provided--
(1) The flight operation is conducted in a--
(i) Rotorcraft, non-turbine-powered airplane, glider, lighter-than-
air aircraft, powered parachute, or weight-shift-control aircraft, for
which a master minimum equipment list has not been developed; or
(ii) Small rotorcraft, nonturbine-powered small airplane, glider, or
lighter-than-air aircraft for which a Master Minimum Equipment List has
been developed; and
(2) The inoperative instruments and equipment are not--
(i) Part of the VFR-day type certification instruments and equipment
prescribed in the applicable airworthiness regulations under which the
aircraft was type certificated;
(ii) Indicated as required on the aircraft's equipment list, or on
the Kinds of Operations Equipment List for the kind of flight operation
being conducted;
(iii) Required by Sec. 91.205 or any other rule of this part for
the specific kind of flight operation being conducted; or
(iv) Required to be operational by an airworthiness directive; and
(3) The inoperative instruments and equipment are--
(i) Removed from the aircraft, the cockpit control placarded, and
the maintenance recorded in accordance with Sec. 43.9 of this chapter;
or
(ii) Deactivated and placarded ``Inoperative.'' If deactivation of
the inoperative instrument or equipment involves maintenance, it must be
accomplished and recorded in accordance with part 43 of this chapter;
and
(4) A determination is made by a pilot, who is certificated and
appropriately rated under part 61 of this chapter, or by a person, who
is certificated and appropriately rated to perform maintenance on the
aircraft, that the inoperative instrument or equipment does not
constitute a hazard to the aircraft.
An aircraft with inoperative instruments or equipment as provided in
paragraph (d) of this section is considered to be in a properly altered
condition acceptable to the Administrator.
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, an aircraft
with inoperable instruments or equipment may be operated under a special
flight permit issued in accordance with Sec. Sec. 21.197 and 21.199 of
this chapter.
[Docket 18334, 54 FR 34304, Aug. 18, 1989, as amended by Amdt. 91-280,
68 FR 54560, Sept. 17, 2003; Amdt. 91-282, 69 FR 44880, July 27, 2004;
Docket FAA-2018-0119, Amdt. 91-350, 83 FR 9171, Mar. 5, 2018]What this means for the knowledge test
Our own study notes for this section — reviewed through our AI instructional-review system, not by a certificated flight instructor. Not an authoritative source.
When instruments or equipment are inoperative and no minimum equipment list applies, the pilot must determine whether the item is required. It may be legally inoperative only if it is not required by the type certificate’s equipment list, the VFR-day required equipment rule (91.205), an airworthiness directive, or the kind of operation. The inoperative item must then be removed or deactivated and placarded "inoperative," and a determination made that the aircraft is still safe to fly.
14 CFR 91.213
Lessons that cover § 91.213
Practice questions on § 91.213 (1)
With no MEL, a non-required instrument is inoperative. Under 91.213, what must be done before flight?
Answer Deactivate or remove the item, placard it "inoperative," and confirm the aircraft is safe
Under 91.213 with no MEL, a non-required inoperative item must be removed or deactivated and placarded "inoperative," and the pilot must determine the aircraft is still safe to fly.