The $35 licensing fee that’s been talked about for more than a year now will finally be going into effect on April 19, 2022, according to Public Notice A-22-307A1, dated March 23, 2022. It says:
This Public Notice announces that the new application fee rates for the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, codified at 47 CFR § 1.1102, will become effective on April 19, 2022. Wireless application fees can be paid through the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) at https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/universal-licensing-system.
For further guidance regarding Wireless Telecommunications Bureau application fees, please refer to the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau Fee Filing Guide located at https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fees/application-processing-fees. For further information regarding this Public Notice, please contact Roland Helvajian, Program Analyst, Financial Operations, Office of the Managing Director, [email protected].
I emailed Roland Helfajian and asked the following questions:
- Will the Universal Licensing System have some kind of online form that licensees will use to pay the fee?
- Will new licenses not go into effect until the licensee has paid the fee?
- What if a licensee doesn’t have a credit card?
He replied:
Yes, there will be a form online in ULS similar to completing an application. Generally, licensees have 10 days to pay a fee before their application is dismissed. If they do not have a credit card, they may have a problem. As of right now, they can mail in a check and a hardcopy Form 159 to U.S. Bank in St. Louis, MO, but the Commission will be closing the Wireless Lockbox soon. I believe after the Lockbox is closed, all payments will need to be electronic.
UPDATE 3/31/22
This from the ARRL:
New FCC Application Fee Will Not Apply To Amateur Radio License Upgrades
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) staff has clarified in response to an ARRL request that the new $35 application fee will not apply to most license modifications, including those to upgrade a licensee’s operator class and changes to club station trustees. The FCC staff explained that the new fees will apply only to applications for a new license, renewal, rule waiver, or a new vanity call sign. As previously announced, the new fees take effect on April 19, 2022.
“We are pleased that the FCC will not charge licensees the FCC application fee for license upgrade applications,” said ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) Manager, Maria Somma, AB1FM. “While applicants for a new license will need to pay the $35 FCC application fee, there will be no FCC charge for future upgrades and administrative updates such as a change of mailing or email address. Most current licensees therefore will not be charged the new FCC application fee until they renew their license or apply for a new vanity call sign.”
CSCEs are valid for 365 days, so if you’re a tech upgrading to General and don’t want to pay the fee you could use that 365 days to study and upgrade to Extra presenting the CSCE and then pay the $35 application fee only one time. Of course per 97.9 you can not operate as a General (even with /AG) after the ‘final disposition’ of the application (i.e. dismissed after 10 days for non payment), but you can still use the CSCE as credit towards Extra and then just pay the $35 once instead of twice. If one was so inclined they could bug their VEC to resubmit every so often and /AG without paying the fee while application is pending as well, or re-examine if the VEC refuses to resubmit the application. Just some thoughts.. I’m curious why they didn’t just make the fee payable within 1 year instead of 10 days to avoid this non sense lol
The FCC has issued a clarification after last weeks conference call, Upgrades will not have fees, only new, renew, and vanity
What exactly does upgrade mean?
That’s when you test and upgrade your operating class, say from Technician to General Class. for instance.