AG21
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 21  ARLB021
>From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  August 17, 2021
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB021
ARLB021 FCC Application Fees Unlikely to Go into Effect Until 2022

The schedule of FCC amateur radio application fees likely will not
go into effect before 2022. FCC staff confirmed during a recent
virtual meeting with Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs) that the
agency is still working on the necessary changes to the Universal
Licensing System (ULS) software and other processes and procedures
that must be in place before it starts collecting fees from amateur
applicants. Earlier this year, the FCC said it would not start
collecting fees from amateur applicants before this Summer. The new
estimate is that the fees won't go into effect until early next
year.

Once it's effective, the $35 application fee will apply to new,
modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and
vanity call sign applications. All fees will be per application.
Administrative update applications, such as those to change a
licensee's name, mailing, or email address, will be exempt from
fees. ARRL VEC manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said Volunteer Examiner
(VE) teams will not face the burden of collecting the $35 fee.

'Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new and upgrade
applicants will pay the exam session fee to the VE team as usual,
but they'll pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC using
the FCC Pay Fees system,' she explained. When the FCC receives the
examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with
payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have
10 days from the date of the email to pay.

The FCC Pay Fees system can be accessed at,
https://apps2.fcc.gov/Batch_Filer/login.cfm .

After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application,
examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to
their official license. The link will be good for 30 days. Licensees
also will be able to view, download, and print official license
copies by logging into their FCC ULS account. The FCC no longer
provides printed licenses.

Licensees can log into the ULS with their 10-digit FRN (FCC
Registration Number) and password at any time to view and manage
their license and application, print their license, and update
anything in their FCC license record, including adding an email
address.

FEE SCHEDULE:

INDIVIDUALS -

$35 FEE: New, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign
change), renewal, and vanity call sign applications. All fees will
be per application.

NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or
email address, or license cancellation.

AMATEUR RADIO CLUBS -

$35 FEE: New, renewal, trustee change, and vanity call sign
applications. All fees will be per application.

NO FEE: Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or
email address, or license cancellation.