When you purchase a two way radio in the United States that operates in the business band VHF or UHF frequencies, the FCC requires that you get a license to operate them. Like all government requirements, paperwork will be involved and it can be confusing and time consuming.
Instead of going it alone through this process, we recommend that you use a licensing coordinator that handles all of the paperwork and processing. During this process, they’ll ask some questions about your location, the radios you’re using, and how they’ll be used. Then they fill out all the forms and get them submitted to the FCC for approval.
The cost for this is usually in the $400-$700 range per frequency for a 10 year period generally. Below is contact info for three licensing agencies that we use most often.
CARA Enterprises, Inc.
Doug Thompson
1383 Farm Meadow
Salt Lake City, UT 84117
(801) 278-9728
http://www.caraenterprises.com/
Atlas License Company & Data Services
Linda Simons
7202 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite 215
Indianapolis, IN 46250
(800) 252-0529
http://www.alcds.com
National License Corporation
9050 Briarclift Road
Indianapolis, Indiana 46256
317-849-5866
http://www.nationalicense.com/
If you want to obtain a license yourself, below is some helpful information:
How to Obtain an FCC License Yourself
Radios that operate on Private Land Mobile frequencies, are subject to the Rules and Regulations of the FCC, which requires all operators of these frequencies to obtain a station license before operating their equipment. Make application for your FCC license on FCC Forms 601 and 159. Paper copies of the form at available here: http://www.fcc.gov/forms
If you need assistance completing a form or filing information, contact the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 1-888-CALL-FCC (888-225-5322).
You can use the online FCC Universal Licensing System to request a license at: http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/index.htm?job=home
You must decide which radio frequency(ies) you can operate on before filling out your application. See the table below for available frequencies in the UHF and VHF business bands.
