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License Terms
=============

Ham Radio licenses are good for ten (10) years, and they may be renewed ninety (90) days prior to expiration...NO SOONER. However, if you have a
change of address due to a move, you may MODIFY your license in that
regard AT ANY TIME. If the FCC is unable to deliver mail to you, your
ham radio license, and operating privileges can be suspended and/or
revoked until your address is corrected. Operation without a license
can result in a stiff monetary forfeiture (a fine) and imprisonment,
plus confiscation of your ham radio equipment...fines range from $7500
to $10,000, if not more. There is NO CHARGE for changing the address on
an amateur radio license...otherwise, any callsign or other changes now
cost you $35 per transacation, as of April 19, 2022.

However, if you did not renew, you may NOT operate on an EXPIRED ham
radio license...whether it's during a government shutdown, or not. But,
you have a two (2) year "grace period" if your ham radio license has
expired, to reinstate your license. This "holds" your license class
privileges and callsign, until your license is renewed. As noted above,
the FCC will NOT process the renewal of an expired license during a
government shutdown...only after it ends.

But, if you do not renew your license before it expires, and do nothing during the 2 year grace period, both your license and callsign will be FORFEITED. At that point, you have NO AUTHORITY to operate on the ham
radio bands, and it'll be as if you had NEVER taken a test!!

To get back on the air with the previous license class that you held,
you MUST take, AT MINIMUM, the Technician Class license, in order to get
back into amateur radio.

However, once an expired ham radio callsign passes the 2 year grace
period, anyone can apply for it under the Vanity Callsign system. So,
if you LOSE your current callsign, there is a chance that you may NOT
get it back!!

Also, if you upgrade your license to General or Amateur Extra, only the license class will change...the license expiration date will remain the
same. Only new licensees, or those receiving a Vanity Callsign, get a
fresh 10 year term...whether Technician, General, or Amateur Extra. I've
known hams who walked into a test session without a license, and walked
out with an Amateur Extra Class license...while not easy to do, it can be
done.

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* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)