All stations must register under ULS in order to take advantage of FCC services, like renewing your license, changing your address, upgrading your license and so on. Registration in ULS is the process of identifying your Taxpayer Information Number, generally your Social Security Number, your name, address and call sign. The FCC will not process applications unless an amateur is registered. When you register, you will be given a Federal Registration Number under the Commission Registration System (CORES).

Registration needs to be verified for US and CORES
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If you registered manually or via a VEC, call the ULS Technical Support Staff (202-414-1250; e-mail [email protected]) to specify a ULS password.

All of the Forms mentioned can be found on the ARRL Web page. See the following Table for an overview of various forms used in the Amateur Service.

For more information on the various forms when electronic filing is not possible...
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If you've taken an amateur exam lately, you'll be familiar with the NCVEC Form 605 since that is the form used by all VEC's and every amateur who obtains a new license or upgrades. Though it is not an FCC Form, it is similar to the old Form 610 and it is designed to be used specifically for Amateur Radio purposes. The ARRL VEC will process this as a free membership service for current ARRL members. FCC Form 605, a different form, must be processed by the FCC. It is a multipurpose form and can be used in the Amateur, Restricted and Commercial Operator and General Mobile Radio Services. Because it is a multipurpose form, it is not quite as "user friendly" for amateurs as the NCVEC Form 605.

Keep that letter! You will need the FRN to file electronically.

For the four addresses to send manually filed forms
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You can renew your license no sooner than 90 days before it expires. If you are outside that window, your application can not be acted upon. For more information
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You only need to complete Section 1 no matter what purpose the form is used. Enter your name, address, Social Security Number or FRN. Uses include: # Examination for a new license (at a VE session) # Examination for a license upgrade (at a VE session) # Change a name # Change mailing address # Change your call sign systematically # Renew the license # Obtain a duplicate license (there isn't a block on the NCVEC Form 605 for this, but a note written on the form will suffice) Finally date and sign the form. Your signature certifies that you agree to the six statements listed.

The FCC Form 605 is long and not all of the items apply to the Amateur Service because this form is used for other services too. It is critical that amateurs use the correct application codes on the Form 605. For more information
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Here is what the various FCC status codes mean: * 1 (Pending Level 1) Application has been filed but has not begun FCC processing * 2 (Pending Level 2) Application is currently under review by the FCC * D (Dismissed) Application was dismissed by the FCC * G (Granted) Application was granted by the FCC * I (Inactive) An Amendment application has been filed for an application, thus rendering the original application inactive * K (Killed) Application filed manually has been found to contain errors or duplicate information * R (Returned) The FCC returned the application to the applicant * T (Terminated) Application was terminated by the FCC * W (Withdrawn) Application was withdrawn by the applicant

This is the FCC's standard letter denying an application which was filed improperly. You may have used the wrong application code or applied to renew your license when you were outside the 90 day period for renewal. If you read the letter carefully, you will realize that the "cease and desist" part applies only if your license was about to expire or had expired and if the application was to renew it. If the application was filed improperly, you would need to file another application.

This is a call sign assigned randomly by the FCC computer to reflect your current class of license and FCC call sign district. This is not a call of choice. There is no charge for this, but once the request is made, the only way to obtain your former call sign is through the Vanity Call Sign Program. All of the 1 X 3 format calls have been assigned in the continental US, so if you are a Technician or General, the only way to obtain a call other than a 2 X 3 call is through the Vanity Call Sign Program.

This used to be the case before the implementation of the Vanity Call Sigh Program, but since that time, licenses are assigned only for 10-year terms. You must renew your license every 10 years regardless of any other changes that you made to the license in the meantime. You can check your license renewal date at www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls and click on License Search. You will find the expiration date of your license. You can also check http://www.arrl.org/fcc/fcclook.php3 or by calling the FCC at 1-888-CALL FCC.

Both the trustee and another member of the club must complete and sign the ARRL VEC Form 605-C since the club call sign program was privatized effective January 22, 2001.This replaces the FCC Form 610-B. That form (or the form of another CSCSA) must be sent to a Club Station Call Sign Administrator and the ARRL VEC is one. There is no charge for filing the application through the ARRL VEC.