UPDATE March 19, 2020 - When will the new FCC license fees take effect? Read here for details.
The FCC has just approved new license fees for Amateur Radio and the GMRS. These fees are actually lower than the original fees proposed in August, which were highly contested by hams, but welcomed by GMRS licensees. While the new FCC license fees may alleviate some of the sticker shock from the original fees proposed by the Commission, it is welcome news for fans of the GMRS.
According to the FCC Report and Order released December 29, 2020, Amateur Radio license fees will now cost $35. This same fee will apply to new licenses, renewal licenses, and vanity call signs. Previously, no fees were collected for ham licenses or vanity call signs issued to amateur radio operators, so technically it is a significant change. However, it is considerably less than the $50 fees originally proposed by the Commission, so it should be of some comfort to hams.
On the brighter side, a GMRS license will now cost significantly less than before. Up to now the application fee for a GMRS license was $70. With this Report and Order, the new GMRS license fee will be only $35, which is $15 less than the proposed fee and half the cost of the fees previously charged by the FCC. The license is still valid for 10 years and covers an entire family.
The amendment to the proposed fees was largely due to the comments and feedback the Commission received in response to the proposal in August. While the FCC disagreed with many of the assertions from hams and the ARRL why the original proposed $50 fees should not be charged at all, it did acknowledge on important point brought up by many that the fees did not fairly represent the amount of effort required to process the license applications, ,which is largely automated.
As the FCC put it, "We agree that the applications for amateur licenses, and other personal licenses, are largely automated, and for that reason the cost-based fee we adopt is only $35. With respect to the amateur licenses, while review is highly automated, staff must maintain the processing system to ensure applicants are qualified, vanity call sign procedures are followed, and off-lined applications are individually reviewed. Therefore, we cannot conclude that there are no costs involved in processing the applications and we do not have the discretion to exempt this service from application fees."
Since the same is true with the processing of GMRS licenses, the Commission amended the proposed $50 fee for that as well, bringing the cost of a GMRS license down to $35.
The new fees will take affect after the Report and Order is published in the Federal Register and is sent to Congress.
Talk about changes I got into ham radio in the 70's and then just sort of left it after the demise of a good friend and mentor passed in the early 80's just getting back after all these years and it scares and excites me, I have the now antiquated advanced license. Long story, short version is get involved and stay involved contact who ever you have to make the changes you feel necessary. Anyone who needs a license or wants one should contact there elected officials if they think the FCC fees are out of line. 350% increase ??
Just buy a radio and use it stop being a bunch of *******
New fees are ridiculous especially for trying to get into the hobbie, I am going to test for the 2nd time to get my technician license. I agree with Joseph Anderson comment above that the test should be open book & rules for operators strictly enforced and heavy penaltiesif not followed.
I hope all you people understand that amateur radio is a taxable hobby. Everything you guys buy for amateur radio including now the fees for the license is a tax write-off. And there was a specific comment of a gentleman that said I will not renew my license are you really that stupid? Are you guys really that poor that a measly $35 can hurt you? I mean most of you drink more than that in beer on a Friday night on 80 meters
Do a search on the ARRL website for exam sessions in your area. Patriot VE Team only stopped testing during March and April.
There is no benefit to amateur radio with the new fees.
Once the new fees go into effect, I may just have to get a GMRS license.
Just like illinois bull**** with trailer plates really jack my trailer plates up an extra $100.00 then my vehicle specialty plates america remembers and try to do good thing for kids youth park district plates really an extra $50.00 on those the government and states are just too damn greedy we the average joe's are trying to squeak by 1 step forward 2 steps backwards isn't that the truth this isn't a free country
Bill, not to worry. Amateur radio and general mobile radio services (gmrs) are different radio license types. Gmrs requires no test and is only vhf and I use it for communicating with my family (better power, less uses than FRS). But use ham for world wide comm on HF. You only need to pay for renewing your extra class license in April. 73s WA6YLR
I was excited to get into ham radio, just before covid hit.
All testing stopped! When will it begin again in Phoenix?
GMRS: General Mobil Radio Service. 460MHz band. Once known as Citizens Radio Service Class B (as I recall). Class C was radio control gear, and Class D is the infamous 11M/27MHz CB.
GMRS licenses used to be for just 2 channels out of the 10 allocated, similar to Business radios. The license is good for a household, not just an individual - making it useful for family farms, say, where a base station would be sat at the house, and field workers could talk between themselves or the house. Base to base used to be illegal. Better radios support use with repeaters though there don't seem to be many left (used to be shared with a business band, so one could obtain permission from owner of business repeaters)
You are a licensed ham and you don't know what GMRS is are you kidding me. General Moble Radio Service.
I am an amateur operator and a disabled Veteran (I was a radio operator in the military).
I understand the need to charge a fee for processing the licenses, but $35 or $50 is a bit much!
I'll pay it, but next time there is a bad storm and power is out and folks are trying to relay messages and learn about loved ones, I'll be charging for every damn relay that I make.
(That's not true, but you get the idea.)
I pay an annual regulatory fee of over $1,000 for my FM broadcast station. I just paid another $1,000 plus for fees associated with buying out my partner. $35 doesn’t really seem that bad!
Sticking with my CB........
I don't see the reason for the fees its hard to get new operators interested and the fees may be a turn off. We need more operators to help protect our band allocation because of big tech company's trying to gobble the bands up so they can make millions. But the fcc doesn't seem to care about us hams it's all about how much they can fill there pockets with.
G M R S is General Mobile Radio Service.
Its between a c.b. radio and ham.
No testing req.
We need all licensed hams to write their Congressional Representatives and the ARRL should demand a IRS deduction for radio equipment used for voluntary public service! Hello Senators' Inhofe, Lankford, Representative MarkWayne Mullin!
Gee, imagine that...The FCC asking for comments on the $50 proposed fee, getting a bunch of backlash, then doing what they were going to do anyway. (I suspect they were always going to charge $35. It's the old tactic of asking for something that seems outrageous, then asking for something less outrageous by comparison so people feel less screwed.) Why did they even bother asking?
I paid my $15, and have my test tomorrow. Am I covered already? Do I still need to pay this on top? I was hoping to get a family member's old call sign which no one has taken it yet, and matching plates. Will I have to pay again to change my call sign once I pass the test? and pay again for the license plates? And pay again in 10 years? And pay again when I get general? And again when I get extra? I could conceivably pay $500 in the next couple years and just fees.
When does this go into effect?
Previously the ham fee was $15. Renewal was free and 2 clicks after renewing. So my next renewal is now $35?