Beginning on April 19, 2022, the US Federal Communication Commissions (FCC) will require a $35 licensing processing feed for all new issuance, upgrades, renewals, and vanity call signs for the Amateur Radio Part 97 services.
For existing license holders, this processing fee must be paid as part of and prior to any renewal of an existing license or a callsign change through the vanity call program. Of particular note, the processing fee is non-refundable for vanity callsign applications. If someone applies for a vanity call and is rejected for any reason including unavailable call, improperly formatted call, out-of-class application,
“too early” for a cancelled call, etc. the fee is not refunded. This will undoubtedly impact the interest and churn in the 1×2 and 2×1 callsigns.
For those taking a new or upgrade exam, the payment of the processing fee is required for the FCC to issue the new or updated license. The fee is paid directly to the FCC through the CORES system and is not collected an an exam. The new license issuance and upgrade process is as follows:
- New prospective license holders must register for an “FRN” in the FCC CORES system prior to taking an exam.
- Take and pass one or more of the test elements at a Volunteer Examiner session.
- The ARRL VEC team will transmit the results to the FCC within 1-2 business days following an exam session (assuming the VE team uses electronic submissions, which SARA does).
- The FCC will generate an e-mail to each new or upgraded licensee a web link to make the $35 payment within the FCC CORES system. Payment must be made within 10 calendar days or the application is automatically rejected.
- Once the payment has been received, the FCC will send a second e-mail with a link to the updated license and the FCC ULS database will be updated with the new or upgraded operating privileges.
This is an entirely new process and there will undoubtedly be some growing pains. The ARRL is closely following these changes and will no doubt pass long other important information.