FCC License

[Johnny Karlsson]

FWIW - I submitted without paying anything. Then someone from FCC emailed me regarding the waiver/attachment thing and said I had checked a box indicating that I had “grandfather” status or something(?) and it was unclear if my attachment should be removed. I replied and explained that I was simply trying to renew my existing license, apologized for having missed the expiration date in December, and that I never received a reminder to extend or renew. With their help I found the application (yeah it was somehow on a different page), and resubmitted it. I attached a letter with my explanation rather than a form. I replied to their email again saying I had submitted it in the best way I could understand it to be correct, but please advise if I’m missing something. Then they replied saying “you’re good”.

But I am still not sure , because there was no way to submit a payment at this point. I guess I will log in at some point in the next few weeks to check if anything has been updated.

[JonG]

@Johnny Karlssonthank you for your update. I’ll try what you did as well. Regarding payment, you have to go to a different page that they call CORES. I don’t understand why they make it so complicated. You have to re apply (and there are no instructions or explanations regarding the form), then you have to ho to another part of the site to make the payment, but both sections of the site do not link you to the other! It’s perfectly insane. 

[Johnny Karlsson]

2 hours ago, JonG said:

@Johnny Karlssonthank you for your update. I’ll try what you did as well. Regarding payment, you have to go to a different page that they call CORES. I don’t understand why they make it so complicated. You have to re apply (and there are no instructions or explanations regarding the form), then you have to ho to another part of the site to make the payment, but both sections of the site do not link you to the other! It’s perfectly insane. 

Yeah, it's like a parody of itself.

 

 

[Tim Norris]

On 1/29/2023 at 5:35 PM, Johnny Karlsson said:

But I am still not sure , because there was no way to submit a payment at this point. I guess I will log in at some point in the next few weeks to check if anything has been updated.

 

Overnight my application changed from SUBMITTED to PENDING. I used Check Applications to find this. It took from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning to "get in the system".

 

To PAY FEES :

 - Start at the LINK from Local 695 - Universal Licensing System

- Select Pay Fees

- Select Access CORES with FCC Username

 - LOG IN (your user name should be populated)

   - Select second option :  View & Pay Regulatory Fees, Application Fees, and Bills

   - Select third option : View and pay ULS Application Fees.

   - Select FRN (to continue to pay)

 

On the next page you should see payment info. It is pretty straight forward from there.

 

I expect, now that I have paid, they will process my application and grant or deny it. The fee for my NEW LICENSE was $95. I expect a renewal to be $35. I applied for a new license, rather than a LATE RENEWAL, to avoid a WAIVER FEE which appeared to cost $380.

 

I hope this is accurate and helps someone out...

 

Cheers,

 

Tim
 

[Johnny Karlsson]

Thank you, Tim! I just checked, and mine says “No Fee Data Found” and the application on the Licensing Manager page is “pending”.
 

Oh well - If it turns out it’s $380, I will cancel and go the new application route.

[Johnny Karlsson]

Update: today there was an email from the FCC…. Application denied, because there had been no payment made.

Yes, I checked yesterday if there was any fees due, but it said there’s “no fee data found”.

ok….?

 

And then there was four additional emails from the FCC in my inbox. And those were copies of the first email.

 

I guess it would be too much to ask, but how about an email first saying “there is a fee required to process your inquiry. Please click this link to pay the fee in order to proceed with your application.” Or something to that effect.

[Tim Norris]

On 2/1/2023 at 11:23 PM, Johnny Karlsson said:

Update: today there was an email from the FCC…. Application denied, because there had been no payment made.

Yes, I checked yesterday if there was any fees due, but it said there’s “no fee data found”.

 

I just checked my new application...

 

Requires examiner intervention, fee payments, or other action before a decision on the application may be reached.   Since I was able to pay $95 for the license, I suppose I am waiting for a decision.   Has anyone done their renewal lately, and could you tell me if this is really correct? Seems like a very steep bump from the $170.00   Looking at some records, my fee was $145 in August of 2023.   Part 74 Broadcast Auxiliary Radio Service  (Aural Microwave, TV Microwave, Low Power or Remote Pick up) (AB, AI, AS, LP, LV, RP, TB, TI, TP, TS, TT) $95 - PTAA Paid Annually   I am not certain what the current fee structure is after reading the schedule above from the link below...   https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/systems-utilities/universal-licensing-system/wireless-fees/site-based-service-application     Cheers,   Tim

[Johnny Karlsson]

Hmmm  -  “Paid Annually”.

 

?
 

 

 

 

[Tim Norris]

My NEW FCC License has been granted overnight.

 

The cost was $95.

02/08/2023 - Grant Date

02/08/2023 - Effective Date

12/01/2029 - Expiration date

 

I applied on Jan 29 and checked the website daily to discover a status change from submitted to pending. Once it was pending on Jan 31, I was able to pay.  From there it took a week to receive an email indicating the license had been granted.

 

A direct link to print an official copy was provided, and will be active for 30 days. Past those 30 days, there is a way to find and print the document as needed.

 

Renewing a license before it expires is probably easier, and costs less!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tim

[Johnny Karlsson]

5 hours ago, Tim Norris said:

My NEW FCC License has been granted overnight.

 

The cost was $95.

02/08/2023 - Grant Date

02/08/2023 - Effective Date

12/01/2029 - Expiration date

 

I applied on Jan 29 and checked the website daily to discover a status change from submitted to pending. Once it was pending on Jan 31, I was able to pay.  From there it took a week to receive an email indicating the license had been granted.

 

A direct link to print an official copy was provided, and will be active for 30 days. Past those 30 days, there is a way to find and print the document as needed.

 

Renewing a license before it expires is probably easier, and costs less!

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tim

Thank you, Tim! Very good info.
I will do the same.

[Johnny Karlsson]

Woke up to the email this morning. New license granted.

$95.

10 days from application date.

Expiration date: 12/01/2030.

[Derek H]

General question about FCC licensing.. for those of you who own a company do you fill out the application as an individual under your own name or in your company’s? 

[Wandering Ear]

I just went through the renewal process back in January.  I only paid $35, but  I do remember having to read a bit to figure out how to make the payment separately from the application.  The process struck me as a little odd.  I was within the 90 day renewal period, and I received an email renewal notice back in November.

 

@Johnny Karlsson Interesting that your expiration is 2030.  My renewal was granted 01/27/2023 and expires 02/01/2031.  I wonder why the 1 year difference?

 

@Derek H I chose to register as myself originally and not my company so I continue that way.  Can't say I have a good argument either way though.  Maybe some liability protection through your company if you're worried about fines??  Otherwise I'm not sure it will make much difference.

[Johnny Karlsson]

4 hours ago, Wandering Ear said:

Interesting that your expiration is 2030.  My renewal was granted 01/27/2023 and expires 02/01/2031.  I wonder why the 1 year difference?

Yeah, interesting indeed. However mine is until December, yours February, so more like 3 months rather than a year.

- Tim stated above that his was granted until December 2029, so that's even one year shorter than mine. Seems to be pretty random.

[Wandering Ear]

3 hours ago, Johnny Karlsson said:

Yeah, interesting indeed. However mine is until December, yours February, so more like 3 months rather than a year.

- Tim stated above that his was granted until December 2029, so that's even one year shorter than mine. Seems to be pretty random.

That’s even more confusing 🤔

 I’m sure there is a rule buried on page 400 somewhere …….

[JonG]

Ok so my application has done some back and forths and I almost feel like I am at a stalemate. I do what they ask, then they ask some more without giving me any details into what it is they are actually asking of me. I just received an email after a couple months of “pending” that I must provide an amendment to my application. I have no idea what they want from me. It seems like they are trying everything in their power to deprive me on a renewal. 
 

Has anyone here successfully renewed their license after it expired? What did you do? I feel like I’ve tried everything but these guys don’t seem to want my business. If you would be so kind, please send me a message with the steps (and letters) that you’ve used to make this work. Thank you!

[Johnny Karlsson]

8 hours ago, JonG said:

Ok so my application has done some back and forths and I almost feel like I am at a stalemate. I do what they ask, then they ask some more without giving me any details into what it is they are actually asking of me. I just received an email after a couple months of “pending” that I must provide an amendment to my application. I have no idea what they want from me. It seems like they are trying everything in their power to deprive me on a renewal. 
 

Has anyone here successfully renewed their license after it expired? What did you do? I feel like I’ve tried everything but these guys don’t seem to want my business. If you would be so kind, please send me a message with the steps (and letters) that you’ve used to make this work. Thank you!

My conclusion was that extending the expired license was not a good way to

go, since it was four times more money, and the process was cloaked in mysterious unknowns, with back-and-forths as you seem to be experiencing right now. 
My conclusion, and advice, would be to simply apply for a new license. Once I did that, it was processed and finished in 10 days.

[JonG]

4 hours ago, Johnny Karlsson said:

My conclusion was that extending the expired license was not a good way to

go, since it was four times more money, and the process was cloaked in mysterious unknowns, with back-and-forths as you seem to be experiencing right now. 
My conclusion, and advice, would be to simply apply for a new license. Once I did that, it was processed and finished in 10 days.

Yes I read your process. The thing is that I have my call sign printed on a number of things, including some very expensive letter press. So I don’t mind the cost, I just want them to grant me the renewal. It makes no sense why they would make this so difficult for so many people willing to go through with it. It is not as if it does anything for them one way or the other. In fact, drawing it out as they do is really only creating more work for themselves. 

[Johnny Karlsson]

9 minutes ago, JonG said:

Yes I read your process. The thing is that I have my call sign printed on a number of things, including some very expensive letter press. So I don’t mind the cost, I just want them to grant me the renewal. It makes no sense why they would make this so difficult for so many people willing to go through with it. It is not as if it does anything for them one way or the other. In fact, drawing it out as they do is really only creating more work for themselves. 

Ok copy that.
Sorry Jon, I am out of ideas.

And totally agree - none of it makes sense. Including the random time duration each license is valid.

[Tim Norris]

On 4/15/2023 at 3:56 AM, JonG said:

... I just received an email after a couple months of “pending” that I must provide an amendment to my application. I have no idea what they want from me. It seems like they are trying everything in their power to deprive me on a renewal. 
 

Has anyone here successfully renewed their license after it expired? What did you do? I feel like I’ve tried everything but these guys don’t seem to want my business. If you would be so kind, please send me a message with the steps (and letters) that you’ve used to make this work. Thank you!

 

On 4/15/2023 at 5:50 PM, JonG said:

So I don’t mind the cost, I just want them to grant me the renewal. It makes no sense why they would make this so difficult for so many people...

 

I don't think this late renewal process was designed for us, and there probably aren't enough of us facing late renewal to consider changing anything. If you were a broadcast radio station, it might be affordable to hire a specialty attorney to figure this out. If I had pursued the late renewal, I would have attempted to contact them by telephone to ask specific questions.

 

Receiving a renewal notice during the renewal period window, perhaps via email with a link directly to where you pay, would be a good modernization thing. Making it easier for us may encourage more of us to participate, more cash for the FCC. Suggest this if you bond with someone on a phone call.

 

I applaud you for having printed your call sign on anything... it's taken me over 35 years to have business cards printed and I'm still not ready!

 

When you figure this out, please share with us all.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Tim

 

[Matthew Steel]

Does Professional Wireless Systems still help people do applications?  They might be a middle ground between going it on your own and hiring an attorney.