Disaster and hazard area TFRs14 CFR 91.137 Temporary flight restrictions in the vicinity of disaster/hazard areas
The FAA issues a NOTAM that sets up a temporary flight restriction around a hazard from a surface incident, a disaster relief operation, or an incident or event of high public interest that could draw unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft. Inside the area, only the aircraft and operations listed for that type of restriction may fly.
By the ATIS Alerts team · Updated October 15, 2026 · Regulation text current as of October 14, 2026. A study aid based on the official regulation text, not legal advice or an FAA interpretation.
At a glance
- A NOTAM designates the area and specifies the hazard or condition, for one of three purposes: a hazard from an incident on the surface (a)(1), disaster relief aircraft (a)(2), or sightseeing congestion over a high-interest incident or event (a)(3).
- Under an (a)(1) TFR, only aircraft participating in the hazard relief activities and operated under the direction of the official in charge of on scene emergency response may enter (b).
- Under an (a)(2) TFR, the exceptions include relief aircraft, aircraft carrying law enforcement officials, aircraft on an ATC approved IFR flight plan, certain flights with notification, and accredited news media with a flight plan (c).
- Under an (a)(3) TFR, the exceptions include certain flights to or from an airport inside the area, IFR flight plans, aircraft carrying event personnel or law enforcement officials, and accredited news media with a flight plan (d).
- Flight plans and notifications under this section include aircraft identification, type and color, frequencies, entry and exit times, the news organization and purpose of flight, and anything else ATC requests (e).
In plain English
Section 91.137 is the rule behind many of the temporary flight restrictions pilots see around fires, accidents and incidents or events that draw sightseers. The Administrator issues a NOTAM designating the area and specifying the hazard or condition whenever it is necessary for one of three reasons in paragraph (a): to protect people and property from a hazard tied to an incident on the surface, to give disaster relief aircraft a safe environment, or to prevent unsafe congestion of sightseeing aircraft over an incident or event that may draw a lot of public interest. What you may do inside depends on which of the three it is.
An (a)(1) hazard TFR is the strictest. Only aircraft participating in the hazard relief activities and operated under the direction of the official in charge of on scene emergency response may operate in the area (b).
An (a)(2) disaster relief TFR lists five ways in (c). Relief aircraft under the direction of the on scene official, aircraft carrying law enforcement officials, and aircraft operating under an ATC approved IFR flight plan qualify. So does a flight directly to or from an airport inside the area, or one made necessary because VFR flight above or around the area is impracticable due to weather or terrain, but only if you notify the FSS or ATC facility named in the NOTAM, do not hamper or endanger relief activities, and are not flying to observe the disaster. Accredited news media qualify if they file a flight plan with the facility in the NOTAM before entering and fly above the altitude used by relief aircraft, unless the on scene official authorizes otherwise.
An (a)(3) event TFR is similar but less restrictive (d). Flights directly to or from an airport inside the area, or forced by weather or terrain, qualify as long as they are not for observing the incident or event. So do aircraft on an ATC approved IFR flight plan, aircraft carrying incident or event personnel or law enforcement officials, and accredited news media who file a flight plan with the FSS or ATC facility specified in the NOTAM before entering.
Common mistakes
- Assuming an IFR flight plan gets you through any 91.137 TFR. The IFR exception exists for (a)(2) and (a)(3) restrictions (c)(3) and (d)(2), but an (a)(1) hazard TFR admits only participating relief aircraft (b).
- Treating the airport exception in an (a)(2) TFR as automatic. The flight must also notify the FSS or ATC facility specified in the NOTAM, not hamper or endanger relief activities, and not be for observing the disaster (c)(4).
- Assuming every TFR comes from this section. Section 91.137 covers the three disaster and hazard purposes in (a); other sections, such as 91.141, cover other flight restrictions.
The official text
14 CFR 91.137 as published on the eCFR, current as of October 14, 2026.
(a) The Administrator will issue a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) designating an area within which temporary flight restrictions apply and specifying the hazard or condition requiring their imposition, whenever he determines it is necessary in order to—
(1) Protect persons and property on the surface or in the air from a hazard associated with an incident on the surface;
(2) Provide a safe environment for the operation of disaster relief aircraft; or
(3) Prevent an unsafe congestion of sightseeing and other aircraft above an incident or event which may generate a high degree of public interest.
The Notice to Airmen will specify the hazard or condition that requires the imposition of temporary flight restrictions.
(b) When a NOTAM has been issued under paragraph (a)(1) of this section, no person may operate an aircraft within the designated area unless that aircraft is participating in the hazard relief activities and is being operated under the direction of the official in charge of on scene emergency response activities.
(c) When a NOTAM has been issued under paragraph (a)(2) of this section, no person may operate an aircraft within the designated area unless at least one of the following conditions are met:
(1) The aircraft is participating in hazard relief activities and is being operated under the direction of the official in charge of on scene emergency response activities.
(2) The aircraft is carrying law enforcement officials.
(3) The aircraft is operating under the ATC approved IFR flight plan.
(4) The operation is conducted directly to or from an airport within the area, or is necessitated by the impracticability of VFR flight above or around the area due to weather, or terrain; notification is given to the Flight Service Station (FSS) or ATC facility specified in the NOTAM to receive advisories concerning disaster relief aircraft operations; and the operation does not hamper or endanger relief activities and is not conducted for the purpose of observing the disaster.
(5) The aircraft is carrying properly accredited news representatives, and, prior to entering the area, a flight plan is filed with the appropriate FAA or ATC facility specified in the Notice to Airmen and the operation is conducted above the altitude used by the disaster relief aircraft, unless otherwise authorized by the official in charge of on scene emergency response activities.
(d) When a NOTAM has been issued under paragraph (a)(3) of this section, no person may operate an aircraft within the designated area unless at least one of the following conditions is met:
(1) The operation is conducted directly to or from an airport within the area, or is necessitated by the impracticability of VFR flight above or around the area due to weather or terrain, and the operation is not conducted for the purpose of observing the incident or event.
(2) The aircraft is operating under an ATC approved IFR flight plan.
(3) The aircraft is carrying incident or event personnel, or law enforcement officials.
(4) The aircraft is carrying properly accredited news representatives and, prior to entering that area, a flight plan is filed with the appropriate FSS or ATC facility specified in the NOTAM.
(e) Flight plans filed and notifications made with an FSS or ATC facility under this section shall include the following information:
(1) Aircraft identification, type and color.
(2) Radio communications frequencies to be used.
(3) Proposed times of entry of, and exit from, the designated area.
(4) Name of news media or organization and purpose of flight.
(5) Any other information requested by ATC.
Test yourself
Practice questions from our free FAA written test prep that cite 14 CFR 91.137.
Commercial Pilot
A temporary flight restriction (TFR) issued under 14 CFR 91.137 is established to:
- A. protect persons and property on the surface, or provide a safe environment for disaster relief aircraft.
- B. reserve airspace for military training.
- C. mark permanent hazards to navigation.
- D. designate a corridor for VFR traffic through Class B airspace.
Show answer
A. protect persons and property on the surface, or provide a safe environment for disaster relief aircraft. 91.137 TFRs cover disaster and hazard areas. Related sections cover space operations, VIP movement (91.141), and aerial demonstrations (91.145). Every one of them is a NOTAM you must check; TFRs move, and violations are pursued.
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Questions pilots ask
Can I fly through a TFR on an IFR flight plan?
For a disaster relief TFR under 91.137(a)(2) or an event TFR under 91.137(a)(3), an aircraft operating under an ATC approved IFR flight plan is one of the listed exceptions (91.137(c)(3) and (d)(2)). For a hazard TFR under 91.137(a)(1), only aircraft participating in the hazard relief activities under the direction of the on scene official may operate in the area (91.137(b)).
Can I fly to an airport inside a TFR?
Under an (a)(2) disaster relief TFR, a flight directly to or from an airport within the area is allowed if you notify the FSS or ATC facility specified in the NOTAM, the flight does not hamper or endanger relief activities and it is not to observe the disaster (91.137(c)(4)). Under an (a)(3) event TFR, it is allowed if the flight is not to observe the incident or event (91.137(d)(1)). An (a)(1) hazard TFR has no such exception (91.137(b)).
How do I know what a TFR is for?
The NOTAM designates the area and specifies the hazard or condition that requires the restriction (91.137(a)). Which exceptions apply depends on whether it was issued under (a)(1), (a)(2) or (a)(3).