Licensing

Common Filing Tasks

Licensees may be required to perform standard filing tasks after obtaining a license. These tasks may be performed using the Universal Licensing System (ULS). Standard tasks are:

Changing Address

No Fee Charged

Licensees are required to apply for timely modification of their licenses as necessary to show their correct mailing address, name, club name, license trustee, or custodian name.

Checking Application Status

No Fee Charged

On the next business day following a successful submission of an application, you can check the status of your application in the Universal Licensing System.

Obtaining Vanity Call Sign

10-year license fee: Reviewed annually.

For the current fee amount, see Wireless Fee Filing Guide (pdf)

The FCC offers licensees the opportunity to request a specific call for their primary station and for their club station.

Renewing a License

No Fee Charged

Licensees may file for renewal 30-60 days, but no more than 90 days, before their license expiration date. If your license expires, you may apply for renewal of the license for another term during a two-year filing grace period.

Replacing a License

No Fee Charged

If an original license document or permit document is lost, mutilated or destroyed, a licensee may request a replacement

Should I file online or manually?

The Universal Licensing System (ULS), a consolidated system of online resources is equipped to handle the common filing tasks of licensees. Using ULS maintains your filing records securely in one place and allows you to make administrative updates online. If you are a new ULS user, you may first need to register with the FCC's Commission Registration System (CORES) to receive an FCC Registration Number (FRN). For more on registering, see Getting Started in ULS.

If Internet access is limited or unavailable to you, you may alternatively opt to complete tasks manually or by phone. To get forms, you can:

Download the forms from the FCC site.
Request to have them mailed to you by calling 1-800-418-FORM (3676).
Request to have forms faxed to you using the FCC's Fax-on-Demand service by calling (202) 418-0177 from the handset of any fax machine.

Refer to specific task details for more on available options and which method best suits your needs.

Amateur Radio Service

Licensing

Common Filing Tasks