Curv Aero How to File FAA Form 7460-1: A Step-by-Step Guide
FAA Form 7460-1, Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration, is how you tell the FAA about a structure that meets the 14 CFR Part 77 notice criteria. Filing is free and mostly online, but small data errors (a rounded height, a phone-GPS coordinate, a missing antenna) are the most common reason cases stall. This guide covers when to file, how to file through OE/AAA, what every item on the form means, and what happens next.
Updated November 7, 2026 · Based on FAA Form 7460-1 (03/25 edition), 14 CFR Part 77 as amended October 28, 2026, and AC 70/7460-1N
Step 1: Confirm you need to file
Form 7460-1 is required when a proposal meets any notice criterion in 14 CFR 77.9: more than 200 ft above ground; penetrating the 100:1, 50:1 or 25:1 notice surface around a qualifying airport or heliport; a road, railroad or waterway that would do so once its traffic height is added; or any construction on a qualifying airport. The FAA can also request notice for a proposal outside those criteria.
Temporary structures count. Cranes, drilling rigs and other construction equipment that meet a criterion need their own notice, and Item 4 of the form exists for exactly that. Our 77.9 notice criteria guide walks through each test with worked examples, and the CurvAero Part 77 Report runs them for a specific coordinate and height.
Step 2: Work out your deadline
Part 77 sets these timing rules, including the wind and met tower deadlines added on October 28, 2026:
| Situation | Deadline | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | At least 45 days before the construction start date or the date a construction permit application is filed, whichever is earliest | 77.7(b) |
| Permanent wind energy system and its met tower | At least 90 days before construction or the permit application, whichever is earlier | Rule effective Oct 28, 2026 |
| Existing met tower 50–200 ft AGL | Within 90 days of October 28, 2026 | Rule effective Oct 28, 2026 |
| Also needs an FCC license | On or before the date the FCC application is filed | 77.7(c) |
| Emergency (essential public services, public health or safety) | Notify the FAA by any fast means, then file a completed 7460-1 within 5 days | 77.7(e) |
The 45 days is a minimum notice period, not a promise that the FAA will finish in 45 days. Many local permitting offices want the FAA determination in hand before they issue a permit, so the practical deadline is often months earlier. If your schedule has a hard start date, file as soon as the location and height are fixed.
One special case: alterations to an existing structure that would exceed 2,000 ft AGL are presumed to be a hazard. The notice must explain why the proposal would be neither a hazard nor an inefficient use of airspace (77.7(d)).
Step 3: Gather the data before you open the form
Having these ready is the difference between a 30-minute filing and a week of back-and-forth:
Sponsor details: the company proposing the work, with a named contact, address and phone number.
Representative details, if a consultant or engineer is filing for the sponsor.
Surveyed latitude and longitude, to the nearest second at minimum and to the hundredth of a second if known, with the datum (NAD 83 preferred).
Site ground elevation above mean sea level, from a survey or reliable elevation data.
Total structure height above ground, including antennas, lights, lightning rods and anything else on top.
Construction schedule: start and finish dates; for temporary structures, how long they will stand.
Structure type and description: what it is, and for buildings, the corner coordinates and dimensions.
Radio data for transmitting sites: frequencies, maximum effective radiated power, antenna type and center of radiation.
Prior study number if the FAA has studied this structure before.
FCC Antenna Structure Registration number for an existing registered tower.
A site map marking the precise location; a certified site survey if you have one.
Step 4: Register on OE/AAA and create the case
The FAA's preferred route is electronic filing on the Obstruction Evaluation / Airport Airspace Analysis (OE/AAA) website. You register an account, then add a new case:
- Off Airport for structures beside or near an airport, or anywhere else: towers, turbines, buildings, cranes, power lines.
- On Airport for construction on the airport itself, which is reviewed through the FAA's Airports organization.
E-filing assigns an Aeronautical Study Number (ASN) right away, lets you generate the site map inside the system, and gives you one place to track the case, answer FAA requests and download the determination. When you enter site elevation, OE/AAA checks it against national elevation data and will flag values that don't match the terrain. Paper filing by mail or fax to the FAA Obstruction Evaluation Group in Fort Worth is still accepted, but it is slower.
For wind farms, tower portfolios or other multi-point projects, each structure is its own case. OE/AAA supports adding multiple rows and a data import feature for batch e-filing.
Step 6: Certify, submit and save the ASN
The filer certifies that the information is true, complete and correct, and agrees to mark and light the structure to FAA standards if required. Notice under Part 77 is required by 49 U.S.C. 44718, and the form itself warns that knowingly and willingly failing to give notice can bring civil penalties under 49 U.S.C. 46301 that accrue daily until notice is received.
Save the Aeronautical Study Number. You'll use it to track the case, answer requests, file supplemental notices and reference the study in permit applications.
Step 5: Complete the 21 items
The online screens follow the paper form. Here is what each item needs and where filers go wrong.
| Item | What to enter | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Sponsor | Company proposing the work, with a named contact | Use the entity that owns the project, not the contractor |
| 2. Representative | Consultant or agent filing on the sponsor's behalf, if any | Leave blank if the sponsor files directly |
| 3. Notice of | New Construction, Alteration, or Existing | Use "Existing" for coordinate or height corrections, or a structure never studied; explain in Item 21 |
| 4. Duration | Permanent, or Temporary with months/days | Cranes and derricks are Temporary |
| 5. Work schedule | Planned start and end dates | Must be consistent with the 45-day rule |
| 6. Type | Antenna, tower, crane, building, power line, landfill, water tank, other | Never leave blank |
| 7. Marking/lighting preferred | Your preferred scheme if marking or lighting is required | Pick "Other – no preference" rather than leaving it blank; high-intensity lights are only for structures over 500 ft AGL |
| 8. FCC ASR number | Antenna Structure Registration number for an existing registered tower | Only if one exists. See how FAA notice and FCC ASR fit together |
| 9–10. Latitude / longitude | Geographic coordinates to the nearest second, or hundredth of a second if known | Hand-held GPS alone is not acceptable |
| 11. Datum | NAD 83 (preferred), NAD 27 or other | Never leave blank; NAD 27 vs NAD 83 can shift a point by hundreds of feet |
| 12. Nearest city/state | The city the site is in, or nearest to | |
| 13. Nearest airport | Nearest public-use or military airport or heliport | Not a private strip |
| 14–15. Distance / direction | From that airport to the structure | |
| 16. Site elevation (AMSL) | Ground elevation, rounded to the nearest foot | 17'3" → 17', 17'6" → 18' |
| 17. Total height (AGL) | Height above ground, rounded up to the next foot, including everything mounted on top | 17'3" → 18'; forgetting a lightning rod or whip antenna is the classic error |
| 18. Overall height (AMSL) | Item 16 + Item 17 | Check the arithmetic |
| 19. Previous ASN | Prior aeronautical study number | Format like 2025-ASW-1234-OE |
| 20. Location description | Relationship to roads, airports, terrain and nearby structures, with a map marking the precise site | The plotted map must match Items 9–11 and 16 |
| 21. Description of proposal | What is being built or changed, in detail | See below |
What to put in Item 21
The form's instructions ask for specific detail depending on the structure:
- Transmitting stations: maximum effective radiated power and all frequencies.
- Antennas: antenna type and center of radiation; attach the pattern if available.
- Microwave: azimuth relative to true north.
- Overhead wires and transmission lines: wire size and configuration, and coordinates, site elevation and height for each pole or support.
- Buildings: orientation, coordinates of each corner, dimensions and construction materials.
- Alterations: exactly what changes.
- Existing structures: why you are notifying now, such as a correction or no prior study.
A monopole
A 180 ft monopole carries an antenna array whose top sits 8 ft above the pole, with a 3.3 ft lightning rod above that. The surveyed ground elevation is 5,612.4 ft.
- Item 16: 5,612.4 rounds to the nearest foot → 5,612 ft AMSL.
- Item 17: 180 + 8 + 3.3 = 191.3 ft, rounded up → 192 ft AGL.
- Item 18: 5,612 + 192 → 5,804 ft AMSL.
Filing 180 ft here would understate the structure by 12 ft. If the error is found after the FAA starts its evaluation, a height change generally means a new study and a new wait.
What happens after you file
- 01
Verification
FAA staff check the submission for completeness and consistency, including site elevation, coordinates and height. Incomplete data triggers a request for more information.
- 02
Aeronautical study
The proposal is evaluated against the Part 77 obstruction standards and its effect on instrument procedures, radar, navigation aids, communications and VFR operations. Several FAA offices may review it.
- 03
Circularization or presumed hazard
Proposals with potential adverse effect may be circulated for public comment, or receive a Notice of Presumed Hazard (now called a Notice of Preliminary Findings). That is not a final denial: sponsors often resolve it by lowering the height, moving the site, or presenting additional information.
- 04
Determination
The FAA issues a Determination of No Hazard to Air Navigation, often with marking and lighting requirements under Advisory Circular 70/7460-1, or a Determination of Hazard. Determinations subject to discretionary review take effect 40 days after issuance unless a petition for review is received within 30 days.
- 05
Supplemental notice (Form 7460-2)
For structures more than 200 ft AGL, or when the FAA requests it, you file Form 7460-2 within the time limits in the determination: Part 1 typically at least ten days before construction starts, and Part 2 within 5 days after the structure reaches its greatest height (14 CFR 77.11; AC 70/7460-1N). For determinations issued after October 28, 2026, the conditions, including marking and lighting, are mandatory.
How long a determination lasts
A Determination of No Hazard expires 18 months after its effective date unless extended, revised or terminated (14 CFR 77.33). If construction won't start in time, petition for an extension at least 15 days before it expires. Proposals that don't need an FCC construction permit can be extended once, for up to 18 months.
Common mistakes that slow a filing
- 01
Phone or hand-held GPS coordinates. Explicitly not acceptable. Use a survey or reliable mapping data.
- 02
Missing appurtenances. Antennas, obstruction lights and lightning rods all count toward Item 17.
- 03
Rounding height down. Height always rounds up to the next whole foot.
- 04
Wrong or blank datum. A NAD 27 coordinate labeled NAD 83 puts the structure in the wrong place.
- 05
Site elevation that doesn't match the terrain. OE/AAA will flag it; a survey resolves it.
- 06
Filing late. The 45 days runs from the earlier of construction start or permit application.
- 07
Forgetting the crane. The finished building may clear the notice surface while the crane that builds it does not. See our crane guide.
- 08
One case for many structures. Each turbine, pole or tower needs its own case.
- 09
Letting the determination lapse. Track the 18-month expiration and file extensions early.
Get the numbers right before you file
The CurvAero Part 77 Report checks your coordinate and height against every 77.9 criterion and shows the controlling surface, distance and margin. If notice is required, we can prepare and file the 7460-1 for you.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a fee to file Form 7460-1?
No. The FAA charges nothing to file. Costs come from surveys, engineering time, or a consultant's fee.
Do I need a surveyor?
A certified survey isn't mandatory for every filing, but hand-held GPS alone is not acceptable, and a survey with stated horizontal and vertical accuracy can be attached and may be requested by the FAA, often as a condition of the determination. For tall structures and sites near airports, a survey is usually worth it.
Does filing a 7460-1 mean my project is approved?
No. Filing starts the FAA's study. The FAA issues a determination, and that determination doesn't replace local zoning, building permits or state aviation approvals.
What if I file and it turns out notice wasn't required?
The FAA may still study it and issue a determination. An unnecessary notice costs time; a missed one can stop a project.
Can a consultant file for me?
Yes. List them as the sponsor's representative in Item 2. CurvAero files 7460-1 notices and follows them through determination and supplemental notice.