FCC Licensing Information for BRS, FRS and GMRS Frequency Bands

FCC Contact Information

You can download the application forms directly from the FCC website at: www.fcc.gov. You can also request them through the FCC forms hotline at 1-800-418-FORM. For questions concerning the license application, contact the FCC at 1-888-225-5322.

Why you need an Federal Communications Committee (FCC) license?

The FCC requires that users, who communicate with certain radios which operate on designated radio frequencies, be licensed. GMRS and BRS bands require FCC Licencing. The FCC can levy fines if radios are not properly licensed.

Licensing Responsibility

It is up to the end-user to ensure that he/she is licensed properly.

BRS - Business Radio Service License Information

Industrial/Business License FCC fee is $105 for 10 years. To apply for a industrial/business license, private FCC Frequency Coordinators must be used which also charge fees. All of our business radios operate in the spectrum that require FCC Licensing. The FCC can impose fines if licensing requirements are not met.

Click here for General FCC information Industrial/Business Licenses.

FRS - Family Radio Service License Information

Family Radio Service (FRS) is one of the Citizens Band Radio Services. It is used by family, friends and associates to communicate within a neighborhood and while on group outings and has a communications range of less than one mile. You can not make a telephone call with an FRS unit. You may use your FRS unit for business-related communications.

FRS license documents are neither needed nor issued. You are provided authority to operate a FRS unit in places where the FCC regulates radio communications as long as you use only an unmodified FCC certified FRS unit. An FCC certified FRS unit has an identifying label placed on it by the manufacturer. There is no age or citizenship requirement.

You may operate your FRS unit within the territorial limits of the fifty United States, the District of Columbia, and the Caribbean and Pacific Insular areas ("U.S."). You may also operate your FRS unit on or over any other area of the world, except within the territorial limits of areas where radio- communications are regulated by another agency of the U.S. or within the territorial limits of any foreign government.

GMRS - General Mobile Radio Service License Information

Information On Federal Communications Commission Licensing Procedures

Step 1: Learn about radios marketed as Family Radio Service(FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) or FRS/GMRS or dual-service radios.

On the internet type in the following address:

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/

Scroll down and click on the following to see if you need to buy a license or not:

Family Radio Service General Mobile Radio

If you plan to own and operate a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) as an individual you must apply for the FCC license. Company GMRS users also must have a license and we yield to your company management to advise the Company procedures.

Step 2: Before you can apply for a license you must register with the FCC and be assigned an FCC Registration Number (FRN). This is very easy to do.

Go to the FCC Home Page at http://www.fcc.gov and scroll down the left hand side of the page to where it says FCC Registration Number (FRN) and click on that link. Then complete the requested registration information. You can also learn more about this procedure by clicking on the top of the FCC home page under "E-Filing" and scrolling down to:

Obtaining an FCC Registration Number (FRN) from the COmmission REgistration System (CORES)

The FCC will then assign an (FRN) to you.

Step 3: Now you are ready to apply for your license. Go to the bottom of the list of subjects under "E-Filing" and find this topic:

Universal Licensing System

Log In using your new (FRN) number

Click on SEARCH for Applications

Scroll down to GMRS in the Service Specific column

…and complete the application process on line. In order to select the correct type of license scroll down to General Mobile Radio (GMRS) (ZA).

Pay for your new license by credit card and…bingo…your new license and call sign will be available electronically in a few minutes. As of this writing on August 5, 2006 the fee for the GMRS license is $80.00 for a five year term.

MURS Frequncies - What are they?

The FCC established MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service) consisting of 5 VHF frequencies. MURS frequencies are limited to 2-Watts of transmitting power and do not require a FCC license. MURS can be used for both personal and business.

The MURS Frequencies are:

151.820 MHz
151.880 MHz
151.940 MHz
154.570 MHz (Also part of the Business Band)
154.600 MHz (Also part of the Business Band)