Are flying cars legal?
Some flying cars are legal to drive, and some are approved to fly with limits. To sell you one that does both, a maker needs approval for the road and for the air. Below is what three makers say they hold, from their own releases. None of these sources says cars are being delivered to buyers yet. We checked every source on October 31, 2026.
Last updated October 31, 2026.
The short version
- A flying car needs two approvals: one to drive on public roads and one to fly.
- In the U.S., the FAA’s ultralight rules cover only one-person aircraft flown for fun or sport. A two-seat flying car doesn’t qualify.
- PAL-V says its Liberty has road approval in Europe and is in the final phase of aviation certification.
- Alef and Klein Vision each say an aviation authority approved their vehicle to fly, Alef’s with limits.
Two approvals, not one
A flying car is a road vehicle and an aircraft, so it answers to two sets of rules. PAL-V shows how that works in Europe. It says it got road admission in 2020, and that the RDW, the Netherlands Vehicle Authority, recognized it as a certified automotive manufacturer. For flying, it’s working with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Source: PAL-V company page (opens in new tab)
In the U.S., a single-seat aircraft can sometimes fly as an ultralight, with no airworthiness certificate. The FAA’s Part 103 says an ultralight carries a single occupant, is used for recreation or sport only, and, if powered, weighs less than 254 pounds empty. A flying car with two seats can’t meet that. Do you need a pilot license to fly a personal eVTOL? covers what that means for you. Source: 14 CFR Part 103 (opens in new tab)
What three makers say they hold
PAL-V Liberty
The PAL-V Liberty is a two-seat car that flies as a gyroplane. It doesn’t take off vertically. PAL-V lists a 180-meter takeoff roll and says you’d drive to an airstrip, convert the car in about five minutes, and fly. PAL-V says it has road certification and has entered the final phase of aviation certification. In September 2026, it said EASA gave it a production organisation approval, which lets it build aviation products under EASA rules. PAL-V lists an expected EU price of 299,000 EUR, before taxes. Sources: PAL-V company page (opens in new tab), Liberty specs (opens in new tab), PAL-V, September 2026 (opens in new tab)
Alef Model A
Alef says its flying car is fully electric, drives on public roads, and takes off vertically, with one or two people on board. In June 2023, Alef said the FAA gave it a limited Special Airworthiness Certificate, which limits where and why it can fly. As our personal eVTOL list notes, that certificate went to a prototype, and the Model A itself isn’t certified. Alef was taking preorders at the time. Source: Alef, June 27, 2023 (opens in new tab)
Klein Vision AirCar
In January 2022, Klein Vision said the Slovak Transport Authority issued its AirCar prototype a Certificate of Airworthiness. It said that followed 70 hours of flight tests and more than 200 takeoffs and landings. Klein Vision calls the AirCar a dual-mode car-aircraft vehicle. It said then that it expected a new production model to be certified within 12 months. This AirCar isn’t the one on our personal eVTOL list, which comes from a different company. Source: Klein Vision, January 2022 (opens in new tab)
Things you should know
- “Certified to fly” can mean different things. A limited certificate for testing isn’t the same as approval to build and sell the car.
- Dates in these releases were targets when they were written. Check each maker’s own newsroom for the latest.
- Flying your own one-seat eVTOL is a different question. See is the Jetson ONE legal to fly? and can you fly a personal eVTOL over a city?
- For prices and deposits, see how much a personal eVTOL costs.
Flying cars · PAL-V · Personal eVTOLs you can order · All guides