License Expired More Than Two Years
A license that has expired and gone beyond the two year grace period will be canceled in the FCC system. The licensee will not automatically qualify for a new license. At a minimum, previous license holders must take the current 35-question Technician exam at a VE exam session to return to Amateur Radio. The FCC will issue a new call sign and a new license when the Technician exam is passed.
FCC Rule 97.505(a) offers partial credit to an examinee that has an expired General, Advanced, or Extra license. If an applicant held a General or Advanced license, and has proof, the FCC will afford credit for the General (Element 3) written exam only. If an applicant held an Extra license, and has proof, the FCC will afford credit for the General (Element 3) and Extra (Element 4) written exams. At VE exam sessions it is the applicant (not the VEs or coordinating VEC) who is responsible for supplying the evidence of holding valid expired license credit.
Exam Element Credit Available For Expired Licenses prior to March, 1987
The National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators has issued the following guidelines for those holding expired licenses. The candidate must present the following documentation and pass the Technician Class license.
At that point, the candidate will be issued the appropriate license (General or Extra Class) with a sequential callsign. General and Advanced Class licensees will be issued General Class licenses. Conditional Class licensees most likely will receive a General Class license as well, but we need to contact the FCC for assistance. If you held a Conditional Class license, please be patient as we process your application.
If the person would like a vanity call, he or she will have to proceed through the standard process. We do not issue vanity callsigns.
At an exam session, the applicant must present documentation of being previously licensed in order to upgrade or earn a new license. Please note that it is the responsibility of the candidate to produce the documentation. We do not have access to old records.
Acceptable documentation includes:
A copy of the license showing Technician (prior to March 1987), General, Advanced, or Extra.
A printout from FCC ULS website showing General, Advanced, or Extra. Instructions on how to download an Official Copy of your license are located here.
A printout from QRZ website showing license class Technician (prior to March 1987), General, Advanced, or Extra.
A photocopy of a 1967 or later Callbook showing license class Technician (prior to March 1987), General, Advanced, or Extra.
Verification letter from the FCC showing license class Technician (prior to March 1987), General, Advanced, or Extra.
Verification letter from a VEC showing license class Technician (prior to March 1987), General, Advanced, or Extra that the VEC has verified from an archived FCC database.
A photocopy of a pre-1967 Callbook with no license class shown, the callsign must be a:
- 1×3: K or W prefix (was a Technician, Conditional, General, or Advanced license) to receive Element 3 credit only.
- 2×3: WA or WB prefix (was a Technician, Conditional, General, or Advanced license) to receive Element 3 credit only.
- 2×3: KN and WN prefix (was a Novice) is EXCLUDED and receives no credit.
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