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Aviation and airlines

Argentina. For full detail on Argentina, go to The Argentine Thread.

Last verified: 2026-10-30 · Status: Stable

The Junta de Aviación Civil grants economic rights and IDAC handles safety. A company is national at 35% Dominican capital and board, or up to 100% foreign if owned by a recognized foreign airline with Executive approval, while art. 239 keeps a 51% test for domestic service. Foreign airlines fly under treaties and JAC permits of up to 10 years.

USD figures use the Banco Central de la República Dominicana reference selling rate of RD$60.9007 per US dollar, as shown on its home page on 30 October 2026, rounded to the cent.

Key facts

Minimum Dominican ownership for domestic carriers	51 %Ley 491-06 art. 239, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Foreign airline operating permit, maximum	10 yearsLey 491-06 art. 242, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Share of directors who must be nationals	Two thirds Ley 491-06 art. 239, as of 2026-10-30 · in force
Dominican capital and board for a national company	35 %Ley 491-06 art. 237 as amended by Ley 67-13, as of 2026-10-30 · in force

The rule

1. No operator may do public air transport without a current economic authorization certificate from the JAC.Ley 491-06 de Aviación Civil, art. 216, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

2. National operators also need an air operator certificate (AOC) from the director of IDAC.Ley 491-06, art. 130, 131 and 217, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

3. Domestic commercial air transport is reserved to Dominican persons or companies.Ley 491-06, art. 183, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

4. A Dominican company counts as national if at least 35% of capital and board are Dominican, more than half of non board managers are Dominican and its main office is in the country. If 35% cannot be shown, it is presumed not to qualify.Ley 491-06 as amended by Ley 67-13, art. 237 a to c and 238, 2013-04-12 official text · verified 2026-10-30

5. A company may also be up to 100% foreign owned if the investment belongs to an internationally recognized foreign airline or a subsidiary it controls, and the Executive authorizes it.Ley 491-06 as amended by Ley 67-13, art. 237 d, 2013-04-12 official text · verified 2026-10-30 · changed: April 2013: Ley 67-13 added the route to 100% foreign ownership by an airline.

6. Only Dominican airlines may run domestic or cabotage service. That means at least 51% of capital or substantial ownership held by Dominicans, two thirds of directors being nationals, and effective control of the fleet.Ley 491-06, art. 239, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

7. Aerial work such as crop spraying, survey and photography is also reserved to Dominican persons or companies.Ley 491-06, art. 184 and 185, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

8. International public air transport is reserved to Dominican operators, and may be granted to foreign operators under ratified treaties and only in line with them.Ley 491-06, art. 220, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

9. A foreign airline seeking a permit must show its State designated it, that its government gives reciprocity, and meet the rule that applies if no air services agreement exists.Ley 491-06, art. 240, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

10. Foreign operators also need operations specifications from IDAC.Ley 491-06, art. 241, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

11. Operating permits are personal, not transferable, and last up to 10 years, with further terms that cannot exceed 10 years each.Ley 491-06, art. 242, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

12. Before issuing a permit, the JAC checks fitness and the insurance or self insurance plan.Ley 491-06, art. 244 and 245, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

13. Requests go to a public hearing process, and interested parties may appear. The JAC then issues a resolution.Ley 491-06, art. 247 to 251, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

14. Economic authorization certificates are personal and non transferable, and no permit gives ownership or exclusive use of airspace, routes or airports.Ley 491-06, art. 227 and 228, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

15. Aeronautical staff must be Dominican, except for those of foreign operators, and foreign technicians can be used when qualified nationals are lacking.Ley 491-06, art. 120 and 121, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

16. A civil aircraft takes Dominican nationality by entry in the National Aircraft Registry.Ley 491-06, art. 82, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

17. Where a Dominican registered aircraft is run abroad under lease, IDAC may transfer its duties as State of registry by a bilateral agreement under Chicago Convention art. 83 bis.Ley 491-06 as amended by Ley 67-13, art. 78, 2013-04-12 official text · verified 2026-10-30

18. Airport passenger and service charges are set by the Executive, and IDAC collects them.Ley 491-06, art. 284 and 285, 2006-12-28 official text · verified 2026-10-30

Operator	From the JAC	From IDAC
Dominican scheduled airline	Economic authorization certificate	AOC
Foreign airline	Operating permit under a treaty	Operations specifications
Aerial work firm	Reserved to Dominicans	Aerial work certificate

Who needs what

Worked example

A foreign investor wants 49% of a Dominican regional airline. That clears both the 35% national company test and the 51% domestic test, if two thirds of directors are national and the company keeps effective control of its fleet. A foreign investor with 60% that is not an airline clears art. 237 but not art. 239, so it could not fly domestic routes on that reading.
A South American carrier wants a Santo Domingo route. It needs designation by its State and reciprocity, a JAC permit after hearing, and IDAC specifications. For routes touching Argentina, check the treaty first and see The Argentine Thread guide.

Step by step

Check the bilateral air agreement.
Prepare ownership and insurance files.
File at the JAC and go through the hearing.
Get the AOC or the specifications from IDAC.
Begin service within the period the JAC sets (art. 226).
Renew before expiry.

Common traps

Art. 237 was relaxed in 2013 but art. 239 was not touched. A 100% airline owned company is national under art. 237 d, yet art. 239 still asks for 51% for domestic service. We found no text reconciling them, so get a JAC opinion before planning domestic routes.
The 51% test covers substantial ownership and effective control, not just shares. Side agreements may breach it.
Certificates and permits cannot be transferred, so a sale of an airline needs a look at both JAC and IDAC.
Ley 491-06 has been amended by Ley 67-13 and Ley 17-24. The Ley 17-24 text could not be retrieved, so check it for changes.
No official table of JAC or IDAC fees was found, so none is given.

Sources

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