Roughly 17,000 currently-registered US aircraft carry a kit manufacturer on the FAA record — Van's, Lancair, Zenith, and dozens of other kit lines. A homebuilt's FAA registration and NTSB history check the same way any other aircraft's does, but the build itself adds a layer of due diligence a factory-built aircraft never asks for.
Same public records check, same first step
Registration status and expiration, prior registrants, and NTSB accident or incident history by N-number and by manufacturer serial number — run this first, on any homebuilt, exactly as you would on a factory aircraft. See our experimental aircraft title search guide for how the amateur-built classification affects the title search process specifically.
What the FAA record can't tell you: who actually built it
The single biggest risk-factor a homebuilt adds is build quality, and that lives entirely outside the FAA registry. The FAA requires an airworthiness inspection before a homebuilt's first flight, but it does not certify workmanship the way a factory production line does. Ask for the original builder's construction log, photos of the build in progress, and the initial airworthiness inspection paperwork — not just the current owner's flight logs.
Checklist
- FAA registration status and expiration.
- NTSB history by N-number and serial number.
- Original builder's construction log and build photos, if available.
- Initial airworthiness inspection (Form 8130-6 or equivalent) on file.
- Whether the current owner is the original builder — if not, ask why the aircraft changed hands.