Home How to get a GMRS license
How to get a GMRS license
One license, no test required by the rules, $35 to the FCC, good for 10 years, and your immediate family can use it.
The facts (checked against FCC sources)
| Source | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fee | $35 application fee (fee code PRAM) for a new GMRS (ZA) license. Renewal is also $35 (PRAN). | FCC fee filing guide (effective May 23, 2025) |
| Term | 10 years. Renew between 90 days before expiry and the expiry date. After it expires, you must apply for a new license. | FCC GMRS page; §95.1705(e) |
| Who can apply | An individual 18 or older, not a representative of a foreign government | FCC GMRS page; §95.1705(a) |
| Exam | None listed. The eligibility rules in §95.1705 and the FCC GMRS page set no exam requirement (unlike amateur radio). | §95.1705; FCC GMRS page |
| Who may use it | Your immediate family: spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and in-laws. Anyone may use your station to send an emergency message. | §95.1705(c) |
| Form | FCC Form 605, filed in the Universal Licensing System (ULS) | FCC Form 605 |
Steps
- Get an FCC Registration Number (FRN) in the FCC's CORES system, if you don't have one.
- Log in to ULS with your FRN and choose Apply for a New License, radio service ZA – General Mobile Radio.
- Complete and submit the application (Form 605).
- Pay the $35 fee. ULS offers payment options after you submit.
- Find your call sign in ULS once the license is granted, and use it when you transmit.
Steps 1–5 summarize the FCC's "Applying for a New License in ULS" guidance (fcc.gov). That page didn't load for our automated check on 2026-10-21, so screen names may differ slightly. The fee, term and eligibility facts above were checked directly.
Before you transmit
- Use an FCC-certified GMRS radio. Uncertified transmitters are prohibited (§95.335, §95.1761). See Is my Baofeng legal on GMRS?
- Know the power limits per channel: channel & power chart.