We could not find an Australian licence called “aircraft broker” or “charter broker”. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) certifies the operators who fly charter flights. It does not, in anything we could find, license the people who arrange them. Travel agent licensing, which once covered anyone selling travel, was repealed across the states in 2014. What is left is the operator’s certificate, the Australian Consumer Law, and the paperwork that runs through the CASA aircraft register when an aircraft is sold.
This page covers charter brokers and aircraft sales brokers in Australia. It sets out what we could confirm from CASA, the legislation and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), what we could not, and what to ask. It is not legal or tax advice. For the US position, see our US licence guide.
Key points
- We found no Australian “aircraft broker” or “charter broker” licence.
- Anyone who conducts an air transport operation, which includes charter flights, must hold an air transport air operator’s certificate (AOC) under Part 119 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations (CASR).
- We found no CASA guidance on brokers or agents who arrange charters. CASA does say that the company selling a flight may not be the one legally responsible for operating it.
- The Australian Consumer Law bans misleading conduct and false claims of approval or affiliation. That is the main “holding out” risk for a broker who looks like an operator.
- State travel agent licensing ended in 2014. New South Wales repealed its Act from 1 July 2014, and Western Australia followed in October 2014.
- CASA assigns dealer’s marks to aircraft dealers, for flying unregistered aircraft they manufacture, distribute or deal with. Form 031, $130 per mark. It is not a broker licence.
- When an aircraft is sold, the seller must notify CASA within 14 days and the buyer must apply to become registration holder within 28 days.
CASA: who needs an air operator’s certificate
CASA’s rule is set out plainly. “If you conduct or propose to conduct an air transport operation in Australia for fixed wing or rotary wing aircraft, you must hold an air transport air operator’s certificate (AOC).” CASA grants these under CASR Part 119. It says air transport operations include “any operations flown for hire or reward”, and lists non-scheduled flights carrying passengers or cargo, “such as charter flights”, and corporate and business transport flights not covered by exemption CASA EX68/24 (CASA: Air transport AOC (Part 119)).
An AOC is tied to the holder. CASA says AOCs “are unique to each operator and cannot be transferred”, citing section 27 of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.
The 2021 flight operations rules
Australia rewrote its flight operations rules in 2021. CASA lists the older Civil Aviation Regulations, Orders and advisory publications it “repealed on 2 December 2021” (CASA: flight operations regulations transition). Under the new rules, CASA says, the term “air transport” replaces charter, regular public transport and air ambulance flights conducted for hire or reward. So the word “charter” no longer names a separate licence category.
Which operating rules apply depends on the aircraft. CASR Part 135 covers air transport in aeroplanes with a maximum operational passenger seating capacity of nine and a maximum take-off weight of 8,618 kg or less. Single-engine aeroplanes with more than nine seats fall under Subpart 121.Z (CASA: Part 135). Part 121 covers larger aeroplanes and Part 133 covers rotorcraft. None of these Parts, as far as we could find, places a duty on a broker.
Does arranging a charter need anything from CASA?
We searched CASA’s site and guidance for any statement on charter brokers, or on agents who arrange flights for others. We found none. The nearest is a 2023 CASA explainer. It says any operator transporting passengers must hold an AOC, and that “undertaking commercial aviation activities without an AOC is illegal”. It then notes that “the company you buy the ticket from might not be the company who is legally responsible for operating the flight”, giving a tour operator or travel agent as examples, and tells passengers to ask who the AOC holder is and check it on CASA’s website (CASA: Flying commercially and privately in Australia, 25 September 2023).
So CASA accepts that sellers and operators can differ, but we found no rules it sets for the seller. A broker who controls aircraft or crew may blur who is really operating the flight, and only CASA can rule on that. If your model is anything other than “we find an AOC holder and the AOC holder flies”, ask CASA before you sell. Our operator due diligence guide covers how to check an operator’s authority.
Holding out: the Australian Consumer Law
Australia has no charter broker disclosure rule like the US Part 295. The general law fills some of that space. Section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010) says a person “must not, in trade or commerce, engage in conduct that is misleading or deceptive or is likely to mislead or deceive.” Section 29(1)(h) bars a false or misleading representation “that the person making the representation has a sponsorship, approval or affiliation” (Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Volume 4).
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says it makes no difference whether a business intends to mislead, that the rule covers websites, quotes and social media, and that silence can be misleading where key details are left out (ACCC: False or misleading claims).
We found no ACCC case or guidance about charter brokers specifically. Applying the general rule, the risks are easy to name: calling yourself an operator or airline, showing aircraft as “our fleet” when you do not operate them, implying CASA approval you do not hold, or not telling the customer which AOC holder will fly the trip. Naming the operator in writing on every quote is the plain way to avoid all four. The broker versus operator explainer sets out the difference in roles.
Travel agent licensing ended in 2014
Until 2014, the states ran a co-operative scheme that licensed travel agents and backed them with the Travel Compensation Fund. That scheme is gone. The New South Wales Travel Agents Repeal Act 2014 commenced on 1 July 2014 and repealed the Travel Agents Act 1986 and the Travel Agents Regulation 2011 (NSW legislation: Travel Agents Repeal Act 2014).
Western Australia’s Commerce Minister announced the end of its licensing system on 7 October 2014, “in line with the national deregulation of the travel industry”. The statement said the Travel Compensation Fund would accept claims only for travel paid for before 1 July 2014, and that consumers remain protected by the Australian Consumer Law (WA Government media statement, 7 October 2014). We did not check the other states’ repeal Acts one by one; “national” is the WA statement’s word.
For a charter broker this means no state travel licence to apply for, as far as we could find, and no compensation fund behind your customers’ money.
Sales brokers: dealer’s marks
The one CASA tool written for the aircraft trade is the dealer’s mark. CASA says it assigns dealer’s marks “to individuals or organisations engaged in the manufacture, sales or distribution of aircraft in Australia”. You apply on Form 031, which CASA says is for an aircraft dealer or an agent acting on behalf of one, with evidence of how you manufacture, sell or distribute aircraft. The fee is $130.00 for each mark (CASA: Aircraft dealer’s marks, page last updated 28 June 2022).
The rules sit in CASR Subpart 47.H (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, Volume 2):
| Rule | What it says |
|---|---|
| Who may apply (47.175) | An aircraft dealer who is an “eligible person”. A dealer includes a manufacturer or distributor. |
| Which aircraft (47.210) | Only an aircraft not currently registered in any country, that the dealer manufactured, distributes or deals with. |
| Effect (47.215) | The aircraft is taken to be registered while operated in Australia, if it carries the dealer’s plate and possession stays with the dealer. |
| Plate (47.205) | The dealer makes one fireproof plate per mark, engraved to a set format. |
| Records and report (47.210, 47.220) | Keep records of each aircraft and period of use for 12 months, and report to CASA annually. |
| Duration (47.190, 47.225) | The mark stays assigned unless CASA revokes it, which it must do if the holder stops being a dealer or breaches the Subpart. |
Two limits matter. Dealer’s marks let a dealer fly an unregistered aircraft it holds. They do not authorise anyone to buy, sell or broker aircraft. And the rule assumes the dealer has possession. We could not confirm whether a broker who only introduces buyer and seller, and never holds the aircraft, would qualify. Ask CASA with your business model.
Sales brokers: registration and GST
Transferring the registration
CASA keeps the Australian Civil Aircraft Register. When ownership changes, CASR 47.110 requires the former owner to give CASA a transfer notice, and give the new owner a copy and the certificate of registration, as soon as practicable and within 14 days. The new owner must apply to become the registration holder within 28 days. If it does not, CASA must suspend the registration. CASA says both steps can be done in myCASA (CASA: Change, transfer or cancel aircraft registration).
A broker is not named in these rules, but the deadlines fall on your clients. Our aircraft sale closing guide walks through the rest of the process.
GST on the sale
GST is “a broad-based tax of 10% on most goods, services and other items sold or consumed in Australia” (ATO: How GST works). A business must register once its GST turnover reaches $75,000 (ATO: Registering for GST). Whether a given aircraft sale carries GST depends on whether the seller is registered and selling in the course of an enterprise. That is a question for the seller’s tax adviser.
Exports are treated differently. Under item 3 of the table in section 38-185 of the GST Act, as the ATO sets out in GSTR 2002/6, a supply of an aircraft is GST-free “only if the recipient of the aircraft or ship exports it from Australia under its own power within 60 days (or such further period as the Commissioner allows) after taking physical possession of it” (ATO: GSTR 2002/6). The ruling says the supplier needs documentary evidence of the export. We did not research how GST applies to a broker’s own commission.
What to ask before you start
- CASA: Does my charter model, as described, involve me conducting an air transport operation? Would I qualify for dealer’s marks as a broker?
- An Australian lawyer: Do my website, quotes and contracts make clear I am not the operator? How should I hold client deposits?
- A tax adviser: Do I need to register for GST? How does GST apply to my commission, and to a sale that will be exported?
How this compares to the US (Part 295)
The US has a federal rule written for charter brokers, 14 CFR Part 295, with set disclosures about who operates the flight. Australia has no equivalent we could find. The duty not to mislead customers comes from the general Australian Consumer Law instead. See our US licence guide and what Part 295 requires you to disclose. Other regions: UK and EU, Canada, GCC.
Where training fits
No course gives you an Australian licence, because there is none to give, and no course replaces a CASA answer or legal advice. Training can teach how operators, quotes and sale closings work. IABI, which publishes this guide, sells broker courses; its certificates are private training credentials. Compare providers on the same criteria in our courses compared page.
Free from IABI · IABI publishes this guide
Want to talk it through before you spend anything?
IABI runs a free webinar on how to become an aircraft broker, and offers a free one-to-one consultation. Both are a way to ask questions and judge the teaching for yourself before paying for any course.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to be an aircraft broker in Australia?
We found no Australian licence called aircraft broker or charter broker. The operator that flies a charter must hold a CASA air transport AOC. Brokers must still comply with the Australian Consumer Law. Ask CASA and a lawyer about your specific model.
Does a charter broker need a CASA AOC?
An AOC is needed to conduct an air transport operation, including charter flights. We found no CASA guidance saying that arranging a flight with an AOC holder needs an AOC. If you control aircraft or crew, ask CASA.
Do Australian charter brokers need a travel agent licence?
Travel agent licensing was repealed in 2014. New South Wales repealed its Act from 1 July 2014 and Western Australia ended its scheme in October 2014, describing a national deregulation. We found no current state travel licence.
What are CASA dealer’s marks?
Marks CASA assigns to aircraft dealers so they can operate unregistered aircraft they deal with, while the aircraft stays in their possession. Apply on Form 031; the fee is $130 per mark. It is not a licence to sell or broker aircraft.
Is GST charged on aircraft sales in Australia?
GST is 10% on most taxable sales by registered businesses. A sale can be GST-free if the buyer exports the aircraft under its own power within 60 days of taking possession. Ask a tax adviser about any specific sale.
Sources
Every source below was checked on 17 October 2026.
- CASA, Air transport air operator’s certificate (Part 119), last updated 20 January 2026
- CASA, Part 135 of CASR: Australian air transport operations, smaller aeroplanes
- CASA, Flight operations regulations transition
- CASA, Flying commercially and privately in Australia (25 September 2023)
- CASA, Aircraft dealer’s marks, last updated 28 June 2022
- CASA, Change, transfer or cancel aircraft registration, last updated 31 October 2023
- Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, Volume 2 (Part 47, compilation of 30 June 2026)
- Competition and Consumer Act 2010, Volume 4, Schedule 2 (Australian Consumer Law), compilation of 16 September 2026
- NSW legislation, Travel Agents Repeal Act 2014 No 17
- Government of Western Australia, media statement: WA travel industry deregulated (7 October 2014)
- ATO, GSTR 2002/6: GST exports of goods
- ATO, How GST works, last updated 14 September 2026
- ATO, Registering for GST, last updated 14 September 2026
- ACCC, False or misleading claims