ATO, DTO and how to check a school's approval
What approval means in EASA countries, which courses need which approval, and how to check it yourself.
Last updated 1 Nov 2026
Two kinds of organisation
Under EASA rules, an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) is approved by the national authority and can run professional courses such as CPL, instrument ratings and ATPL theory and flight training.
A Declared Training Organisation (DTO) declares its activity to the authority and can train for leisure licences such as the LAPL and PPL, but not for professional licences.
Approval is per course
An ATO's approval lists the specific courses it may run. A school advertising a course is not proof that the course is approved. Ask for the approval certificate and its reference number.
How to check
Most national authorities publish lists of approved or declared organisations. Find the school by name and reference, and check that the course you want is covered. In the UK the regulator is the UK CAA, which operates outside the EASA system.