[OMIK] FCC Extends License Expiration

[Ria Jairam]

It’s back already. People have been filing with success.

They had problems accepting payments but I believe that has been resolved.

Ria
N2RJ

On Thu, Nov 20, 2025 at 1:45 PM Lloyd Mitchell KO4L <lmitchell at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Yes, and when ULS is back, Licensees may file..
>
> Lloyd M. Mitchell (KO4L)
> lmitchell at gmail.com
>
> On Thu, Nov 20, 2025, 11:43 AM Ria Jairam <rjairam at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> The way I read this is that your license is extended if you file a
>> renewal before March 5, 2026.
>>
>> So if your license is expired, put in your renewal and your license will
>> be valid while the renewal is pending.
>>
>> Ria
>> N2RJ
>>
>> On Wed, Nov 19, 2025 at 9:19 AM Lloyd Mitchell KO4L via OMIK <
>> omik at mailman.qth.net> wrote:
>>
>>> The National Association of Amateur Radio® reports that the FCC has
>>> extended the filing deadline to March 5, 2026, for amateur radio licenses
>>> that otherwise were due to expire from October 1, 2025, to March 5, 2026.
>>> The announcement is included in an FCC Public Notice (DA-25-943) released
>>> on Monday, November 17, 2025.
>>>
>>> The news follows the recent reopening of the federal government on
>>> November
>>> 13, following a lengthy 43-day shutdown. Since reopening, many federal
>>> agencies, including the FCC, have resumed activities, though reducing
>>> backlogs and rebounding to full operations may take some time. This
>>> includes continued delays in filing amateur radio license applications.
>>>
>>> The FCC Public Notice includes:
>>>
>>> For personal radio licensees (i.e., Amateur, Ship, Aircraft, GMRS, and
>>> Commercial Operator Licenses), renewal filings originally due on October
>>> 1,
>>> 2025, through and including March 5, 2026, are now due on March 5, 2026.
>>> Further, we confirm that licensees whose licenses have expired and whose
>>> renewal filing deadlines have been extended above may rely on their
>>> timely
>>> renewal filing (by the extended deadline) to support continued operation
>>> pursuant to section 1.62 of the Commission’s rules.
>>>
>>> ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) Manager Maria Somma,
>>> AB1FM,
>>> explained that the announcement means that amateurs whose license
>>> expired,
>>> or will expire, between October 1, 2025, and March 5, 2026, may continue
>>> to
>>> operate upon completing a license renewal filing by March 5, 2026.
>>>
>>> Somma added that the FCC ULS systems are available again, which include
>>> the
>>> license manger system, FCC license search, and application search
>>> databases, as well as the CORES system. She noted, however, that
>>> Electronic
>>> Batch Filing (EBF) is not yet available.
>>>
>>>  “The EBF system is used by ARRL VEC and all VEC organizations to file
>>> exam
>>> sessions, individual applications, and club license applications,” said
>>> Somma. “This means that applications for new and upgraded licenses, as
>>> well
>>> as individual and club license filings, are not being processed at this
>>> time.”
>>>
>>> During the shutdown, the ARRL VEC urged its Volunteer Examiners to
>>> continue
>>> giving ham radio exam sessions (see important information below For ARRL
>>> VEC exam candidates). “We have over 2,500 license applications ready to
>>> file as soon as the EBF system becomes available and fully operational,”
>>> added Somma. “ARRL VEC is prepared to submit the backlog of sessions and
>>> applications to FCC for issuing licenses.”
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Lloyd M. Mitchell (KO4L)
>>> OMIK Secretary
>>> lmitchell at gmail.com
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>>
>>