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14 CFR · PART 135

§ 135.203 VFR: Minimum altitudes.

Official text · Current as of Oct 19, 2026 · from eCFR

Except when necessary for takeoff and landing, no person may operate under VFR—

(a) An airplane—

(1) During the day, below 500 feet above the surface or less than 500 feet horizontally from any obstacle; or

(2) At night, at an altitude less than 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 5 miles from the course intended to be flown or, in designated mountainous terrain, less than 2,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 5 miles from the course intended to be flown; or

(b) A helicopter over a congested area at an altitude less than 300 feet above the surface.

← § 135.201 § 135.205 →
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ACE rules page: Part 135 in plain English

Not legal advice. This is the official text as published in the eCFR, which is updated daily but is not the legal edition. For legal purposes, use the annual Code of Federal Regulations or ask an aviation attorney.

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