Amateur License Filing Fees Likely Not Implemented Until 2022
By: Kent Petty, KL5T, Chairman, Anchorage ARC VEC
July 16, 2021
During a conference call with the FCC and the 14 VECs yesterday (July 15, 2021), the FCC provided a status update and info about the new amateur radio $35 license filing fee. They explained that they needed to do some filings within the Federal Register, and that they would give 90 days notice prior to implementation of the fees. They further stated that it will most likely be sometime in early 2022 before it is indeed implemented.
They also explained how the payment process will work. Applicants will test just as they do now. When the application info is provided to the FCC by the VEC and is accepted, a filing application number is generated. As soon as that happens, an e-mail will be generated by the FCC and sent to the applicant with instructions and a link to the payment portal. The e-mail will be sent to the e-mail address provided by the applicant on their application. Once payment is received by the FCC, the FCC will then issue the license application or renewal. The FCC stressed that it is important that applicants provide a good e-mail address so that no correspondence is missed from them to applicants.
The 14 VECs had a number of other questions for the FCC regarding the process for which the FCC was not yet prepared to answer.
