Aeronautical Information Manual

AIM 5-1-14

Closing VFR/DVFR Flight Plans

This reproduces published FAA reference text for study. It does not replace the current official FAA publication or regulation.

A pilot is responsible for ensuring that his/her VFR or DVFR flight plan is canceled. You should close your flight plan with the nearest FSS, or if one is not available, you may request any ATC facility to relay your cancellation to the FSS.Control towers do not automatically close VFR or DVFR flight plans since they do not know if a particular VFR aircraft is on a flight plan. If you fail to report or cancel your flight plan within 1 / 2 hour after your ETA, search and rescue procedures are started.

REFERENCE-

14 CFR Section 91.153.

14 CFR Section 91.169.

Retrieved from ecfr.gov on July 20, 2026.