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14 CFR § 440.5 - General.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t14/s440.5"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "14 CFR § 440.5 - General."
title_number: 14
title_name: "Aeronautics and Space"
section_number: "440.5"
section_name: "General."
chapter_name: "COMMERCIAL SPACE TRANSPORTATION, FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION"
subchapter_number: "C"
subchapter_name: "LICENSING"
part_number: "440"
part_name: "FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "51 U.S.C. 50901-50923."
regulatory_source: "Docket No. FAA-2005-23449, 71 FR 75632, Dec. 15, 2006, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "440"
---

# 440.5 General.

(a) No person may commence or conduct any launch or reentry activity that requires a license or permit unless that person has demonstrated compliance with the requirements of this part.

(b) The FAA will prescribe the amount of financial responsibility a licensee or permittee must obtain and any adjustments of the amount in a license or permit order issued concurrent with or subsequent to the issuance of a license or a permit.

(c) Demonstration of financial responsibility under this part shall not relieve a licensee of ultimate responsibility for liability, loss, or damage sustained by the United States resulting from a licensed activity, except to the extent that:

(1) Liability, loss, or damage sustained by the United States results from willful misconduct of the United States or its agents;

(2) Any covered claim of a third party for bodily injury or property damage arising out of any particular licensed activity exceeds the amount of financial responsibility required under § 440.9(c) of this part and does not exceed $1,500,000,000 (as adjusted for inflation occurring after January 1, 1989) above such amount, and are payable pursuant to 51 U.S.C. 50915 and § 440.19 of this part. A claim of an employee of any entity listed in paragraphs (1)(ii) through (1)(iii) in the Third party definition in § 440.3 of this part for bodily injury or property damage is not a covered claim;

(3) A covered claim for property loss or damage exceeds the amount of financial responsibility required under § 440.9(e) of this part and does not result from willful misconduct of the licensee; or

(4) The licensee has no liability for covered claims by third parties for bodily injury or property damage arising out of any particular launch or reentry that exceeds $1,500,000,000 (as adjusted for inflation) above the amount of financial responsibility required under § 440.9(c).

(d) Demonstration of financial responsibility under this part does not relieve a permittee of ultimate responsibility for liability, loss, or damage sustained by the United States resulting from a permitted activity, except to the extent that:

(1) Liability, loss, or damage sustained by the United States results from willful misconduct of the United States or its agents; or

(2) A covered claim for property loss or damage to the United States exceeds the amount of financial responsibility required under § 440.9(e) and does not result from willful misconduct of the permittee.

(e) A licensee's or permittee's failure to comply with any requirement of this part may result in suspension or revocation of a license or permit, and subject the licensee or permittee to civil penalties as provided in part 405 of this chapter.

[Doc. No. FAA-2005-23449, 71 FR 75632, Dec. 15, 2006, as amended by Amdt. 440-3, 77 FR 20533, Apr. 5, 2012]