How to Rent an Aircraft Hangar: What to Check Before You Sign

To rent an aircraft hangar, first pick the type of space that fits your aircraft. Then find out who rents it at your airport, check the rules on what you can do inside, and read the lease line by line. Good hangars often have wait lists, so start early.

Why rent a hangar at all

A hangar protects your aircraft from weather, sun, hail and birds. It also helps keep the cabin and the avionics in better shape. The cheaper option is a tie-down outdoors, with no building. That works for some owners. But the aircraft sits in the open all year.

The main types of hangar space

Type	What it is	Good for
T-hangar	A row of small units, each shaped to fit one small plane	Piston planes and other small aircraft
Box or corporate hangar	A private enclosed building for one or a few aircraft, often with office space	Owners who want their own space
Community or shared hangar	One large hangar that holds aircraft from different owners. Staff move the aircraft in and out.	Owners who want cover without a whole building
Tie-down	An outdoor parking spot with no building	The lowest cost option

A shared hangar is usually managed by an FBO or by the airport. Since staff move your aircraft, you depend on their care and their opening hours.

Who rents hangars

There are four usual sources.

• The airport itself. Many airports own hangars and keep a wait list.
• FBOs. Fixed base operators rent long term space and also overnight space. See our guide on what an FBO does.
• Private hangar owners. They build on land they lease from the airport, then rent space to others.
• Aircraft management companies. They arrange hangar space for the aircraft they manage. Our guide on what an aircraft management company does explains the rest of that service.

Prices and wait lists differ a lot from airport to airport. Ask at more than one airport if you can.

Check the size first

Measure three things on your aircraft: wingspan, length and tail height. Compare them with the hangar door opening and the space inside. Leave room to move the aircraft safely. A hangar that fits on paper with no margin is a risk every time the aircraft is towed.

You can check the size of common business jets on our aircraft pages. The Gulfstream G650 page is one example.

The US rule on what a hangar is for

In the United States, the FAA has a Policy on the Non-Aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars. It was published in the Federal Register on 15 June 2016. It applies to airports that receive federal grants.

The main points are simple.

• Hangars on airport land meant for aviation must be used mainly for aeronautical purposes.
• You can store non-aeronautical items in a hangar if they do not get in the way of the aeronautical use.
• Building an amateur or kit aircraft counts as an aeronautical use.
• Aeronautical use has priority, even if a non-aviation tenant would pay more.

So a hangar is not a general storage unit. If your aircraft is sold and the hangar sits empty of aircraft, expect the airport to ask questions.

Fire rules

In the United States, NFPA 409 is the Standard on Aircraft Hangars. It sorts hangars into groups, from Group I to Group IV. The group depends on things like door height, floor area, the type of building and the activity inside. The building code links fire protection rules to these groups. Larger hangars that fit large business jets often need more fire protection.

Local fire rules decide what you can do inside. Fuelling, painting and welding are common examples. Ask the landlord what is allowed before you plan any work in the hangar.

What to check in the lease

• Term and notice. How long is the lease, and how much notice does each side give?
• Rent rises. Can the rent go up, and how is the rise set?
• Towing and damage. Will FBO staff tow your aircraft? Who is liable for hangar rash, the damage that happens while aircraft are moved?
• Access and security. What are the access hours, and who else has a key?
• Maintenance. Can you do your own maintenance, or bring in an outside maintenance company?
• Fuel and storage. What are the rules on fuelling and on storing fuel, oil and batteries?
• Utilities. Are electricity and heating included?
• Subletting. Can you sublet the space if you sell the aircraft?
• Ground lease. If the landlord leases the land from the airport, what happens when that ground lease ends?

Insurance

Hangar landlords usually ask tenants for liability insurance. They often ask to be named on the policy too. Check that your aircraft policy covers the aircraft while it is in someone else's hangar, and while other people move it. Our guide to private jet insurance explains the types of cover.

Practical tips

Join the airport wait list early, even before the aircraft arrives. Visit the hangar in person. Look at the door, the floor, the lighting and the aircraft parked next to your spot. Read the airport's minimum standards and its rules and regulations. Many airports publish them. When you travel, ask the local FBO for short term or overnight hangar space.

Questions to ask before you sign

• What are the door opening and inside sizes of the hangar?
• Who moves my aircraft, and who pays if it is damaged?
• What insurance do you need from me?
• What work am I allowed to do inside?
• How and when can the rent change?
• How long does your own ground lease with the airport run?

Sources: FAA Policy on the Non-Aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars (81 FR 38906, 2016); FAA hangar use FAQ; NFPA 409 Standard on Aircraft Hangars.

Looking for hangar space near you? Browse FBOs in our aviation directory. Many of them rent hangar space.