Air operators
FREEDOM TO ESTABLISH
If you have a registered business establishment in another EU/EEA state, you, as a natural or legal person, are allowed to provide services on a permanent basis in Croatia, subject to the mandatory registration of your principal place of business in the Republic of Croatia.
Obtaining an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) consists of five stages and each stage must be completed before the start of the next one:
1. Pre-application
2. Formal Application
3. Document Evaluation
4. Inspection and Demonstration
5. The issuance of a certificate
1. Pre-application shall include a letter of intent in which the applicant shall inform the Agency of the intention to commence the certification process.
Once the Agency has received the letter of intent, it shall organize a pre-application meeting.
If the certification team determines that the information provided in the letter of intent is satisfactory and that the applicant has a clear understanding of the certification process, then the applicant shall be invited to prepare and proceed with the formal application phase.
2. Formal Application includes a review of the application to determine whether it contains the required information, documents and attachments.
3. Document Evaluation includes a detailed assessment by Agency inspectors of all submitted manuals, forms and documents.
4. Inspection and Demonstration shall include verification of the implementation of requirements, procedures and operational practices as described in the System of Operations Manuals, and verification that the Compliance Monitoring System has successfully reviewed all different areas of operation through audits and inspections.
Full demonstration flights shall include simulation of full-scale operations to demonstrate the ability to operate independently, safely and in compliance with all applicable EASA AIR OPS requirements, including diversions and/or en-route landings in the event of abnormal and emergency situations.
5. The issuance of a certificate shall include the implementation of corrective actions from the findings identified during the surveillance and demonstration phase to close the findings, after which the Agency shall issue an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The operations are then specified, listed and approved in the Operational Specifications (OPS SPECS) document. The Head of Flight Operations and Education Department shall sign the AOC and thereafter issue an Operating Licence to the applicant.
An air operator that has obtained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and plans to perform commercial air transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo must, in addition to the Air Operator Certificate, also obtain an Operating Licence (OL). Air operators with an Air Operator Certificate that perform local flights (flights that do not involve the transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo between different airports or other authorized take-off points) do not have to obtain an Operating Licence.
Conditions for obtaining an Operating Licence
Competent Authority and regulations
Hrvatska agencija za civilno zrakoplovstvo
Buzinski krči 5, 10010 Zagreb
+385 1 2369 300
ops@ccaa.hr
Air Traffic Act (NN 69/09, 84/11, 127/13, 92/14)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 of 5 October 2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008
Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community
Regulation (EC) No 785/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on insurance requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators
Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to civil aviation aircrew pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 of 26 September 2012 laying down the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 of 26 November 2014 on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks
Detailed overview of regulations
Authorization
Approval of the Air Operator Certificate and associated Operational Specifications and Operating Licence (not required for performing local flights (flights that do not involve the transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo between different airports or other authorized airfields)
Deadline: 60 days from the date of submission of a valid application
The application for the initial issuance of an AOC must be submitted at least 90 days before the planned date of commencement of operations, together with the application for the issuance of an OL (when applicable).
The Operations Manual may be submitted later, but in any case, not later than 60 days before the planned date of commencement of operations.
Legal remedies
Possibility of appeal within 30 days by initiating an administrative dispute with a lawsuit before the competent Administrative Court.
Deadline for receiving a response to the lawsuit: 30 days
If you have a registered business establishment in another EU/EEA state, you, as a natural or legal person, are allowed to provide services on a permanent basis in Croatia, subject to the mandatory registration of your principal place of business in the Republic of Croatia.
Obtaining an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) consists of five stages and each stage must be completed before the start of the next one:
1. Pre-application
2. Formal Application
3. Document Evaluation
4. Inspection and Demonstration
5. The issuance of a certificate
1. Pre-application shall include a letter of intent in which the applicant shall inform the Agency of the intention to commence the certification process.
Once the Agency has received the letter of intent, it shall organize a pre-application meeting.
If the certification team determines that the information provided in the letter of intent is satisfactory and that the applicant has a clear understanding of the certification process, then the applicant shall be invited to prepare and proceed with the formal application phase.
2. Formal Application includes a review of the application to determine whether it contains the required information, documents and attachments.
3. Document Evaluation includes a detailed assessment by Agency inspectors of all submitted manuals, forms and documents.
4. Inspection and Demonstration shall include verification of the implementation of requirements, procedures and operational practices as described in the System of Operations Manuals, and verification that the Compliance Monitoring System has successfully reviewed all different areas of operation through audits and inspections.
Full demonstration flights shall include simulation of full-scale operations to demonstrate the ability to operate independently, safely and in compliance with all applicable EASA AIR OPS requirements, including diversions and/or en-route landings in the event of abnormal and emergency situations.
5. The issuance of a certificate shall include the implementation of corrective actions from the findings identified during the surveillance and demonstration phase to close the findings, after which the Agency shall issue an Air Operator Certificate (AOC). The operations are then specified, listed and approved in the Operational Specifications (OPS SPECS) document. The Head of Flight Operations and Education Department shall sign the AOC and thereafter issue an Operating Licence to the applicant.
An air operator that has obtained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and plans to perform commercial air transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo must, in addition to the Air Operator Certificate, also obtain an Operating Licence (OL). Air operators with an Air Operator Certificate that perform local flights (flights that do not involve the transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo between different airports or other authorized take-off points) do not have to obtain an Operating Licence.
Conditions for obtaining an Operating Licence
- proof that the principal place of business is located in the Republic of Croatia,
- proof of possession of a valid Air Operator Certificate (AOC), issued by the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1139,
- proof that the applicant has one or more aircraft at his disposal based on the ownership or dry lease agreement of an aircraft,
- proof that the main activity is the provision of air transport services, either alone or in combination with another commercial aircraft activity or aircraft repair and maintenance,
- proof that the company structure allows the Agency to apply the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 1008/2008,
- proof that the applicant complies with the applicable requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 in terms of ownership and effective control,
- proof that the applicant meets the financial conditions established in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No. 1008/2008,
- proof that the applicant meets the insurance requirements set out in Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No. 1008/2008 and Regulation (EC) No. 785/2004, and
- proof that it meets the provisions on good reputation as prescribed in Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No. 1008/2008
| ops@ccaa.hr (if a natural or legal person has a verified electronic signature) Obrazac Application for an Air Operator Certificate „AOC“ (FOD-FRM-001) Application Form ZAHTJEV ZA IZDAVANJE OPERATIVNE LICENCIJE (FOD-FRM-058) |
Competent Authority and regulations
Hrvatska agencija za civilno zrakoplovstvo
Buzinski krči 5, 10010 Zagreb
+385 1 2369 300
ops@ccaa.hr
Air Traffic Act (NN 69/09, 84/11, 127/13, 92/14)
Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 of 5 October 2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008
Regulation (EC) No 1008/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 24 September 2008 on common rules for the operation of air services in the Community
Regulation (EC) No 785/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 April 2004 on insurance requirements for air carriers and aircraft operators
Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 July 2018 on common rules in the field of civil aviation and establishing a European Union Aviation Safety Agency
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 of 3 November 2011 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to civil aviation aircrew pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 of 26 September 2012 laying down the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation
Commission Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014 of 26 November 2014 on the continuing airworthiness of aircraft and aeronautical products, parts and appliances, and on the approval of organisations and personnel involved in these tasks
Detailed overview of regulations
Authorization
Approval of the Air Operator Certificate and associated Operational Specifications and Operating Licence (not required for performing local flights (flights that do not involve the transport of passengers, mail and/or cargo between different airports or other authorized airfields)
Deadline: 60 days from the date of submission of a valid application
The application for the initial issuance of an AOC must be submitted at least 90 days before the planned date of commencement of operations, together with the application for the issuance of an OL (when applicable).
The Operations Manual may be submitted later, but in any case, not later than 60 days before the planned date of commencement of operations.
Legal remedies
Possibility of appeal within 30 days by initiating an administrative dispute with a lawsuit before the competent Administrative Court.
Deadline for receiving a response to the lawsuit: 30 days
06/02/2026
