Code of Regulations

Article I — Accounts

§1.01 Accounts

A. Requirements

Application for a VATSIM account is open to all individuals who have reached the age of thirteen (13) years old or older. In addition, accounts are available to all individuals regardless of race, creed, color or nationality. The internationally accepted official language for aviation is English. Account holders shall be sufficiently proficient in English to converse, and provide and/or receive air traffic services in English. Divisions may elect to require knowledge of local language for air traffic control training.

B. Fees

VATSIM does not charge any fees to apply for or to retain an account. In addition, no account holder of VATSIM may request money or charge fees as a prerequisite to advancing an individual in rank and no account holder may offer to pay money or a fee to another in order to secure an advancement in rank. In addition, no individual or entity is permitted to resell or make any commercial or non-commercial use of the VATSIM network which involves the payment of money or goods to said individual or entity or such party’s designee without the prior written consent of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors or their designated agent. The prohibitions set forth in this paragraph expressly include any and all sales and/or solicitations of money, goods and services no matter for what purpose, person, group or cause, without limitation. Individuals violating these rules, regardless of their rating, may be subject to immediate and summary permanent expulsion from VATSIM.

C. Application

Prospective users will be required to make their application for a VATSIM account over the Internet at the VATSIM web site. Applications must be fully completed pursuant to the instructions and the rules and regulations located on the application web page(s).

D. Certificates and Password

Upon acceptance by VATSIM of an account application, an account holder will be assigned a unique certificate number and a password, both of which will be required to be provided as part of the login process to the VATSIM network.

E. Terms of Usage

By entering a certificate and password and logging onto the VATSIM network, an account holder agrees to be bound and to abide by the “Terms of Usage” which appear at the time of each login to the network. These “Terms of Usage” will also be made available for inspection at the VATSIM web site. Violations of the “Terms of Usage” may result in suspension of login privileges and/or expulsion from VATSIM.

F. Account Holder Conduct

By entering a certificate and password and logging onto the VATSIM network, an account holder agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct or other VATSIM Policy which has been duly adopted by VATSIM as may be modified from time to time. This Code of Conduct and other policies will be made available for inspection at the VATSIM web site. Violation of any of the provisions of VATSIM Policy may result in suspension of login privileges and/or expulsion from VATSIM.

G. Ratings

Upon acceptance by VATSIM of an account application and completion of the New Member Orientation Course, an account holder will be assigned a rating of Pilot/Observer (OBS). The account holder will be assigned additional ratings of Pilot: New Member (P0) and Military: No Military Rating (M0). If an account holder wishes to provide air traffic control services, he or she must contact the region to which they have been assigned for details on training, testing and promotion to the appropriate rating. Notwithstanding any rules adopted by the VATSIM Board of Governors (as created herein by Article II.) to the contrary, VATSIM will employ the following ratings system, listed highest to lowest:

Administrator (ADM)
Supervisor (SUP)
Senior Instructor (I3)
Instructor (I1)
Senior Controller (C3)
Enroute Controller (C1) - Center
TMA Controller (S3) - Approach/Departure
Tower Controller (S2) - Tower
Ground Controller Student (S1) - Ground/Delivery
Pilot/Observer (OBS)

Pilot Ratings:

Flight Examiner (P6)
Flight Instructor (P5)
Airline Transport Pilot - ATPL (P4)
Commercial Multi-Engine - CMEL (P3)
Instrument Rating - IR (P2)
Private Pilot License - PPL (P1)
New Member (P0)

Military Ratings:

Military Mission Ready Pilot (M4)
Military Multi-Engine Rating (M3)
Military Instrument Rating (M2)
Military Pilot License (M1)
No Military Rating (M0)

H. Administrator Rating Restriction

Only members of VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors, VATSIM Board of Governors (as created by Article II. hereunder), Founders of VATSIM (as designated in Article IV. here under) or other individuals designated by vote of the Board of Governors may hold an Administrator rating.

I. Advancement

Users of VATSIM are encouraged to apply and test for advancement of their rating. The rules and requirements for application, testing and advancement are to be determined and adopted by the various divisional directors, Regional Vice Presidents, and ARTCC/FIR chiefs, subject to the general guidelines adopted by and the oversight of the VATSIM Board of Governors.

J. Downgrades

Except as otherwise stated in this Rule, once achieving one of the ratings set forth in Article I., §1.01(G) above, an account holder shall not be subject to a lowering of his or her rating (commonly referred to as a “downgrade”) unless it is pursuant to one of the following:

A disciplinary proceeding under Article VI. of the VATSIM Code of Regulations (under the authority granted to the Conflict Resolution department by the Code of Regulations and the VATSIM Board of Governors); or
To correct an error (under the authority granted to the Membership department by the Code of Regulations and the VATSIM Board of Governors).

This rule shall not apply to account holders holding Administrator (ADM), Supervisor (SUP), Senior Instructor (I3) or Instructor (I) ratings. Furthermore this rule shall not apply to the Pilot Ratings.

K. Maintenance of Account

Once an individual’s application has been received and approved by VATSIM and that individual receives access to the network with a certificate number, password and, for Air Traffic Controllers, a rating, then he or she shall remain an account holder in good standing in VATSIM and shall not be required to renew his or her account so long as such account holder maintains his or her account, abides by this Code of Regulations, the “User Agreement”, the “Code of Conduct”, and otherwise complies with all other rules and regulations of VATSIM. In order to maintain his or her account, an account holder must log on and use the VATSIM network as a pilot and/or a controller at least once during the previous calendar quarter. Account Holders who do not maintain their accounts or otherwise remain account holders in good standing are subject to the terms of Article VI. of this Code of Regulations. For good cause shown, this requirement may be waived at the sole discretion of the VATSIM Vice President of Membership.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 05-31-02 –CoR2002-002; Amended 02-20-03 –CoR 2003-001, CoR 2003-002, CoR 2003-003, CoR 2003-004, CoR 2003-005; Amended 12-17-03 –CoR 2003-009; Amended 03-30-07 –CoR 2007-008; Amended 01-22-09 –CoR 2009-002; Amended 07-27-09 –CoR 2009-007; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-002; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

Article II — Board of Governors

§2.01 Creation of a Board of Governors

The Board of Governors is a standing committee created by VATSIM Inc which is charged with the overall operation and vision of the VATSIM network. The Board of Governors of VATSIM shall consist of individuals who are account holders of VATSIM in good standing. Members of the Board of Governors may not hold any other positions in VATSIM. After the conclusion of their term, the seat held by a member of the Board of Governors shall be open to election by qualified members of VATSIM and pursuant to the rules set forth in Article V. below. The Board of Governors shall be bound by the terms of this Code of Regulations.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 11-09-2011 –CoR 2011-010; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-003; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.02 Creation of a Website

The Board of Governors of VATSIM is required to create and maintain an internet web site for the purposes of providing information to the general public regarding VATSIM and to make the public announcements required by these Regulations.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.03 Board of Governors - President and Vice-Presidents

A. President

The members of the VATSIM Board of Governors shall elect from among them a President. A President shall be elected by a majority vote of the Board of Governors and upon his or her election, will serve a term of two years. The President shall publicly represent the Board of Governors and shall speak on behalf of VATSIM as a whole. The President shall also be vested with the authority to enter into agreements with individuals and entities on behalf of VATSIM after receiving the express approval of the Board of Governors. The President will have one vote on all matters before the Board of Governors. The President, however, will have no veto power over any matter before the Board of Governors or at any other level in VATSIM. Upon his or her election by the Board of Governors, the President shall be deemed to have vacated an “At-Large” seat on the Board. Such “At-Large” seat will remain unfilled until the next regularly scheduled election of a President. Upon the expiration of his or her term, the President will become a Vice-President and occupy the vacated “At-Large” seat on the Board of Governors.

B. Vice-Presidents

The remaining members of the VATSIM Board of Governors shall be Vice-Presidents. Each of these members shall hold one of the following Vice-Presidential positions:

Vice-President of Operations
Vice-President of Americas
Vice-President of Europe, Middle East and Africa
Vice-President of Asia Pacific
Vice-President of Technology
Vice-President of Supervisors
Vice-President of Standards and Compliance
Vice-President of Membership
Vice-President of Virtual Airline and Special Operations
Vice-President of Marketing and Communications
Vice-President of Pilot Training
Vice-President At-Large (Vacated Upon Election of President)

In addition to the descriptions appearing in Subsection C herein, the scope and duties of each of these Vice-Presidential positions will be made public on the VATSIM web site.

C. Job Descriptions

The President and Vice Presidents are full voting Members of the Board of Governors. These Governors are charged with the following specific duties according to the position held. Each Governor is expected to interact with other Members of the Board of Governors as needed to accomplish their individual and collective duties.

President: Calls and conducts all Board of Governors meetings and directs the Board and its Members in the performance of their duties.
Vice President Operations: Reviews, monitors, develops and implements changes to the overall VATSIM system to achieve optimum efficiency and interest.
Vice President Americas: Acts as the Board of Governors’ representative to the various Divisions within the Americas Region. Responsible for activity growth, provision of ATC and ATC training.
Vice President Europe, Middle East and Africa: Acts as the Board of Governors’ representative to the various Divisions within the Europe, Middle East and Africa Region. Responsible for activity growth, provision of ATC and ATC training.
Vice President Asia Pacific: Acts as the Board of Governors’ representative to the various Divisions within the Asia Pacific Region. Responsible for activity growth, provision of ATC and ATC training.
Vice President Technology: Oversees all technical network development and operations. Works directly and indirectly to plan, develop, implement, and maintain new and/or improved services for VATSIM. Organizes and maintains a VATSIM technical team and is responsible for the composition and personnel staffing of such team.
Vice President Supervisors: Accepts, reviews and processes applications to Supervisor status. Submits requests to the Board of Governors for approval or disapproval and notifies individuals of the Board’s decision regarding all such applications. This Governor is also responsible for maintenance of VATSIM database records regarding Supervisor ratings status and monitors the performance of and conducts investigations into complaints involving Supervisory personnel. Takes action as appropriate and in accordance with any rules and bylaws to suspend and/or downgrade individuals from Supervisor status when warranted. Provides assistance as needed for training or resolution of Supervisory issues.
Vice President Standards and Compliance: Receives, reviews, and actions suspensions referred to the department. Appoints and organizes Compliance Managers and Appeal Panel Members. Ensures member compliance with the Code of Regulations, Code of Conduct, User Agreement, and other related directives.
Vice President Membership: Accepts and processes individual requests for accounts to VATSIM through the use of manual and/or automated systems of records. Accepts and processes changes to account holder status. Maintains the VATSIM accounts database to ensure the validity of all accounts. Responds to inquiries on account status. Conducts analysis of account holders and the VATSIM community as directed/warranted and reports to the Board of Governors any results.
Vice President Virtual Airlines and Special Operations: Responsible for building and maintaining VATSIMs partnerships with virtual airlines and with special operations (defined as military, paramilitary and civilian government flight organizations). Uses analysis and feedback to identify and implement new services for both virtual airlines and special operations. This Governor is also responsible for monitoring web sites and web links to ensure compliance with VATSIM affiliation rules and guidelines. Serves as the liaison between the Board of Governors and virtual airlines/special operations flight organizations for operations conducted on VATSIM. Establishes guidelines, provides timely review of applications and monitors for adherence to VATSIM rules and regulations.
Vice President Marketing and Communications: Through analysis techniques utilizing VATSIM data and outside data sources, identifies opportunities for strategic growth in all areas of VATSIM. Further responsible for identification, research and execution of marketing strategies, including advertising promotions, along with development of global contacts for the benefit of the VATSIM community.
Vice President Pilot Training: Develops, monitors, implements and maintains focus on pilot training programs within the VATSIM network. Assists Regions and/or Divisions and their training directors as appropriate and/or required.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 01-03-07 CoR 2007-001; Amended 01-29-07 CoR 2007-004; Amended 03-08-07 CoR2007-009; Amended 03-08-07 CoR 2007-011; Amended 01-22-09 CoR 2009-004; Amended 11-09-2011 –CoR 2011-010; Amended 06-18-2015 –CoR 2015-003; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-004; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.04 Board of Governors - Ratings

Members of the Board of Governors shall have an Administrator (ADM) rating in VATSIM. In the event of the resignation, retirement or other replacement including, but not limited to, the procedure set forth in Article II., §2.10 of the Code of Regulations, such member of the Board of Governors shall be deemed to voluntarily relinquish his or her Administrator’s rating. In such event, a former member shall return to the rating which was previously held immediately prior to the receipt of an Administrator’s rating. If a former member previously held a rating of Supervisor, then they shall be required to affirm in writing to the VATSIM Board of Governors Vice President of Supervisors that they are willing and otherwise prepared to assume all duties required of the position of Supervisor prior to being downgraded to that particular rating. If they fail to so affirm in a timely manner, then they shall be downgraded to the ATC rating which was previously held immediately prior to the receipt of their Supervisor’s rating. If it has been established that a former member has independently earned a ratings upgrade as a result of ATC testing while a member of the Board of Governors, then they shall be downgraded to such rating as has been attained. The rules in this section shall not apply to Founders as defined in Article IV. of the Code of Regulations.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 03-20-06 -CoR 2006-004; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-005)

§2.05 Board of Governors - Unique Callsign

Each member of the Board of Governors shall be identifiable to all account holders of VATSIM by a unique callsign. No other individual is permitted to log onto any computer which is a part of VATSIM with any of the following unique Board of Governor’s callsigns.

President VATGOV1
VP Operations VATGOV2
VP Americas Region VATGOV3
VP Europe, Middle East and Africa VATGOV4
VP Asia Pacific Region VATGOV5
VP Technology VATGOV6
VP Supervisors VATGOV7
VP Standards and Compliance VATGOV8
VP Membership VATGOV9
VP Virtual Airlines and Special Operations VATGOV10
VP Pilot Training VATGOV11
VP Marketing and Communications VATGOV12
VP At-Large VATGOV13

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 01-03-07 CoR 2007-002; Amended 01-29-07 CoR 2007-005; Amended 03-08-07 CoR 2007-010; Amended 03-08-07 CoR 2007-012; Amended 11-09-2011 –CoR 2011-010; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-006; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.06 Board of Governors - Powers

A. Specific Powers

The Board of Governors as a whole is hereby vested with the following exclusive powers:

The power to negotiate and enter into agreements on behalf of VATSIM as a whole.
The power of appointment and removal of all individuals with the rank of Administrator (ADM), subject to the terms of Article I., §1.01(G).
The power of appointment and removal of all individuals with the rank of Supervisor (SUP).
The power to appoint an interim Vice-President on the Board of Governors to fill a vacancy created by the resignation or removal of a Vice-President or President.
The power to have access and to maintain the complete ratings file for all account holders of VATSIM.
The power to create, maintain and control the content of the VATSIM internet web site.
The power to accept appeals of any suspension of an account holder pursuant to the terms set forth in Article VI. herein.

B. Vice Presidential Powers

The Vice Presidents’ positions and the President’s position which comprise the VATSIM Board of Governors may be vested by vote of the Board of Governors as a whole with such powers and duties as may be deemed necessary or advisable in conducting the activities and affairs of VATSIM.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 12-17-03 –CoR 2003-010; Amended 11-09-2011 –CoR 2011-010; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-007; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.07 Board of Governors - Meetings

The VATSIM Board of Governors will conduct meetings according to the rules of this section.

A. Board of Governors Quarterly Meetings

The Board of Governors shall hold meetings at least once every three months (i.e. on a quarterly basis). The date and time of these quarterly meetings shall be made public by announcement on the VATSIM web site at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled meeting time. It shall be the duty of the President to notify all Board of Governors members and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors, pursuant to the terms of Article IV. herein, by either mail service or via electronic mail (email) of the date, time and location of the Board of Governors quarterly meeting. Service of notice of the quarterly meeting upon members of the Board of Governors and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors shall be completed at least fourteen (14) days prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. The Board of Governors Quarterly Meeting may be convened at any location designated by the Board of Governors including over the internet. The President shall preside over all Board of Governors Quarterly Meeting In the event that the President is unable to attend or otherwise preside, then the Vice President of Operations shall preside over such meeting. In the event that the Vice President of Operations is unable to attend or otherwise preside, then a majority of the Vice Presidents present at such quarterly meeting shall elect one of the members present to preside over the meeting.

B. Board of Governors Special Meetings

The Board of Governors may, from time to time, hold special meetings which take place in between quarterly meetings. Special meetings may be called by the President or any two Vice Presidents. Special meetings are reserved to matters requiring immediate attention and which cannot be tabled until the next quarterly meeting. As such, special meetings are exempted from the public notice requirements which must be met for quarterly Board of Governors meetings. It shall be the duty of the President or one of the two Vice Presidents to notify all Board of Governors members and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors, pursuant to the terms of Article IV. herein, by either mail service or via electronic mail (email) of the date, time and location of any special meeting of the Board of Governors. Service of notice of special meetings upon members of the Board of Governors and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors shall be completed at least one (1) day prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. Special meetings may be convened at any location designated by the Board of Governors including over the internet. The President shall preside over all Board of Governors Special Meetings. In the event that the President is unable to attend or otherwise preside, then the Vice President of Operations shall preside over such meeting. In the event that the Vice President of Operations is unable to attend or otherwise preside, then a majority of the Vice Presidents present at such special meeting shall elect one of the members present to preside over the meeting.

C. Agenda

The President will set the Agenda for all quarterly meetings of the Board of Governors. The Agenda for quarterly meetings shall be made public by posting on the VATSIM website in the same location as the announcement of the quarterly meeting. It shall be the duty of the President to supply all members of the Board of Governors and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors with a final copy of the agenda for a quarterly meeting at least three (3) days prior to the scheduled time of the meeting. It shall be the duty of the President or one of the two Vice Presidents, when practical, to supply all members of the Board of Governors and the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors with a final copy of the agenda for any special meetings prior to the scheduled time of such a meeting. The Agenda of the meeting shall be considered in such order as the President or a majority of the members of the Board of Governors deem advisable and expedient.

D. Minutes and Voting Records

Minutes and the voting records of all quarterly and special meetings will be kept by the individual who has been elected secretary for a meeting. As soon as practical after adjournment of any quarterly or special meeting of the Board of Governors but in no event greater than fourteen (14) days thereafter, the secretary shall prepare the minutes and forward to all members of the Board of Governors for approval. In addition, the secretary is required to serve a copy of the minutes to the President of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors. Upon a majority of the Board of Governors voting to approve the minutes, they will be made public by posting on the VATSIM website.

E. Conduct of Meetings

A quarterly or special meeting of the Board of Governors shall follow the Agenda for the meeting as set forth by the President or a majority of the members of the Board of Governors. There may be a general discussion of any agenda item after which no action need be taken. If a member of the Board of Governors wishes to have a particular item brought up for a vote, then such member shall place a motion on the floor. Before a vote may be taken, there must be a second to the motion and the President or other member presiding over the meeting must allow for discussion on the motion to take place. If such discussion becomes repetitive, argumentative, or otherwise unproductive or time consuming, then the President or other member presiding over the meeting may, in his or her discretion, terminate the discussion and take a vote on the motion.

F. Executive Session

The Board of Governors may, from time to time, find it necessary to discuss matters which are of a sensitive nature and cannot be made public. For any discussion of such nature, the Board of Governors is vested with the authority to enter into an Executive Session during the course of any quarterly or special meeting. A majority of the members of the Board of Governors present at a quarterly or special meeting must vote in favor of entering into an Executive Session. Executive Sessions are exempt from the public Minutes and Voting requirements set forth in Article II., §2.07 (D). The nature of discussion and any votes taken during an Executive Session must, however, be immediately disclosed to the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors upon request.

G. Quorum

At any meeting, either quarterly or special, of the Board of Governors, there shall be present at least five (5) members in order to constitute a quorum of the Board of Governors. If there are less than five (5) members present, then any such number less than five (5) shall constitute a quorum for the sole purpose of adjourning the meeting from time to time without notice other than announcement at such meeting, until a quorum competent to act on any matter or proposal is present. The act of a majority or greater proportion (if one is required by these rules) of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be deemed to be an act of the Board of Governors.

H. Voting Power

A member of the Board of Governors, including the individual elected as President of the Board of Governors, shall have one vote for any single matter which is brought before the Board for vote unless said member is casting a vote by proxy pursuant to the rules set forth in Article II., §2.07 (I).

I. Voting by Proxy

Any member of the Board of Governors may be represented at any meeting of said Board, be it quarterly or special, and may vote by proxy or proxies. A proxy may be granted by a Board of Governors member only to another Board of Governors member. Proxies may be “full proxies” indicating that the holder of the proxy may vote on any and all items up for vote on the agenda for the meeting. Proxies may also be “limited proxies” indicating that the proxy is limited to a particular item or items on the agenda for a meeting. If a limited proxy is being granted, then the member of the Board of Governors granting the proxy must specifically list the items to which he or she is limiting the grant of proxy. Unless specifically limited, proxies shall be considered to be “full proxies”.

Proxies may be evidenced in one of the following ways:

If a Board of Governors member is unable to attend a meeting and wishes to grant a full proxy or a limited proxy, then such proxy must be evidenced by an instrument in writing sent to the current President of the Board of Governors by regular or electronic mail prior to the scheduled date and time of a meeting before the person designated and authorized by the proxy or proxies may vote thereunder. If the proxy is granted to the President of the VATSIM Board of Governors, then the regular or electronic mail must be sent to the Vice President of Operations on the VATSIM Board of Governors prior to the scheduled date and time of a meeting before the person designated and authorized by the proxy or proxies may vote thereunder.
If a Board of Governors member attends a meeting but is unable to stay for the full length, then he or she may grant a proxy for any or all items remaining for vote on the agenda for said meeting. Such member shall announce that he or she desires to grant a proxy and shall designate the person authorized to vote pursuant to said proxy. If a limited proxy is being granted, then the member of the Board of Governors granting the proxy must specifically list the items to which he or she is limiting the grant of proxy. Unless specifically limited, proxies shall be considered to be “full proxies”. This grant of proxy shall be entered into the minutes of the meeting.

The proxy shall expire upon the conclusion of the meeting unless the member executing it shall have specified therein the length of time it shall continue in force. A proxy may be revoked by the member executing it at any time prior to the taking of a vote by the Board of Governors and such revocation may be made orally or in writing. The presence at a meeting of the person appointing a proxy does not revoke the proxy.

J. Majority and Super-Majority Voting Requirements

Unless otherwise required by these Regulations, a simple majority of the members present at any meeting of the Board of Governors at which a quorum is present shall be required to pass or reach a determination on any matter or proposal before the Board. Notwithstanding the majority voting and quorum requirements, the following matters must be passed or otherwise determined by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the Board of Governors:

Amendments or deletions or modifications to this Code of Regulations.

K. Committees

The Board of Governors is vested with the authority to, from time-to-time, authorize or appoint standing committees with such membership, powers and duties as may be deemed necessary or advisable in conducting the activities and affairs of VATSIM. Any and all such committees must be comprised of at least three (3) individuals, one of whom must be a member of the Board of Governors. The Board of Governors may also appoint other individuals who may or may not be account holders of VATSIM to any standing committee created under this rule. Committees will report directly to the Board of Governors as a whole.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 11-09-2011 –CoR 2011-010; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-008; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.08 Duties and Responsibilities of the Regional Vice Presidents

A. Authority

The three Regional Vice Presidents shall carry out the following functions:

The discretion to structure the divisions which make up the region;
The discretion to make the day-to-day decisions regarding operations on a regional basis;
The discretion to appoint individuals as divisional directors and/or heads of the divisions which constitute his or her region, and the method by which they are to be chosen;
The discretion to establish qualifications for positions of divisional directors and/or heads of divisions which constitute his or her region; and
The discretion to appoint assistants as needed to aid in carrying out the duties of the VP’s office;

B. Duties

The three Regional Vice Presidents shall ensure the following:

Website: A Regional VP shall ensure that all details on the relevant Regional page on the VATSIM website are correct and up to date. In addition, at their discretion, a Regional VP may establish a separate regional website for his or her region. If such a website is created it should at a minimum contain; a listing of the divisions, both active and inactive, that comprise the region, the names and email addresses of the Regional Vice President and all staff and links to the web sites of VATSIM, all divisions in the region, and to the other regions which make up VATSIM.
Uniform Rules Within a Region: A Regional VP is vested with the authority to develop uniform, general rules for conduct of operations within his or her region. These general rules should be broad in nature. This authority would include, but is not limited to, establishment of rules for the creation and maintenance of websites by divisions, establishment of procedures for reporting promotions within a division and establishment of procedures for reporting and implementing suspensions and expulsions of account holders for violating any of the rules of VATSIM. Any such uniform rules must not be in variance with any section of the Code of Regulations.
Provision of Voice and Text Based ATC Services: Providing air traffic control services via voice is the preferred method of communication on VATSIM. Therefore, a Regional VP must ensure that there shall be no rules in his or her region preventing or otherwise restricting the use of voice by air traffic controllers and there shall be no special requirements to use voice in order to provide air traffic control services for any type of facility within a region. However, since not all pilots use voice to communicate with ATC, a Regional VP must also require that all divisions making up his or her region ensure that controllers are properly trained in the provision of text-based air traffic control services and that no division creates any rules or policies which are contrary to VATSIM-wide policy.
Delegation of Authority: A Regional VP is entitled to set broad aims, directions, scope of action, and time limits for completion of tasks on the heads of divisions that make up his or her region. A Regional VP should not attempt to dictate or run all aspects of day-to-day operations in the divisions which comprise his or her region. Therefore, a Regional VP has a duty to delegate authority to the heads of the divisions making up his or her region and should grant such individuals broad discretion to run the day-to-day operations within their division, subject to any uniform general rules in place for conducting operations throughout the entire region. A Regional VP is entitled to overturn or modify a decision made by a head of division only when such decision does not comply with the broad aims, directions, scope of action, and time limits for completion of tasks previously stipulated by the Regional VP.
Mitigation of Disputes Between and Within Divisions: In the event of a dispute between two or more divisions within his or her region or among individuals within a particular division within his or her region, a Regional VP has the duty to mitigate such dispute to the point of resolution. In the event that mitigation fails, the Regional VP is vested with the authority to resolve such dispute by rendering a decision. Any such decision made by a Regional VP shall be final and binding upon the parties.
Providing Administrative Access: A Regional VP must ensure that all account holders of VATSIM who have a rating of Administrator or higher are granted access privileges to all regional, divisional and local level forums, newsgroups, mailing lists, discussion groups and other such staff discussion forums which are set up by staff immediately upon the creation of such discussion groups or upon request. The Regional VP shall direct all regional, divisional and local level staff to immediately grant such access. Regional, divisional, and local level staff shall immediately comply with such requests.
Provision of ATC Services: A Regional VP shall ensure that his or her division puts into place policies and staff which result in the widest possible and highest quality ATC coverage for the pilots of VATSIM. In addition, a Regional VP shall ensure that no policy is put into place which either adversely affects the overall staffing of the airspace delegated to them or impedes the growth of facilities in his or her region.

HISTORY: (Eff. 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-009; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.09 Resignation and Filling of Vacancies

A. Resignations

All resignations of Members of the VATSIM Board of Governors must be submitted in writing to the current President of said Board. Announcement by resigning members should be made as far in advance as possible in order to minimize disruption of service and to allow the Board of Governors to select an interim President or Vice-President to take the place of the resigning member.

B. Filling of Vacancies

Upon the resignation of a President or Vice-President, the Board of Governors is vested with the authority, pursuant to Article II., §2.06 (A), to fill the position on said Board which is created by the resignation. In the event of a resignation of a President, the Board of Governors will first elect from among them a new President and shall then appoint individuals to fill any Vice-President vacancies which are thereby created. Such appointed Vice-Presidents shall be deemed “interim” Vice-Presidents who shall serve until the next time the position they occupy is up for election pursuant to the terms of Article V. below. In the event of a resignation of a Vice-President, the individual appointed to fill the vacancy shall be deemed an “interim” Vice-President who shall serve until the next time the position filled is up for election.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-010; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.10 Suspension and Removal

No part of this section of the Code of Regulations (Article II., §2.10) including any of its sections or subsections may be modified in any way by subsequent vote of the Board of Governors without the prior written approval of the VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors through their designated representative(s). The VATSIM Inc. Board of Directors, reserves the right to direct the Board of Governors to amend any part of this section of the Code of Regulations accordingly and the Board of Governors is bound to make any and all such directed amendments.

This section sets forth the procedure which must be followed with regards to charges seeking suspension or removal of a member of the Board of Governors.

A. Procedure after a Determination of Suspension or Expulsion

Upon the suspension or removal of an individual, the Board of Governors shall fill the vacancy created pursuant to the rules set forth in Article II., §2.09 (A) –(B).

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-011; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§2.11 Maintenance of Online Presence

All members of the Board of Governors are required to maintain a regular online presence and shall accumulate no less than 24 hours time online in each calendar quarterly period.

HISTORY: (Eff 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-012)

Article III — Executive Committee (Reserved)

§3.01 Integration and Reservation

Pursuant to a vote by the VATSIM Board of Governors, the Executive Committee and its functions have been integrated into the Board of Governors. This amendment to the VATSIM code of regulations repeals Article III. Executive Committee in its entirety and hereby reserves said Article number for future use.

HISTORY: (Deleted 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-013)

Article IV — Founders

§4.01 Definition of a Founder

A “Founder” is an individual who, through the donation of their time and expertise, helped form and organize VATSIM. A Founder is also an individual who has, through the donation of their time and effort, contributed greatly to the continuation of the hobbies of flight simulation and air traffic control simulation. The Founders, as a whole, constitute the group of individuals listed below in Article IV. §4.03. Membership to this group of individuals is closed except for additions as may be exclusively made by the Founders. The Founders, as a result of their contributions to VATSIM and the hobbies of flight simulation and air traffic control simulation, shall maintain certain privileges in VATSIM. This Article defines the privileges which are to be held by the Founders.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§4.02 No Modification by Board of Governors

No part of this Article of the Code of Regulations (Article IV.) including any of its sections or subsections may be modified in any way by subsequent vote of the Board of Governors without the prior written approval of the Board of Directors of VATSIM, Inc. or its designated representative(s). The Board of Directors reserve the right to direct the Board of Governors to amend any part of this Article IV. of the Code of Regulations accordingly and the Board of Governors is bound to make any and all such directed amendments.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022)

§4.03 List of Founding Members

The following individuals, listed alphabetically with their VATSIM Certificates of Identification, are designated as “Founders” of VATSIM and are eligible for the special privileges which are granted by this Article of the Code of Regulations.

George Barney (800009)
Roberto Bazzano (800025)
Bruce Benaway (800018)
Marty Bochane (800024)
Roland Collins (800023)
Richard Critz (800026)
James Davis (800016)
Jason Grooms (800021)
Michael Hayden (800010)
Richard Jenkins (800012)
Joe Jurecka (800020)
Lefteris Kalamaras (800022)
Ronald Lemke (800015)
Joel Lesser (800008)
George Marinakis (800006)
Jonathan Reid (800007)
Tom Schroeder (800011)
Harvey Stein (800005)
Neal Truitt (800027)

The name “Founder” as referred to in this Article, and as may be referenced throughout this entire Code of Regulations, refers to each of the individuals listed in this section.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022; Amended 12-05-01 – CoR 2001-001; Amended 07-12-02 – CoR 2002-006; Amended 03-31-03 – CoR 2003-007; Amended 12-15-03 – CoR 2004-001; Amended 05-12-11 – CoR 2011-007; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§4.04 Founders' Callsigns

A. Unique Callsign

Each Founder shall be identifiable to all account holders of VATSIM by a unique callsign. No other individual is permitted to log onto any computer which is a part of VATSIM with any of the following unique Founder's callsigns.

Harvey Stein — VATSIM5
George Marinakis — VATSIM6
Jonathan Reid — VATSIM7
Joel Lesser — VATSIM8
George Barney — VATSIM9
Michael Hayden — VATSIM10
Tom Schroeder — VATSIM11
Richard Jenkins — VATSIM12
Ronald Lemke — VATSIM15
James Davis — VATSIM16
Bruce Benaway — VATSIM18
Joe Jurecka — VATSIM20
Jason Grooms — VATSIM21
Lefteris Kalamaras — VATSIM22
Roland Collins — VATSIM23
Marty Bochane — VATSIM24
Roberto Bazzano — VATSIM25
Richard Critz — VATSIM26
Neal Truitt — VATSIM27

B. Permanent Callsign

The callsigns listed above in Article IV., §4.04 (A)(1)-(19) are permanently assigned to the designated Founders and may never, under any circumstance(s), be used by any other account holder of VATSIM. Only the Board of Directors of VATSIM, Inc. with the unanimous consent of the Founders may remove a Founder’s unique callsign.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 12-05-01 –CoR 2001-002; Amended 07-12-02 –CoR 2002-007; Amended 03-31-03 –CoR 2003-008; Amended 12-15-03 –CoR 2004-002; Amended 05-12-11 –CoR 2011-008; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§4.05 Founder's Certificates of Identification

Each Founder shall be identifiable to all account holders of VATSIM by a unique Certificate of Identification (“CID”). The CIDs of Founders shall begin with the two digits “80”. The CIDs of all VATSIM account holders who are not Founders shall be issued sequentially, beginning with CID 810000. No CID lower than 810000 may be issued without the approval of the Board of Directors of VATSIM, Inc. and the unanimous consent of the Founders. This section shall have precedence over any other section of the Code of Regulations or any other act of the Board of Governors regarding the assignment of CIDs to any account holder of VATSIM.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022; Amended 08-17-09 – CoR 2009-011; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§4.06 Positions Founders May Serve in VATSIM

Founders are permitted to serve in any position and at any level of VATSIM. However, Founders shall be subject to the same rules and qualifications that any other account holder of VATSIM is subject to for any particular position, including the rules set forth in Article V. of these Regulations.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 02-01-2022)

Article V — Reserved

(Article V is reserved.)

Article VI — Suspension and Expulsion of VATSIM Account Holders

§6.01 Scope of Article, Definitions

A. Scope of Article

This Article sets forth the conduct which can result in the removal of an account holder, the suspension of an account holder’s privileges and/or the expulsion of an account holder from VATSIM as well as the procedures to be followed prior to any such action. In addition, this Article sets forth the rights of an account holder facing such removal, suspension and/or expulsion. This Article does not apply to members of the Board of Governors. Procedures for the suspension and/or expulsion of such account holders are set forth in Articles II. of this Code of Regulations.

B. Definitions

As used in this Code of Regulations:

“Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel” or “ASCP” is defined as a group which is established by the Vice President of Standards and Compliance to hear appeals of cases of account holders who have been formally suspended or expelled by a Standards and Compliance Manager. The Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel consists of three (3) or five (5) account holders of VATSIM, who must meet the qualifications set forth in Article VI., §6.08 of this Code of Regulations. The Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel is governed by the rules set forth in Article VI., §6.09 of this Code of Regulations.
“Board of Governors Appeals Panel” is defined as a group which is established by the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors to hear appeals in cases of account holders which have received formal suspensions in excess of 365 days or have been permanently expelled. The Board of Governors Appeals Panel is governed by the rules set forth in Article VI., §6.07 of this Code of Regulations.
“Standards and Compliance Manager” or “SCM” is defined as an individual appointed by the Vice President of Standards and Compliance to initially hear the cases of VATSIM account holders who have been recommended for a formal suspension or expulsion. All Standards and Compliance Managers must meet the qualifications set forth in Article VI., §6.07 of this Code of Regulations. The Standards and Compliance Manager is governed by the rules set forth in Article VI., §6.09 of this Code of Regulations.
“Expulsion”, “Expulsion of a user” or “Expelling a user” means the act of removing the certificate of identification of an account holder permanently so as to prevent that particular account holder from ever logging on to the VATSIM network with the particular certificate of identification and further barring said account holder from obtaining any new certificates of identification.
“Formally suspend” or “Formal suspension” is defined as the act of suspending the certificate of identification of an account holder for a fixed period of time after final disposition of such account holder’s case pursuant to the terms set forth in Article VI. §6.09 below. During such suspension period, the account holder has no access privileges to the VATSIM network.
“Prohibited conduct” is defined as any conduct which is deemed by the individuals listed in Article VI., §6.04 of this Code of Regulations as being abusive to other account holders of VATSIM and/or detrimental in any way to VATSIM.
“Remove users” or “Removal of users” is defined as the removal of an account holder or individual from the VATSIM network who is, at the time of removal, using the VATSIM network in violation of Article VI., §6.02 and/or §6.03 of this Code of Regulations.
“Temporarily suspend” or “Temporary suspension” is defined as the act of suspending the certificate of identification of an account holder who has been removed for an alleged violation of Article VI., §6.02 and/or §6.03 of this Code of Regulations and preventing said account holder from logging onto the VATSIM network until such time as the final disposition of such account holder’s case pursuant to the procedures set forth in Article VI., §6.09 below.
“VATSIM network” is defined as any one or all of the computers joined together which comprise the physical VATSIM network as well as any additional computers which are utilized in any way by VATSIM account holders for communicating via text or voice for purposes of engaging in simulated air traffic control and/or flight simulation purposes. This definition expressly includes the computers which host the official internet forums, newsgroups and mailing lists utilized by VATSIM and its officially recognized regions, divisions, ARTCCs, ACCs, and FIRs and which are otherwise used by account holders of VATSIM for engaging in public discussions.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 12-17-03 –CoR 2003-012; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-015; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.02 Complying with the Terms of the User Agreement, Code of Conduct, and the Code of Regulations

Account holders of VATSIM must at all times comply with the terms of the VATSIM User Agreement, Code of Conduct, Code of Regulations, and other VATSIM Policies. These documents are made public at the VATSIM website located at vatsim.net. These documents may, from time to time, be updated, modified and/or otherwise revised by the VATSIM Board of Governors. Any such update, modification and/or revision shall be made public at the VATSIM website. It is the responsibility of all account holders to read and comply with the terms of these documents, including any updates, modifications and/or revisions. By logging on to VATSIM, an account holder is agreeing to have read in their entirety all such documents and is further agreeing to all of the terms contained therein. Failure to comply with the terms of these documents may result in an account holder’s removal, temporary suspension, formal suspension, administrative removal or permanent expulsion from VATSIM.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 05-31-02 –CoR 2002-004; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.03 Prohibited Conduct

In addition to the terms set forth in Article VI., §6.02 above, an account holder of VATSIM is subject to removal, temporary suspension, formal suspension, or permanent expulsion from VATSIM for prohibited conduct. Prohibited conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:

A. The use of the VATSIM network by any account holder or individual to threaten, harass, abuse, intimidate, stalk or to otherwise violate the legal rights, including rights of privacy and publicity, of other account holders or individuals logged on to the VATSIM network;

B. The use of the VATSIM network by any account holder or individual to publish, post, distribute or disseminate any defamatory, infringing, obscene, vulgar, profane, or other unlawful material or information;

C. The use of the VATSIM network by any account holder or individual to engage in any action or conduct which blocks, interferes with, or otherwise prevents any other account holder(s) of VATSIM or individuals from logging on to and/or enjoying the VATSIM network. This rule does not apply to Administrators, Supervisors, or other individuals specifically designated by the VATSIM Board of Governors or this Code of Regulations who are acting within the scope of their authority;

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.04 Individuals Authorized to Remove and Temporarily Suspend Account Holders from VATSIM

A. Individuals Authorized

The following individuals are authorized to remove and to temporarily suspend account holders from VATSIM for violations of Article VI., §6.02 and 6.03 above:

Members of the VATSIM Board of Governors, as defined in Article II. of this Code of Regulations;
Account holders of VATSIM who hold the rating of Administrator;
Account holders of VATSIM who hold the rating of Supervisor; and
Any other account holder or individual specifically authorized by the VATSIM Board of Governors to remove account holders from the VATSIM network.

B. Sole Discretion

It is within the sole discretion of the individual authorized by this rule to determine whether the conduct of an account holder warrants removal or temporary suspension of said account holder.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-016; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.05 Removal and Suspension of an Account Holder

A. Required Acknowledgement

VATSIM may implement a method for an account holder to acknowledge understanding of why he or she was forcibly disconnected or suspended from the network. If implemented, the account holder may be required to acknowledge understanding before being permitted to log back into the VATSIM network. Such acknowledgement is not an admission of guilt but allows the account holder to acknowledge understanding of why he or she was removed from the VATSIM network.

While this acknowledgement is required prior to reconnecting to the VATSIM network, it shall not be considered a suspension against the account for record purposes when used in conjunction with Paragraph B of this Article.

B. Forcible Disconnection

An account holder who has been forcibly disconnected from the network pursuant to the terms of this Article may log back in to the VATSIM network at the account holder’s discretion once any discrepancies having caused the forcible disconnection have been remedied.

C. Pilot Suspension with Required Training

An account holder may be suspended when it is determined that the disruptive nature of the account holder’s conduct as a pilot was due to a lack of understanding or application of proper aviation procedure and/or communication (i.e. a "Pilot Deviation"). The policy and process of such suspensions shall be made publicly available to all account holders and shall govern the method for reporting and assessing incident reports describing Pilot Deviations which occur on the network. Members of the Pilot Training Department who are authorized by the Vice President, Pilot Training shall review pilot feedback reports and assess whether the subject account holder may require additional training. If the authorized member believes the likelihood for further disruption by the subject account holder is high, the subject account holder may be suspended and assigned a training course to complete prior to the subject account holder’s reinstatement. Upon completion of the training required, the subject account holder must make notification of completion of said training via the mechanism described in the Pilot Feedback System Policy.

Subject account holders who have been suspended in the manner described in this paragraph, but who have made notification of completion of their assigned training, shall be contacted to verify their understanding of the procedure at issue. Immediately upon said verification, or no greater than 48 hours after said notification has gone unanswered, the subject account holder's access to VATSIM shall be restored.

Subject account holders who have been suspended in the manner described in this paragraph may request an appeal within seven (7) days of the decision, pursuant to the mechanism described in the Pilot Feedback System Policy.

D. Suspension

An account holder who has been suspended pursuant to the terms of this Article is not permitted to log back onto the VATSIM network for a period of twenty-four (24) hours from the moment of suspension. A suspended account holder who violates this rule by logging back onto the VATSIM network prior to the expiration of the twenty four (24) hour period is guilty of a separate infraction which could result in imposition of a suspension with Standards and Compliance referral, formal suspension, and/or expulsion from VATSIM.

E. Emergency Suspension

Individuals authorized to suspend an account holder pursuant to the terms of this Article may issue an emergency suspension against the account holder in question. An emergency suspension is valid for 30 minutes and shall be used to quickly mitigate disruptive activity on the VATSIM network while allowing for the conduct at issue to be formally documented. Except as may be directed by the Board of Governors, all emergency suspensions shall be followed by a Suspension per this Article or a Suspension with Standards and Compliance referral.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.06 Suspension of an Account Holder with Standards and Compliance Referral

An account holder of VATSIM may be suspended with Standards and Compliance referral by an authorized individual under Article VI., §6.04 when it is determined by such authorized individual that the account holder’s conduct is of a nature which warrants a formal suspension and/or expulsion.

A. Maximum Length of Initial Suspension

The period of initial suspension imposed by an authorized individual under Article VI., §6.04 above is forty-eight (48) hours in length. In computing time under this rule, the time period shall commence on the moment of the suspension issuance.

B. Notification Requirements

Individual Imposing Suspension: The individual who suspends an account holder pursuant to authority granted by Article VI., §6.04 above shall within twenty four (24) hours of the imposition of such initial suspension file a report with the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors in the form and manner and at the location designated by said Vice President. At a minimum, this notice shall include the name and certificate number of the suspended account holder, the date, time, and location of the alleged violation and a general statement of the nature of the circumstances surrounding the violation.
Vice President of Standards and Compliance: Upon receipt of notice of the initial suspension of an account holder with Standards and Compliance referral, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors or his or her designate shall within seventy two (72) hours notify the suspended account holder of the suspension and shall forward the matter to a Standards and Compliance Manager. This notice shall include at a minimum, the name and certificate number of the suspended account holder, the date, time and location of the alleged violation and any general statement submitted.

Upon completion of the notification requirements of this rule, the matter shall thereafter progress in accordance with the rules set forth in Article VI., §6.07 of this Code of Regulations.

All required notifications under this section may be made through automated means.

C. Expiration of Period of Initial Suspension

Upon the expiration of the period of initial suspension and notwithstanding any decision to the contrary pursuant to the terms of Article VI., §6.09 below, an account holder’s privileges will be fully restored, unless referred back to Standards and Compliance for action.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 02-20-03–CoR 2003-006; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-017; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.07 Standards and Compliance Managers

The Vice President of Standards and Compliance shall be responsible for ensuring that Standards and Compliance Managers shall be appointed in sufficient quantity to ensure the resolution of referrals. The appointment of the managers is the direct responsibility of the Vice President of Standards and Compliance.

A. To be eligible for this position, an individual must meet all of the following qualifications:

The individual must be an active account holder in good standing of VATSIM and assigned division; and
The individual must have a VATSIM rating of Controller or higher unless said individual is otherwise approved by the individual’s Regional Vice President or the Vice President of Standards and Compliance; and
The individual must not be a member of the VATSIM Board of Governors.

B. Powers

The Standards and Compliance Manager shall hear and decide cases of account holders who have been suspended and subject to formal suspension or expulsion from VATSIM pursuant to the definitions, terms, powers and procedures set forth in Article VI. of this Code of Regulations.

C. Terms of Standards and Compliance Manager and Replacement Procedures

The Vice President of Standards and Compliance, in his or her sole discretion, may set limits on the terms that Standards and Compliance Managers may serve.

HISTORY: (Eff. 07-27-01; Amended 01-19-10 –CoR 2010-001; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-018; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.08 Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel

The Vice President of Standards and Compliance shall be responsible for ensuring that one or more Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel(s) be appointed. The appointment of each panel is the direct responsibility of the Vice President of Standards and Compliance. Each Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel shall consist of three (3) or five (5) members.

A. Qualifications

To be eligible for this position, an individual must meet all of the following qualifications:

The individual must be an active account holder in good standing of VATSIM and assigned region; and
The individual must be an active account holder of the region in which the Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel sits; and
The individual must have a VATSIM rating of Controller or higher. However, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance may, in his or her sole discretion, waive the rating requirement and allow members of the panel to have a rating which is lower than Controller. An individual for whom the rating qualification is waived, however, must still meet all other qualifications of this rule; and
The individual must not currently be a Standards and Compliance Manager; and
The individual must not currently be a member of the VATSIM Board of Governors.

B. Powers

The Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel shall hear and decide appeals of decisions made by Standards and Compliance Managers which are made by formally suspended or expelled account holders of VATSIM pursuant to the definitions, terms, powers and procedures set forth in the relevant sections of Article VI. of this Code of Regulations.

C. Terms of Members and Replacement Procedures

The Vice President of Standards and Compliance, in his or her sole discretion, may set limits on the terms that members of an Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel may serve. The appointment and replacement procedures for members of an Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel are left to the Vice President of Standards and Compliance in his or her sole discretion.

HISTORY: (Eff: 10-01-20–CoR 2020-019; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.09 Formal Suspension and Expulsion Procedures / Rights of Account Holder

This rule sets forth the procedures to be followed prior to the imposition of a formal suspension and/or expulsion of a VATSIM account holder and the rights of an account holder during and after such procedures. This rule and the rights contained herein apply once an account holder has been suspended pursuant to the terms of Article VI., §6.06 above.

A. Investigation by the Standards and Compliance Manager (SCM)

Pursuant to the terms of §6.06 of this Article and upon imposition of a suspension, a suspended account holder’s case shall first be referred to a Standards and Compliance Manager (SCM).

Initial Notification Requirements of the SCM: The SCM shall, upon referral of the matter, send a notice to the accused account holder by email which notifies said account holder of the referral and shall include, at a minimum, the date of the referral to the SCM, a statement advising that the accused account holder has ten (10) days from said referral date to submit written statements to the SCM, a statement that the accused account holder has a right to request, in writing, copies of any written evidence gathered by the SCM in the course of his or her investigation and the email address of SCM along with a statement instructing that any written evidence must be submitted to that particular email address.

Investigation, Written Statements and Other Evidence: The SCM shall conduct an investigation into the alleged misconduct of the account holder. This investigation shall consist of gathering written statements from the individual recommending formal suspension or expulsion and any other parties to the alleged incident, including the accused account holder who has the right to address the SCM in writing. Any evidence gathered must be in written form. The accused account holder has the right, upon written request, to review written documents and statements which have been gathered by the SCM in the course of his or her investigation. The SCM shall then review all evidence which has been gathered for the purpose of rendering a decision to either impose a formal suspension or expulsion of the accused account holder or to acquit such accused account holder of the charge(s).

Extension of Initial Suspension Period: The SCM has the power to extend the initial suspension period imposed under Article VI., §6.06 while he or she conducts the investigation into the alleged misconduct of the suspended account holder. Under no circumstances, however, shall any such extension exceed more than thirty (30) days past the date of receipt of referral of the case from the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors or his or her designate.

Time: The SCM must render his or her decision for a particular case within thirty (30) days of receipt of the referral of the matter. For purposes of this Article, the thirty (30) day period begins on the day of receipt of referral and includes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. If a final decision is not rendered within the thirty (30) day time period, the case against the accused account holder shall be dismissed and may not be refilled under any circumstances.

Accused Account Holder’s Evidence: Any evidence which is submitted by the accused account holder to the SCM must be received within ten (10) days of the date of referral. For purposes of this rule, the ten (10) day period begins on the day of receipt of referral and includes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The SCM may, upon good cause shown, extend this time period.

Reaching a Decision: The SCM shall review all the evidence gathered in his or her investigation and shall then render a decision to either impose a formal suspension or expulsion of the accused account holder or to acquit such accused account holder of the charge(s). If a finding of guilty is reached, then the SCM shall impose a penalty in accordance with the following paragraph. If a finding of not guilty is reached, then the accused account holder shall be acquitted and full account holder privileges including rating shall be immediately restored.

Penalty: The SCM has the authority to impose, in his or her sole discretion, any penalty he or she deems fit in a particular case. These penalties include, but are not limited to:

Imposing a formal suspension period of any length including the time of suspension which has been served by the guilty account holder; or
Permanently expelling the account holder; or
Reducing the rating of the account holder; or
Any combination of penalties.

In the event of the imposition of a formal suspension, the SCM shall give credit against the overall suspension for any days served under an initial suspension period.

Notification of Decision: The SCM will reduce his or her decision to writing and shall provide it to the Regional Vice President, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors, the Vice President of Supervisors on the VATSIM Board of Governors, and to the account holder. In the event of a guilty determination, this notice shall also include the date upon which a determination of guilty was reached and the expiration date of any formal suspension period which has been imposed. The notice sent by the SCM to the account holder shall also include a statement advising that the account holder has a right to appeal the decision to the Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel which must be exercised within ten (10) days of date of the notice and the email address to which an appeal must be made. For purposes of this rule, the ten (10) day period begins on the date of the notice and includes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays.

Preserving the Record: Any and all written evidence gathered by the SCM must be preserved for purposes of appeal rights taken by a guilty account holder pursuant to the terms of this Article Code of Regulations.

B. Appeal to the Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel (ASCP)

An account holder who receives a formal suspension in excess of 180 days, or expulsion as a result of a SCM investigation has the right to appeal such formal suspension or expulsion to the region’s Appellate Standards and Compliance Panel (ASCP).

Timely Appeal: An appeal to the ASCP must be made within ten (10) days of receipt of notice of the decision of Standards and Compliance Manager. The appeal must be made in writing to the email address provided in the notification of decision of the Standards and Compliance Manager. For purposes of this rule, the ten (10) day period begins on the date of receipt of the decision of the Standards and Compliance Manager and includes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. This time period is absolute and may not be waived under any circumstances with the exception of permanent expulsion in which case the appeal to the ASCP is automatic.
Transmittal of Record: Upon receipt of a timely appeal, the ASCP shall order that the record of the Standards and Compliance Manager which consists of all written documents used by said individual in reaching his or her decision be transmitted to the ASCP. The Standards and Compliance Manager shall immediately transmit said record to the ASCP.
Hearing the Appeal: The suspension or expulsion imposed by the Standards and Compliance Manager shall remain in effect pending the appeal. The ASCP shall then set a deadline for the account holder appealing to file any additional written appeal documents with the ACRP. Such documents may only address why the Standards and Compliance Manager erred in reaching his or her determination and cannot include any new evidence which was not presented to the Standards and Compliance Manager. The ASCP may extend this deadline for filing additional written documents upon good cause shown. At the close of this time period, the ASCP shall not accept any additional filings.
The ASCP shall review the record from the Standards and Compliance Manager and any additional written documents filed pursuant to Article VI. §6.07 (B)(3). The deliberation process shall be private. Upon the conclusion of deliberation, the panel shall conduct a vote on whether to affirm, overturn or modify the Standards and Compliance Manager’s decision. A majority of the panel must vote to either affirm, overturn, or modify the lower decision. A modification of the Standards and Compliance Manager’s decision can result in a greater penalty than that which is the subject of the appeal. Every member of the ASCP shall have one vote and all votes shall carry the same weight.
Time Limit: The ASCP must render a decision on an appeal within thirty (30) days of the filing of a timely appeal.
Notification of Decision: The ASCP will reduce its decision to writing which shall include the vote result and provide it to the Standards and Compliance Manager, the appropriate Regional Vice President on the VATSIM Board of Governors, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors, the Vice President of Supervisors on the VATSIM Board of Governors, and to the account holder who initiated the appeal.
Decision of ASCP Final; Exceptions: The decision reached by the ASCP in an account holder’s case shall be final with no right of appeal so long as the penalty affirmed does not exceed a formal suspension of 365 days or less. In the event that the penalty affirmed by the ASCP exceeds 365 days or is permanent expulsion, then the guilty account holder has a right to make an appeal to the VATSIM Board of Governors pursuant to the terms of Article VI., §6.07 (C) below.

C. Appeal to the VATSIM Board of Governors

In the event that the penalty imposed by the Standards and Compliance and affirmed by the ASCP exceeds 365 days, then the guilty account holder has a right to make an appeal to the VATSIM Board of Governors.

Timely Appeal: An appeal of a formal suspension in excess of 365 days must be made within ten (10) days of receipt of notice of the decision of the ASCP. The Appeal must be made to the Vice President of Standards and Compliance on the VATSIM Board of Governors. For purposes of this rule, the ten (10) day period begins on the date of receipt of the decision of the ASCP and includes Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. This time period is absolute and may not be waived under any circumstances with the exception of permanent expulsion in which case the appeal to the Board of Governors is automatic.
Transmittal of Record: Upon receipt of a timely appeal, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance shall order that the record sent to the ASCP by the Standards and Compliance Manager along with any other written documents used by said ASCP in reaching its decision be transmitted to the Board of Governors. The ASCP shall immediately transmit said record to the Vice President of Standards and Compliance.
Assignment of Panel: Upon receipt of the record from the ASCP, the Vice President of Standards and Compliance shall randomly select from a pool consisting of all members of the Board of Governors, two (2) other individuals. These two other individuals along with the Vice President of Standards and Compliance shall form a panel which shall hear the appeal. This panel shall examine the record and shall make a determination of whether to hear the appeal or let stand the decision of the ASCP. In the event of an appeal of a permanent expulsion, the panel must review the decision of the ASCP.
No Absolute Right to Have Appeal Heard; Exception: The right possessed by an account holder found guilty and suspended in excess of 365 days is only the right to make an appeal to the Board of Governors. There is no absolute right to have an appeal heard. It is within the sole discretion of the VATSIM Board of Governors whether to hear an appeal or let stand the conclusions and the judgment of the ASCP. If the Board of Governors Appeals Panel decides not to hear an appeal and lets stand the conclusions and the judgment of the ASCP, then said Panel shall notify the ASCP and the account holder appealing the judgment of the ASCP by email of its decision. The sole exception to this rule is where an account holder has been found guilty and has been permanently expelled. Then, and only in such circumstance, is there an absolute right of appeal to the Board of Governors Appeals Panel. A penalty of permanent expulsion must be reviewed by the Board of Governors Appeals Panel and either affirmed, overturned, or modified.
Hearing the Appeal: A majority of the Board of Governors Appeals Panel must vote to agree to hear the appeal. If it agrees to hear the appeal, then said Panel shall notify the ASCP and the guilty account holder appealing the judgment of the ACRP by email of its decision. The penalty imposed by the Standards and Compliance Manager and affirmed by the ASCP shall remain in effect pending the appeal. The Board of Governor’s Appeals Panel shall then set a deadline for the account holder appealing to file any additional written documents. Such documents may only address why the ASCP erred in reaching its determination and cannot include any new evidence which was not presented to the Standards and Compliance Manager or the ASCP. The Board of Governors Appeals Panel may extend this deadline for filing additional written documents upon good cause shown. At the close of this time period, the Board of Governors Appeals Panel shall not accept any additional filings.
Deciding the Appeal: The Board of Governors Appeals Panel shall review the record from the ASCP and any additional written documents filed pursuant to Article VI. §6.07 (C)(5). The deliberation process shall be private. Upon the conclusion of deliberation, the panel shall conduct a vote on whether to affirm, overturn or modify the ASCP’s decision. A majority of the panel must vote to either affirm, overturn, or modify the lower decision. A modification of the ASCP’s decision cannot result in a greater penalty than that which is the subject of the appeal. Every member of the Board of Governors Appeals Panel shall have one vote and all votes shall carry the same weight.
Time Limit: The Board of Governors Appeals Panel must render a decision on an appeal within sixty (60) days of the filing of a timely appeal.
Notification of Decision: The Board of Governors Appeals Panel will provide its decision to writing which shall include the vote result and provide it to the ASCP, the Standards and Compliance Manager, the appropriate Regional Vice President on the VATSIM Board of Governors, the Vice President of Supervisors on the VATSIM Board of Governors, and to the account holder who has initiated the appeal.
Decision of Board of Governors Appeals Panel Final: The decision reached by the Board of Governors Appeals Panel in an account holder case shall be final with no right of further appeal.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-020; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.10 Summary Judgement

A. Summary Judgement Process

The Board of Governors may identify certain sections of VATSIM policy which are eligible for summary judgement processes, alternatively known as “standard escalations”. Summary judgement may be identified for sections of VATSIM policy which are generally considered to be straightforward and where crucial facts or interpretation are not under dispute. When a case is referred in-whole for summary judgement as defined in this section, it bypasses the normal standards and compliance process as described in Article VI. §6.09, proceeds in accordance with this Article, and via the summary judgement escalation scale as defined by the Board of Governors.

Summary judgement may be entered via manual or automated means as defined by the Board of Governors. The summary judgement escalation scale shall be published in the Code of Conduct or other easily accessible document on the VATSIM public website. The Board of Governors may identify violations which are similar in nature and shall be considered to be the same when issuing summary judgements.

B. Eligibility for Summary Judgement

In order for a case in-whole to be eligible for summary judgement, the following must be true:

The account holder must have been suspended pursuant to Article VI. §6.06; and
No crucial facts or interpretations regarding the case are under dispute; and
None of the violations at issue have surpassed the top end of the summary judgement scale for the account holder in question; and
All of the charged violations in the case fall under one or more VATSIM policies eligible for summary judgement.

C. Mixed Cases

In cases where alleged violations of VATSIM policy in a single case contain policies both eligible and ineligible for in-whole summary judgement, a Standards and Compliance Manager (SCM) may be assigned pursuant to Article VI. §6.06.

The SCM will have the option to enter summary judgement in the case for section(s) of VATSIM policy covered by this Article. If the SCM intends to exercise the option to utilize summary judgement, it shall be notated in the SCM’s initial notification to the account holder as required by Article VI. §6.09 (A) to include the specific violations under summary judgement.

D. Stacking Penalties

Penalties for violations of the same type do not run consecutively.

E. Timeline

Summary judgements expire one (1) year after the last violation of the same type. After this timeframe has expired, any further summary judgements for the same violation type shall restart the summary judgement escalation scale.

F. Escalations

Summary judgement escalations approved by the Board of Governors revert to the normal Standards and Compliance process as defined in Article VI. §6.09 once the violation(s) at issue surpass the top end of the summary judgement escalation scale.

G. Permanent Expulsion

Summary judgement itself may not be the basis used to permanently expel an account holder from VATSIM, however this clause shall not limit the ability to include summary judgement in a case in which permanent expulsion is considered by a SCM nor shall it limit the ability for a SCM to consider previous summary judgements in his or her decision for permanent expulsion in a case.

H. Summary Judgement Consideration

Except as provided in Article VI. §6.10 (I), cases which involve summary judgements in-whole or in-part shall be considered resolved when evaluated by a SCM as part of a subsequent case. A SCM shall consider prior issued summary judgements when issuing a determination on an open case.

I. Summary Judgement Final; Exceptions

A summary judgement entered into a case, whether in-whole or in-part, is final. An account holder may appeal a summary judgement to the Vice President of Standards and Compliance only on the grounds that the summary judgement was based on crucial facts or interpretations under dispute. The Vice President of Standards and Compliance will review the matter and make a determination within thirty (30) days.

HISTORY: (Eff. 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

§6.11 Administrative Removal

VATSIM account holders who fail to maintain their account pursuant to the terms of Article I., §1.01(I) of this Code of Regulations are subject to administrative removal. An administrative removal may only be imposed when an account holder has failed to log on and use the VATSIM network as a pilot and/or a controller at least once during the previous calendar quarter.

The Vice President of Membership on the VATSIM Board of Governors is hereby authorized to examine the account records of VATSIM for compliance with Article I., §1.01(I).

Account holders who fail to maintain their account may have their certificates of identification and logon privileges revoked by the Vice President of Membership without further notice. For good cause shown and within the sole discretion of the Vice President of Membership, the requirements to maintain an account may be waived. In addition, upon further showing of good cause and within the sole discretion of the Vice President of Membership, an account holder who has been subject to an administrative removal may be reinstated. Any such account holder shall be reinstated to the same rating he or she held at the time of removal.

HISTORY: (Eff. 06-01-02 –CoR 2002-005; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-021; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)

HISTORY (Article VI overall): (Eff. 11-18-01; Amended 12-17-03 –CoR 2003-012; Amended 10-01-20 –CoR 2020-015; Amended 11-15-25 – CoR 2025-011)