FCC Amateur Radio License Lookup

The Commission offers several options for public inquiries. You may address questions by using any of the following:

Written inquiries concerning cellular/PCS/paging issues may be sent to:

FCC
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554

Verifications

An administering Amateur VE must give credit to an examinee holding an expired or unexpired FCC-issued Technician Class operator license document granted before March 21, 1987: Element 3(B) - Section 97.505 (a)(8).

If the examinee does not have the original Technician class license, a verification letter stating he/she was licensed prior to March 21, 1987 may be requested from the Commission. This request should include the Name, Date of Birth, Address, Call Sign and license issue date. The written request should be sent to:

FCC
Attn: Amateur Licensing Division
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325
Fax 717-338-2696

License Refunds

Requests for refund of a fee paid to the FCC must be made in writing to:

Federal Communications Commission
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, PA

Refunds will not be made in cases where the fee for a service is lower for the current fiscal year than the fee paid under the fee schedule for the previous fiscal year. To comply with the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996, the Commission is required to provide your Taxpayer Identification Number to the U.S. Treasury upon generating a request for refund. To avoid delay, please include your Taxpayer Identification Number, or if the applicant is an individual, the Social Security Number with your written request for refund to the FCC.

The refund process usually takes four (4) weeks depending upon the complexity of the request. Once a refund request has been approved, it is forwarded to the U.S. Treasury in San Francisco, the return or refund of monies, refer to CFR 47, Part 1, Section 1.1113 of the Commission's rules.

*Please Note: When requesting a refund or checking the status of a refund in process, please provide the following information:

Applicant Name & Address

Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN)

Check Number

Radio Service (if applicable)

Call Sign (if applicable)

Date Application was Filed

Date Refund Request was Filed (when checking status)

Ship/ Aircraft Special Temporary Authority

You may operate your marine or aircraft radio after you have mailed your application(s) to the FCC if you complete, detach, and retain the temporary operating authority attached to the application form. The temporary operating authority is valid for 90 days after you mail your application to the FCC and should be kept with your station records until you receive your license through the mail.

However, the temporary operating authority is not valid if applying for a marine fleet, marine portable, or aircraft fleet license. If you apply for one of these licenses and will need to operate the radio before the license is received, you should request a Ship or Aircraft Special Temporary Authority. The request may be made via mail, fax, or telephone and should include the following information:

Ship

Vessel Name

Vessel Number

Number in Fleet

Vessel Call Sign

Frequencies/Equipment

Aircraft

Aircraft Station Category:
(Private or Air Carrier)

Aircraft Registration #

All

Applicant Name

Applicant Address

Relationship of applicant to vessel or aircraft:

Owner,

Owner/Operator,

Operator,

Other (specify)

Individual making request: Name & Phone number

Indicate if the STA should be sent by mail or fax (list number)

Approximate date application was mailed to FCC

Federal Communications Commission
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, PA
Telephone: (717) 338-2666
Fax: (717) 338-2696

Fee Exemptions

Governmental Entities are exempt from fees.
No fee is required for non-profit licensees in the Special Emergency and Public Safety Radio Services. Submissions in these two categories must be accompanied by a Determination Letter from the Internal Revenue Service which shows the licensee's not-for-profit status.

Submit fee exempt requests to:

Federal Communications Commission
1270 Fairfield Road
Gettysburg, PA

Copies of Documents

Due to the many requests the FCC receives from the public for retrieval and duplication of Commission documents, as well as the limited personnel and financial resources of the FCC, the Commission has awarded a public records duplication contract to Best Copy and Printing, Inc. On May 27, 2004, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. became the official Federal Communications Commission duplicating contractor. Best Copy will provide duplicating and research services to the public.

Customers wishing to sign-up for subscription services, request research services, purchase a debit card, or establish an account should contact:

Best Copy and Printing, Inc.

Please Note: Public Notices, News Releases, Orders, Notices of Proposed Rulemaking, Speeches and other informational documents and decisions have been made available on the Internet for public access.

Other resources that are also available on the Internet are:

Source: wireless.fcc.gov