If you’ve noticed more GMRS chatter on the air and more folks asking which radio to buy, you’re not imagining it. The General Mobile Radio Service has been on a remarkable growth run over the past decade, with two inflection points that reshaped the curve: the FCC’s 2017 rewrite of Part 95 for the personal radio services, and the reduction of the GMRS application fee to $35, which became effective April 19, 2022. We covered both developments in real time on this blog. Now, we’ll look back at what changed, why it mattered, and how the numbers tell the story.
What changed in 2017 and why it mattered
In 2017, the FCC adopted a comprehensive Part 95 reform that clarified equipment classes, cleaned up decades of accumulated rule cruft, and, crucially for consumers, de-hybridized FRS and GMRS. That move ended the confusing “combo” radios and better aligned radio capabilities with each service’s rules. We broke down what the Commission proposed and then approved in our coverage at the time, and those changes set the stage for retail clarity and a healthier, more compliant GMRS market.
What changed in 2020–2022 with the license fee
In late 2020 the FCC adopted a new application fee schedule that dropped the GMRS license from $70 to $35. The change became effective April 19, 2022. That halved cost still covered an entire household for 10 years, and removed a major psychological and financial barrier for casual users and families. We announced the effective date here at Buy Two Way Radios and have continued to reference it in buying guides and GMRS explainers.
Why the GMRS caught on in popularity
It's well established that the popularity of the General Mobile Radio Service increased dramatically of late, and in a very short period of time. But why? Here are four compelling reasons.
Family coverage and no exam. - One license covers the household for 10 years, and there’s no test, so it's easy for families, off-roaders, RVers, and neighborhood groups to adopt.
Retail clarity after 2017 - The Part 95 update removed hybrid confusion and helped users buy radios with confidence with improved equipment compliance.
Price mattered. - When the fee dropped in 2022, adoption surged, since many who had been on the fence decided to get licensed. A $35 fee changed the calculus for “maybe someday” users into “why not today.”
Community effects. - More licenses led to more repeaters, more local activity, and a stronger GMRS identity nationwide. Growth tends to spur more growth.
Growth at a glance
It is important to note that the FCC does not publish an official year-end count of GMRS licensees, and active totals change continuously. To give a somewhat credible picture, we compiled documented snapshots from the FCC Universal License System (ULS) database, combined them with our own and other industry observations, then interpolated the data between known points to track the trend growth. Two solid bookends anchor the trend: the number of active licenses in 2015 and multiple snapshots after the post-fee period showing the number of GMRS active licenses from late 2023 to 2024, with continued gains into 2025.
Year-by-year view (2010–2025)
Important methodology note: Values in the green rows are documented snapshots. The rest are only estimates created by straight-line interpolation between those documented years. These are intended to note and visualize the trend, not to serve as official FCC totals.
How to read the table: The numbers increase considerably after mid-2017 as the service gains clarity and retail momentum, then rise significantly again after April 2022 as the lower fee brings in fence-sitters and entire households. Snapshot differences in the years 2023 and 2024 reflect timing and methodology across third-party pulls from the live ULS database; day-to-day churn and data-cleaning can move the reported “active” number. The key takeaway isn't with an actual, precise number count, it's the general magnitude of growth from five figures to six figures within the span of only one decade.
| GMRS Licenses (2010–2025) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Licensed GMRS Users | Notes |
| 2010 | 28,000 (est.) | |
| 2011 | 30,000 (est.) | |
| 2012 | 32,000 (est.) | |
| 2013 | 34,000 (est.) | |
| 2014 | 37,000 (est.) | |
| 2015 | 39,837 | Documented baseline [1] |
| 2016 | 45,000 *(est.)* | |
| 2017 | 52,000 (est.) | FCC adopts Part 95 reform [2] |
| 2018 | 62,000 (est.) | |
| 2019 | 78,000 (est.) | |
| 2020 | 90,000 (est.) | FCC proposes fee reduction |
| 2021 | 100,000 | Documented snapshot [3] |
| 2022 | 175,000 (est.) | Fee cut takes effect April 19 [4] |
| 2023 | 336,000 | Documented snapshot [5] |
| 2024 | 311,000 | ULS snapshot (Sept) [6] |
| 2025 | 325,000 (est.) | Continuing upward trend |
Sources:
[1] 2015 — 39,837 (documented active licenses) (myGMRS.com Forums)
[2] 2017 — Part 95 reform adopted (FCC rule changes) (Buy Two Way Radios)
[3] 2021 — ~100,000 (April snapshot) (myGMRS.com Forums)
[4] 2022 — $35 fee effective Apr 19 (FCC announcement) (Buy Two Way Radios)
[5] 2023 — ~336,000 (Feb analysis of ULS data; third-party) (AmateurRadio.com)
[6] 2024 — ~311,000 (Sept ULS snapshot shared publicly) (Reddit)
The Overall Concensus
It's fairly obvious to those who have been paying attention to the service (even without any actual numbers) that, within less than a decade, GMRS has transformed from a niche service for radio enthusiasts into one of the fastest-growing personal communication services in the United States. And while they are primarily estimates based on available public ULS license data and information gleaned from those attempting to track it, The numbers nonetheless prove that smart regulatory modernization and accessible pricing can drive genuine grassroots growth.
As of 2025, with over an estimated 325,000 active licenses and counting, GMRS is more than just a backup communication tool. it’s a growing and thriving community on the air.