49 U.S.C. § 44102

Registration requirements

(a) Eligibility.—

An aircraft may be registered under section 44103 of this title only when the aircraft is—

(1)

not registered under the laws of a foreign country and is owned by—

(A)

a citizen of the United States;

(B)

an individual citizen of a foreign country lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States; or

(C)

a corporation not a citizen of the United States when the corporation is organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or a State, and the aircraft is based and primarily used in the United States; or

(2)

an aircraft of—

(A)

the United States Government; or

(B)

a State, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, or a political subdivision of a State, territory, or possession.

(b) Duty To Define Certain Term.—

In carrying out subsection (a)(1)(C) of this section, the Secretary of Transportation shall define “based and primarily used in the United States”.

( Pub. L. 103–272, § 1(e) , July 5, 1994 , 108 Stat. 1161 .)