Britain has introduced a quicker route for experienced controllers to gain a UK licence. The Crediting of Third Country and Military Certification for Air Traffic Controllers Regulations 2025 were made on 17 November, laid before Parliament on 19 November, and take effect on 10 December 2025. The rules apply across the UK and put the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in charge of case‑by‑case decisions.

In practical terms, the CAA can now recognise equivalent knowledge, experience and skills held by applicants with a third‑country ATCO licence or a UK military certificate of competence, and reduce their training accordingly. Reductions can cover course length, the number of lessons or specific training hours, but only after a formal credit report from an approved training organisation.

That report must explain how the original licence or certificate was issued, set out the scope of the privileges held, demonstrate where the training matches the UK requirements, and recommend which parts of the UK syllabus should count for credit. Supporting documents, including national requirements where available, will be needed. The CAA will then decide the final reductions.

The benchmark for equivalence is the retained ATCO Licensing Regulation, Commission Regulation (EU) 2015/340, with the relevant training requirements in Subpart D of Annex I. That remains the standard the CAA uses for UK ATCO licensing and oversight, and it is the reference point for these new credit decisions.

On the military side, the order covers certificates issued by the Ministry of Defence under Regulatory Article RA 3202. Ex‑RAF and Royal Navy controllers therefore fall within scope for accelerated conversion where their training aligns with the civilian syllabus; the same credit‑report step applies before any reduction is granted.

There is also a clear boundary. If an applicant’s licence comes from a state covered by a recognition arrangement, the new crediting route does not apply. Those cases continue under the acceptance pathways set out in Article 68 of the 2018 Basic Regulation, which allows authorities to accept third‑country certificates via treaties or delegated rules.

The move sits alongside changes in Europe. In August, the EU published Delegated Regulation 2025/1044 to let national authorities accept third‑country ATCO licences and certificates for training and instruction purposes. In October, the Commission adopted a further update introducing competency‑based and virtual training under 2015/340. EASA frames the package as a way to add capacity while maintaining safety.

For operators, the prize is time. NATS says initial ATCO training typically runs 12–15 months before unit training at a tower or centre, and it handles over 2.5 million flights a year. Targeted credit should shorten the classroom phase for experienced international or ex‑military candidates, helping address staffing pinch points at towers and en‑route centres without compromising standards.

Training providers will need to build structured assessment capability to produce these credit reports. Global ATS, one of the CAA‑approved providers of initial ATCO training, and other certificated organisations are likely to be asked to map overseas syllabuses to the UK standard and document recommended credits in a format the CAA can act on.

For candidates, expect requests for copies of the original licence, ratings or endorsements, exam results and relevant national requirements alongside a training‑organisation recommendation. That mirrors the approach in the EU’s 2025/1044, which relies on a training‑organisation report before authorities grant credit.

Governance is built in. The Department for Transport must publish a post‑implementation review by 10 December 2030 and then at least every five years. Although the Explanatory Note says no significant business impact is expected, providers may invest in assessment templates and airports may adjust workforce plans around a shorter conversion timetable for 2026.

Signed by aviation minister Keir Mather, the Statutory Instrument takes effect on 10 December 2025. For a sector where controller availability constrains capacity as much as infrastructure, even a modest cut in time‑to‑licence for experienced controllers could support more resilient summer 2026 schedules.