Rocketry Planet

Types of Certification

A motor is certified by the NAR Standards and Testing (S&T) committee as a model rocket motor or as a high power rocket motor. The type of certification granted a motor (model or high power) is dependent upon the current standards of the National Association of Rocketry taking into consideration various federal regulations. Note that consumer use of all motors may be further regulated by federal, state, and local laws.

A rocket motor may also be granted certification for use in NAR sanctioned contests. This is known as contest certification. The requirements for contest certification are that a motor be a model rocket motor and that it be generally available.

Grant of Certification

Certification of a rocket motor is granted after the manufacturer has supplied all the required documentation, fees, and sample motors and these motors have passed NAR certification testing procedures. Motors may only be submitted for certification by the manufacturer unless permission is granted by the manufacturer for submission from other sources. Certification is effective the day the manufacturer has supplied all materials or the day after the motor passes S&T testing, whichever is later.

Contest certification is granted 90 days after this date, but may be delayed if S&T does not find the motors generally available by then.

NAR S&T recertifies all currently certified motors triennially. Motor manufacturers are expected to submit test samples when notified of recertification testing. If a motor received its initial certification less than three years ago, it need not be resubmitted for triennial testing.

Motors must also be resubmitted for recertification if the manufacturer makes changes to the manufacturing process including, but not limited to, propellant formulation or configuration, delay formulation, nozzle design or material, casing material, or  changes to the total impulse, average thrust, thrust curve, or delay time. The NAR S&T committee chairman will consult, when requested, to determine whether recertification is required.

Removal of Certification

The process of decertification of a motor is based on the date of a  significant event. Significant events include (but are not limited to):

• The day the manufacturer ceases operations.
• The day the manufacturer informs S&T (or it becomes generally known) the manufacture of a motor has ceased.
• The day the manufacturer fails to submit the motor when requested for triennial recertification.

Once the significant event has occurred, decertification begins. During the decertification period, motors manufactured after the date of the significant event are not certified. Motors manufactured before the date of the significant event remain certified according to the following timetable:

• Contest certification for that motor is dropped at the end of that contest year. A contest year runs from July 1 through June 30 and includes the NARAM at the end of that contest year, which may be after June 30.
• General certification as a model or high power rocket motor is dropped three years from the date of the significant event.

The only exceptions to the above decertification schedule is as follows:

• In the case of government regulatory action, decertification may  be immediate.
• In the case of consumer complaints, safety problems, blind testing failures, or triennial testing failures, NAR certification may be suspended or withdrawn if the manufacturer fails to solve the problem within six months from the date of notification.

It is against the NAR Safety Code to use decertified motors. Use of decertified motors is not covered by NAR insurance and may also be a violation of state and local laws, where applicable.

Once decertification procedures have started, a motor can only be recertified by treating the motor as if it had never been previously certified. The manufacturer must submit the documentation, fees, and motor samples that normally accompany the initial certification of a new motor.

[ST-2; revision of 12/1/93]

Jim Cook, Secretary for
NAR Standards & Testing
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Jack Kane, Chairman