FCC Amateur Radio

Our FCC Amateur Radio records are sourced from the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS). These records document amateur radio (ham radio) operators licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, including call signs, license class, and operator information.

NOTE: Amateur radio license information is public data maintained by the FCC as required by federal communications law. The FCC publishes licensee names and addresses for coordination purposes and to enable communication between operators. License data is updated as applications are processed.

Coverage Nationwide (all FCC amateur radio licensees)
Records 770,000+ active amateur radio licenses
Sources FCC Universal Licensing System, Amateur Radio Database
Legal Basis Communications Act, 47 CFR Part 97

What Are FCC Amateur Radio Licenses?

An FCC amateur radio license, commonly known as a ham radio license, is a federal authorization that permits an individual to operate radio transmitting equipment on designated amateur radio frequency bands. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has regulated amateur radio in the United States since the agency's creation by the Communications Act of 1934, building on earlier radio regulation that dates back to the Radio Act of 1912 -- one of the earliest pieces of federal legislation governing wireless communication.

Amateur radio is distinct from commercial broadcasting, public safety communications, and consumer devices like cell phones and Wi-Fi routers. It is a non-commercial service dedicated to personal experimentation, emergency communication, technical self-training, and international goodwill. The amateur radio service occupies portions of the radio spectrum from medium frequency (MF) through ultra-high frequency (UHF) and beyond, allowing operators to communicate locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally depending on conditions and the frequencies used.

There are currently over 770,000 active amateur radio licenses in the United States, making it one of the largest and most active amateur radio communities in the world. Licensed operators range from hobbyists who enjoy casual conversation with other operators, to emergency communications volunteers who provide critical communication support during natural disasters and other emergencies, to technical experimenters who push the boundaries of radio technology by developing new antennas, digital communication modes, and satellite communication systems.

The FCC requires licensing for amateur radio operators because radio transmissions occupy shared public spectrum and have the potential to interfere with other radio services if not operated properly. By requiring operators to pass examinations that test their knowledge of radio theory, regulations, and operating practices, the FCC ensures that amateur operators are competent to use the spectrum responsibly and to avoid causing harmful interference to other users of the radio spectrum.

The FCC Universal Licensing System

The Universal Licensing System (ULS) is the FCC's consolidated online database for managing all FCC wireless licenses, including amateur radio licenses. Launched in 1999, the ULS replaced several older, separate licensing systems with a unified platform that handles license applications, renewals, modifications, and public access to license records. The ULS assigns each licensee a unique FCC Registration Number (FRN) and maintains a complete history of their licensing activity.

For amateur radio specifically, the ULS processes new license applications, upgrades from one license class to another, vanity call sign requests, address changes, license renewals, and administrative updates. When an individual passes an amateur radio examination administered by a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) organization, the exam results are submitted electronically to the FCC, which processes the application and grants the license through the ULS, typically within a few business days.

The ULS provides public search functionality that allows anyone to look up amateur radio licenses by call sign, licensee name, city, state, or zip code. This public access is intentional and serves the amateur radio community's need for coordination and communication. Because amateur radio operators frequently need to identify and contact each other -- whether for routine communication, contest participation, emergency coordination, or interference resolution -- the public availability of license information is considered essential to the functioning of the amateur radio service.

The FCC also publishes bulk data downloads of the entire amateur radio license database, which are updated weekly. These data files contain the full details of every active and recently expired amateur radio license and are freely available to anyone. OpenDataUSA incorporates this FCC data to include amateur radio license information in our comprehensive people search results.

What Information Is Available in Amateur Radio License Records?

Each amateur radio license record in the FCC's Universal Licensing System contains several standard data fields that provide detailed information about the licensee and their authorization.

The call sign is the unique alphanumeric identifier assigned to each licensed amateur radio operator. In the United States, amateur call signs follow a format defined by international agreements, consisting of a prefix (one or two characters), a region number (0-9, corresponding to the operator's geographic call sign district), and a suffix (one to three characters). For example, a call sign like W3ABC indicates a licensee in the third call district (which covers Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia). The FCC assigns call signs sequentially, but operators can also apply for specific "vanity" call signs of their choosing, subject to availability and license class eligibility.

The licensee name is the full legal name of the individual holding the license. For club stations, the record shows the name of the club and the name of the club's trustee who is responsible for the station's operation. The mailing address is the address on file with the FCC, which operators are required to keep current. This address appears in the public license record and is used by the FCC for official correspondence and by other operators for sending QSL cards (written confirmations of two-way radio contacts).

The license class indicates the operator's privilege level, which determines what frequency bands and power levels they are authorized to use. The grant date is when the current license was issued, and the expiration date is when the license will expire if not renewed. Amateur radio licenses are valid for ten years and can be renewed without re-examination. The record also includes the FCC Registration Number (FRN), a unique identifier for the licensee within the FCC's systems, and any previous call signs the operator may have held.

Amateur Radio License Classes

The FCC currently offers three classes of amateur radio license, each providing progressively broader operating privileges. Understanding these classes helps interpret the license records in our database.

The Technician Class is the entry-level license, requiring passage of a 35-question examination covering basic radio theory, FCC regulations, and operating practices. Technician licensees have full operating privileges on all amateur frequencies above 30 MHz, which includes the popular 2-meter (144 MHz) and 70-centimeter (440 MHz) bands used extensively for local and regional communication through repeater networks. Technician licensees also have limited privileges on certain high-frequency (HF) bands, allowing some long-distance communication capability. The Technician exam does not require knowledge of Morse code, which was eliminated as a licensing requirement by the FCC in 2007.

The General Class requires passing both the Technician examination and an additional 35-question General examination covering more advanced radio theory, regulations, and operating practices. General licensees gain significant additional HF privileges, providing access to most amateur frequency allocations worldwide. This is the license class most commonly held by operators interested in long-distance (DX) communication, as the HF bands allow communication across continents and around the world by bouncing radio signals off the ionosphere.

The Amateur Extra Class is the highest level of amateur radio license, requiring passage of the Technician, General, and an additional 50-question Extra examination covering advanced radio theory, specialized operating techniques, and detailed FCC regulations. Extra class licensees have access to all amateur radio frequencies with all authorized modes and power levels. The Extra exam is considered substantially more challenging than the Technician or General exams and tests knowledge of topics such as advanced circuit design, digital signal processing, antenna theory, and electromagnetic compatibility.

In addition to these three current license classes, our database also contains records for legacy license classes that are no longer issued but remain active for licensees who were grandfathered in. These include the Novice and Advanced classes, which were eliminated as new license classes in 2000 but are still valid for holders who continue to renew them.

Why Amateur Radio License Data Is Public

The public nature of amateur radio license data is rooted in both legal requirements and practical necessity. From a legal standpoint, the Communications Act requires the FCC to maintain public records of all wireless licensees. Amateur radio licenses authorize the use of public radio spectrum, and the public has a right to know who is authorized to transmit on those frequencies. This transparency helps ensure accountability and enables the FCC and the amateur radio community to address interference issues and regulatory compliance.

From a practical standpoint, the amateur radio community has long relied on public license data for essential operating functions. When operators make contact with each other over the air, they identify themselves by call sign as required by FCC regulations. Other operators then use license databases to look up the call sign, confirm the operator's identity, and obtain their mailing address for sending QSL cards. International contest organizers, emergency communication coordinators, and amateur radio organizations all depend on accurate, publicly available license data to manage their activities.

Some operators who prefer not to have their home address published in the FCC database may use a Post Office box or the address of a mail-forwarding service as their FCC mailing address. The FCC allows this as long as the address can receive official FCC correspondence. However, the operator's name and call sign will always be part of the public record, as these are fundamental to the functioning of the amateur radio service.

How to Look Up a Call Sign

Looking up an amateur radio call sign is straightforward and can be done through several methods. The FCC's own Universal Licensing System website provides direct access to the official license database, where you can search by call sign, name, city, state, or zip code. The search results display the full license record including all the fields described above.

Several third-party websites also provide call sign lookup services, often with additional features such as location mapping, license history tracking, and QSL card management. QRZ.com is one of the most popular call sign lookup sites in the amateur radio community, supplementing FCC data with user-submitted biographical information, photographs, and station descriptions. HamCall.net and RadioQTH.com offer similar lookup services.

OpenDataUSA includes amateur radio license data as part of our comprehensive people search, allowing you to discover whether an individual holds an amateur radio license alongside other public record information. This integrated approach provides context that standalone call sign databases cannot, connecting an operator's amateur radio activity to their broader public profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many amateur radio operators are there in the United States?

As of our most recent data update, there are approximately 770,000 active amateur radio licenses in the United States, making it one of the largest amateur radio communities in the world. The number of licensees has been gradually increasing in recent years, partly due to the elimination of the Morse code requirement in 2007, which lowered the barrier to entry for new operators. The amateur radio population skews older, with the average licensee being over 50 years of age, though there are active efforts within the community to attract younger operators through school clubs, maker spaces, and digital communication modes.

Why does the FCC publish amateur radio operators' home addresses?

The FCC publishes licensee mailing addresses as part of the public license record for several reasons. Federal law requires transparency in spectrum licensing, and the amateur radio community has a long tradition of using address information to exchange QSL cards, which are written confirmations of two-way radio contacts. Address information also helps with interference resolution, emergency communication coordination, and regulatory compliance. Operators who prefer not to have their home address in the public database may use a P.O. Box or mail forwarding service as their FCC mailing address, as long as it can receive official correspondence.

What is a vanity call sign and how does it appear in the records?

A vanity call sign is a specific call sign that an operator chooses rather than accepting the sequentially assigned call sign from the FCC. Operators can apply for vanity call signs through the ULS, subject to availability and eligibility rules based on their license class. For example, an Extra class licensee can apply for short, desirable call signs with one- or two-letter suffixes. In the license record, a vanity call sign appears the same as any other call sign, but the operator's record may show previous call signs they held before the vanity call sign was granted. There is a regulatory fee associated with vanity call sign applications.

How long is an amateur radio license valid, and what happens when it expires?

Amateur radio licenses are valid for ten years from the date of grant. Licensees can renew their license within a grace period that begins 90 days before expiration. If a license expires without renewal, the operator loses their transmitting privileges but may still renew within a two-year grace period after expiration and retain their call sign. After the two-year grace period, the license is canceled and the call sign becomes available for reassignment. The renewal process does not require re-examination -- once licensed, an operator can renew indefinitely without taking another test, regardless of their license class.

Does OpenDataUSA include expired or canceled amateur radio licenses?

Our database primarily focuses on active amateur radio licenses, as these represent current, valid authorizations. However, the FCC's data files include recently expired licenses that are still within the two-year grace period, and these may appear in our records as well. Licenses that have been canceled, either through voluntary surrender or expiration beyond the grace period, are generally removed from active searches but may remain in historical data. If you are looking for information about a specific expired license, the FCC's ULS provides access to historical license records that may not be reflected in our current database.