Coast Radio Stations - Licensing

Who Needs a License

A public or private coast station or a marine utility station may be granted only to a person who is:

(1) Regularly engaged in the operation, docking, direction, construction, repair, servicing or management of one or more commercial transport vessels or United States, state or local government vessels; or is

(2) Responsible for the operation, control, maintenance or development of a harbor, port or waterway used by commercial transport vessels; or is

(3) Engaged in furnishing a ship arrival and departure service, and will employ the station only for the purpose of obtaining the information essential to that service; or is

(4) A corporation proposing to furnish a nonprofit radio communication service to its parent corporation, to another subsidiary of the same parent, or to its own subsidiary where the party to be served performs any of the eligibility activities described in this section; or is

(5) A nonprofit corporation or association, organized to furnish a maritime mobile service solely to persons who operate one or more commercial transport vessels; or is

(6) Responsible for the operation of bridges, structures or other installations that area part of, or directly related to, a harbor, port or waterway when the operation of such facilities requires radio communications with vessels for safety or navigation; or is

(7) A person controlling public moorage facilities; or is

(8) A person servicing or supplying vessels other than commercial transport vessels; or is

(9) An organized yacht club with moorage facilities; or is

(10) A nonprofit organization providing noncommercial communications to vessels other than commercial transport vessels.

Licensing Process

Gathering Information

Preparing to License outlines the important information about your radio system that you gather before you intend to file.

Filing Your Application

File FCC Form 601 with the FCC, through electronic filing in ULS. Per Public Notice DA 15-72, the FCC no longer mails license authorizations.  A link to print your official copy of your license will be automatically emailed to you when the application has granted.  Licensees may also log into ULS to download official authorizations. Instructions can be found at How to Obtain Official Authorizations from ULS. The license is valid for a term of ten years.

Temporary Implementation of Operations

You may apply for a Special Temporary Authority (STA) pursuant to 47 CFR 1.931(b) of the Commission’s rules. In emergency situations as defined in 47 CFR 1.915(b)(1), a request for STA may be made by telephone or email provided a properly signed application is filed within 10 days of such request.

Renewal of License

You must file for renewal of your license no later than the expiration date of your license period, and no sooner than 90 days prior to expiration by filing FCC Form 601 (Purpose Code: RO) through ULS. (See 47 CFR 1.949).

Frequencies

Frequency requests will vary depending on the scope of intended operations. Below is a list of common frequencies requested for Coast Station Operations. Please note that all proposed operations must fulfill the distress, safety, and calling frequency requirement. Please refer to Part 80, Subpart H for more specialized frequency operations.