HMRC’s Aerodrome Designation Status in the UK

What is a Certificate of Agreement for a helipad?

UK aerodromes are thought of by HMRC as falling into four main categories:

• National Designated Aerodromes: Aerodromes that serve as important hubs for domestic and international air travel, providing a wide range of facilities and services for passengers, cargo, and general aviation.
• Regional Designated Aerodromes: Aerodromes that provide essential connectivity and services for a specific region within the UK, often serving smaller cities and towns.
• Local Designated Aerodromes: Aerodromes that provide local connectivity and services, primarily catering to general aviation, flight training, and leisure activities.
• Non-designated C&E aerodromes (and helipads): Aerodromes (and helipads) that handle a limited range of flights subject to a Certificate of Agreement (CoA) with UK Customs Authorities.

Designated Aerodromes can handle flights to and from any location, while Non-Designated Customs and Excise Aerodromes handle a limited range of flights subject to a Certificate of Agreement (CoA) with UK Customs Authorities.

As the United Kingdom’s transition period with the European Union ended on 31 December 2020, non-Customs and Excise designated aerodromes now require an agreement from the National Frontiers Approval Unit (NFAU) to handle flights to and from EU countries. An interim agreement covering all non-designated aerodromes and helipads for a period of 2 years has been introduced to maintain border security and compliance.

Aerodromes must obtain an individual agreement from the NFAU by 31 December 2023 or they will be limited to handling domestic flights only. Applications must include information such as flight types, aircraft types, flight origins, third-party operators, goods transported, and available facilities for Border Force examinations.

The interim national Certificate of Agreement (CoA) has certain restrictions on general aviation flights, the number of passengers, the handling of international