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6 Answers

How long is an IFR clearance good for?

Asked by: 6068 views Commercial Pilot, FAA Regulations, General Aviation, Instrument Rating

I’m aware that an ifr flight plan is usually stored for about 2 hours, but how long is a clearance actually good for? What if you don’t have a void time?

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6 Answers



  1. Craig on Dec 18, 2019

    Per the FAR/AIM section 5-2-6, the clearance void time “cannot exceed 30 minutes”.

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  2. Mark Kolber on Dec 19, 2019

    What is a scenario in which you would not have a void time and are also not in direct communication with ATC? (Unless someone screwed up)

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  3. Russ Roslewski on Dec 20, 2019

    I think it’s a reasonable question, but one I don’t know the answer to.

    I’ve gotten my clearance while sitting in the FBO, for one. Some FBOs have a dedicated radio or phone to use to call clearance, at others I might just call on my phone.

    Works great if you’re waiting for passengers. But how long can you wait? I don’t know. Can I get my clearance then not call for taxi for an hour? What if I have some unexpected delays? Is there value in calling them telling them “I’m not ready to taxi yet, just wanted to make sure my clearance is still good” – is that necessary?

    Not directly related, but an example of why it’s sometimes good to call clearance from the FBO, not the airplane – I remember one time I was at the FBO at DFW (waiting on passengers) and called using their radio. I’m glad I didn’t wait until I got in the airplane, because it took about 20 minutes for them to figure out the right clearance (weren’t used to a single-engine piston calling them, I guess), which of course turned out to be the SID I knew I’d get – the one without “turbojets only” or some notation like that.

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  4. JCBaum on Dec 20, 2019

    From my experience, if I am departing from a non-towered airport, ATC issues me a clearance which includes a Clearance Void Time. When I am at work (airline ops) and at a towered field, we usually will receive our IFR clearance without a Clearance Void Time. Typically we receive the clearance about 30 minutes prior to planned departure time. But when we run into maintenance/passenger delays the flight plan/clearance will drop out of the system 2 hours after filed departure time. My guess (I can’t point to a specific reference) is that since ATC knows where the aircraft is located and has control of the actual departure time via the tower, there is no need for a Void Time.

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  5. John D Collins on Dec 21, 2019

    At my airport, most of the time, the clearance is issued with a hold for release or a call back when ready. It is on the release that a void time is usually issued..

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  6. Mark Kolber on Dec 21, 2019

    The comments actually fit the reason I asked my question. The bottom line for me is, one very basic principle. IFR is always about working within a system where the activities of one pilot has an effect on everyone around them.

    A corollary is that an IFR clearance is only as good as it works. That’s a primary reason we have en route amendments. The good idea for routing you got before departure might simply not work 300 miles away 2 hours later. The lost comm rules are there because ATC can’t amend your clearance because of traffic changes, so they need to know what you are going to do so they can get other traffic out of your way.

    At a non-towered airport, that all means you are going to have a void time within which you can use your IFR clearance, whether it’s done when the clearance is initially issued or after a hold for release, as in common at some airports and can take place at any airport when local traffic is an issue. Either way, you have a clearance content, a window in which it works, and a time when they don’t want to have to hold it open any more.

    At a towered airport, we don’t have a stated void time simply because ATC is always talking to you. You can’t even take off without permission. Get you clearance, have lunch, hit the restroom, make a few phone calls. Meanwhile the winds may have changed and traffic to surrounding airports are being vectored in a different direction. Your clearance simply no longer “works” for one reason for another. So when you call Ground to announce “ready to taxi,” no big deal. You might get a “hold for release” or you might get “we have an amendment to your route. Advise when ready to copy.”

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