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GMRS License Wizard
Five short steps: check you’re eligible, see who your license covers, confirm the cost, apply through the FCC with a checklist that saves your progress, then learn the power and call-sign rules. Every rule links to the current eCFR text.
Step 01
Can you get a GMRS license?
Answer all three to see your result.
Step 02
Who can use your license?
A licensee may let their immediate family members operate their GMRS stations, at any age (§95.1705(c)(2)). Tick who’s in your group.
Pick people to check them.
The rule names these family members and doesn’t define “cousins” or partners, so we list them as not covered. Anyone may use your station to send an emergency message (§95.1705(c)(3)).
Step 03
What it costs
47 CFR §1.1102, Table 2
§95.1705(e)
($35 ÷ 10, our arithmetic)
Renewal also lists $35 in §1.1102. The FCC says you can renew from 90 days before your license expires up to the expiration date. Fees change, so check the current FCC fee filing guide when you apply.
Step 04
Apply online: your checklist
Tick steps as you go. Progress is saved in this browser only.
Step 05
What you can do once licensed
| Channels | Frequencies (MHz) | Who may transmit | Power limit | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15–22 (462 main) | 462.5500–462.7250 | Mobile, handheld, repeater, base, fixed | 50 W output (fixed 15 W) | §95.1767(a) |
| 15R–22R (467 main) | 467.5500–467.7250 | Mobile, handheld, control, fixed — through a repeater or for brief tests | 50 W output (fixed 15 W) | §95.1767(a) |
| 1–7 (462 interstitial) | 462.5625–462.7125 | Mobile, handheld, base | 5 W ERP | §95.1767(b) |
| 8–14 (467 interstitial) | 467.5625–467.7125 | Handheld only | 0.5 W ERP | §95.1767(c) |
Identifying your station
- Say your FCC call sign at the end of a transmission or series of transmissions.
- During a series longer than 15 minutes, identify after 15 minutes and at least every 15 minutes after that.
- Use English voice or Morse code sent as an audible tone. You may add a unit number after the call sign, such as “WSAB123 unit 2”.
- A repeater that only relays your own properly identified stations doesn’t have to identify itself.
Source: 47 CFR §95.1751. See also permitted uses in §95.1731 and prohibited uses in §95.1733. For example, no music, no ads, no coded messages (10-codes are allowed), and emergency traffic always has priority.
Next: plan your channels →GMRS licensing in plain English
GMRS is a licensed personal radio service. A license is required to transmit on GMRS (§95.1705). New individual licenses go to people 18 or older who aren’t barred under §95.305. One license covers your immediate family, and there’s no exam.
FRS radios share 22 of the 30 channels at lower power and need no license. If your group only uses FRS radios, you don’t need a GMRS license at all.
This tool summarises the federal rules as published on eCFR. It isn’t legal advice, and the FCC’s rules and forms are the final word.
Sources & method
- 47 CFR §95.1705: individual licenses, eligibility, who may operate, family members, 10-year term (eCFR)
- 47 CFR §95.305: operator eligibility, foreign government, cease-and-desist (eCFR)
- 47 CFR §1.1102: wireless application fees, Table 2 (personal licenses: $35) (eCFR)
- 47 CFR §95.1763: GMRS channels (eCFR)
- 47 CFR §95.1767: GMRS transmitting power limits (eCFR)
- 47 CFR §95.1751: GMRS station identification (eCFR)
- FCC: General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) — eligibility, term and renewal window
- Midland support: “Why do I need a GMRS license and how do I get it?” (ULS steps, ZA service code, 10-day payment)