As you should know if you hold an airman certificate, 14 C.F.R. §61.60 ( if you hold a pilot or instructor certificate) or 14 C.F.R. §65.21 (if you hold a mechanic, ATC or other certificate) require that certificate holders keep the FAA informed of their permanent mailing address. Why does the FAA want to be able to track you down? Aside from the obvious compliance and enforcement reasons, the FAA also wants to keep airmen informed of seminars (e.g. Wings programs etc.), to request input from airmen regarding local issues (e.g. airspace design, airport closure etc.) and to provide airmen with any other aviation safety information it feels is beneficial or necessary.
Specifically for pilots, but not mechanics, 14 C.F.R. §61.60 prohibits an airman from exercising the privileges of his or her certificates if the airman has failed to provide the FAA’s Airman Certification Branch with a new permanent mailing address within 30 days of changing his or her permanent mailing address. Airmen may report their change of permanent mailing address to the FAA via U.S. Mail or via the internet. If via mail, the notification must be sent to FAA, Airman Certification Branch, P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125. If via internet, airmen should go to the FAA’s website here, where a form may be completed to notify the FAA of a change in permanent mailing address.
When an airman cannot provide a permanent residence address (e.g. where the person resides in a motor home or is in the process of moving), it is permissible for the airman to use his or her parent’s or friend’s permanent address as the airman’s permanent address. Although a post office box can be disclosed as the permanent mailing address, in that situation the FAA will also require the airman to provide his or her current residential address.
Neither 14 C.F.R. §61.60 nor §65.21 specifically asks for an airman’s “residence” or where he or she lives, except when the airman provides a post office box for a permanent mailing address. Also, the regulations do not define “permanent mailing address,” or “residential address” for that matter. However, the reasonable implication of the requirement is that the FAA wants an address where it knows that information mailed by it to that address will be received by the airman. For most airmen, this address is where they live.
So, if you have changed your address and you didn’t notify the FAA, you need to do that. The regulations require that you notify the FAA, and by doing so, you will avoid the potential consequences of non-compliance.
