How to get a copy of my FCC license

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blue5011

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I renewed my ham license a year or so ago and seem to have lost/ misplaced the paperwork. Since I renewed directly w/ the FCC site, is there an option there to get a copy? Anybody know?
 

blue5011

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I should have been able to figure that out for myself... but thanks Tom, for the "starting point" references! I used to be pretty computer/ web savvy, but lately I am feeling by-passed and out-of-date.

I did down-load a "reference" copy (it has the word reference printed across it diagonally), but in the fine print it says you still need the real copy to be legal.

I am an OTR driver and sometimes bring my scanner along to listen to the MNDoT snowplow drivers. It is legal to listen to them in Minnesota, provided one has a ham license, or permission from said agency. Nothing like getting traffic and road condition reports from the folks already out there.
 

N0IU

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I am an OTR driver and sometimes bring my scanner along to listen to the MNDoT snowplow drivers. It is legal to listen to them in Minnesota, provided one has a ham license, or permission from said agency.

Are you absolutely sure about this or is it just something you heard from someone else? Granted, I do not know the laws in Minnesota, but generally speaking, having an amateur radio license does not grant you any special privileges beyond those granted in Part 97.
 

n5ims

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Are you absolutely sure about this or is it just something you heard from someone else? Granted, I do not know the laws in Minnesota, but generally speaking, having an amateur radio license does not grant you any special privileges beyond those granted in Part 97.

Do a search on "Scanner Laws" and look at the specifics on them. In many (if not most) cases, they specifically state that a licensed amateur radio operator is exempt from the provisions of the law. Below is just one example from Kentucy where the use of a scanner is restricted to official use only, but included in the statute is an exemption for licensed amateur radio operators. There are similar exemptions in other state's laws that attempt to restrict scanner use.

http://www.lrc.ky.gov/statutes/stat...q4GICw&usg=AFQjCNEnRfpIKBSeG0g7yFFza8EWn3_Z8A

432.570 Restrictions on possession or use of radio capable of sending or
receiving police messages -- Penalty -- Enforcement.

(1) It shall be unlawful for any person except a member of a police department or police force or an official with written authorization from the head of a department which regularly maintains a police radio system authorized or licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, to have in his or her possession, or in an automobile or other vehicle, or to equip or install in or on any automobile or other vehicle, any mobile radio set or apparatus capable of either receiving or transmitting radio or other messages or signals within the wave length or channel now or which may hereafter be allocated by the Federal Communications Commission, or its successor, for the purpose of police radios, or which may in any way intercept or interfere with the transmission of radio messages by any police or other peace officers.

...

(4) Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit the possession of a radio by:
(a) An individual who is a retailer or wholesaler and in the ordinary course of his business offers such radios for sale or resale;
(b) A commercial or educational radio or television station, licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, at its place of business; or
(c) An individual who possesses such a radio, provided it is capable of receiving radio transmissions only and is not capable of sending or transmitting radio messages, at his place of residence; licensed
commercial auto towing trucks; newspaper reporters and photographers; emergency management agency personnel authorized in writing by the director of the division of emergency management (for state personnel) or chief executive of the city or county (for their respective personnel); a person holding a valid license issued by the Federal Communications Commission in the amateur radio service; peace officers authorized in writing by the head of their law enforcement agency, Commonwealth's attorneys and their assistants, county attorneys and their assistants, except that it shall be unlawful to use such radio to facilitate any criminal activity or to avoid apprehension by law enforcement officers. Violation of
this section shall, in addition to any other penalty prescribed by law, result in a forfeiture to the local law enforcement agency of such radio.
 

blue5011

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Are you absolutely sure about this or is it just something you heard from someone else? Granted, I do not know the laws in Minnesota, but generally speaking, having an amateur radio license does not grant you any special privileges beyond those granted in Part 97.
Yes, I am quite certain. W/ out the exemption it would be illegal to have a mobile (ham) radio that receives out-of-band frequencies in a vehicle. In fact the second VHF mobile I owned (in 1992) would receive in the high 800mhz band, a Alinco DR-110.

As a generality I would say most states follow that example. I have traveled considerably in the US and Canada, and never pulled a ham radio or scanner out of my vehicle.
 

N0IU

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Do a search on "Scanner Laws" and look at the specifics on them. In many (if not most) cases, they specifically state that a licensed amateur radio operator is exempt from the provisions of the law.

I stand corrected! Sometimes I am wrong and sometimes I just make a mistake!
 

teufler

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not shouting but i had a stroke and have to type one handed. it is hard to go to uppercase and lower case so sometimes I JUST GO ALL UPPER CASE FOR EASE. regretfully i was right handed and the right side doesn't work.
 

blue5011

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Faribault County, MN
While looking for another letter (copy of a vehicle registration) I came upon my ham license paperweork w/ my new updated license.

Thanks to all who had suggestions.
 

k6cpo

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San Diego, CA
I should have been able to figure that out for myself... but thanks Tom, for the "starting point" references! I used to be pretty computer/ web savvy, but lately I am feeling by-passed and out-of-date.

I did down-load a "reference" copy (it has the word reference printed across it diagonally), but in the fine print it says you still need the real copy to be legal.

I am an OTR driver and sometimes bring my scanner along to listen to the MNDoT snowplow drivers. It is legal to listen to them in Minnesota, provided one has a ham license, or permission from said agency. Nothing like getting traffic and road condition reports from the folks already out there.

The license comes with a bottom section that can be cut off and laminated into a wallet card. This way you don't have to carry the entire license with you.
 

DarkStarPDX

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Oct 28, 2011
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Hillsboro, Oregon
I did down-load a "reference" copy (it has the word reference printed across it diagonally), but in the fine print it says you still need the real copy to be legal.
The fine print actually states that the "reference copy" cannot be used in place of an official FCC license.

Your "official FCC license" is actually the entry on their database - not the paper license they mail to you, so the "reference copy" has equal standing with the paper license they send originally (this is why new amateurs can operate as soon as their callsigns show up).
 

Xor42

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Printing copy of your "Official" FCC Amateur Radio License

Thought I'd reply to this old message because I didn't see a proper updated answer to this extremely popular question.

Answer: There are 2 printable formats of your radio license info on the FCC.GOV/ULS website. By far, the most popular is the certificate format (skip to option 2 below).

1. Tabular Format
Displayed in a tabular manner listing all of your license details.
Nb. This is a Spartan approach which doesn't look like a "certificate".

a. You can use your browser's print feature to print the page
i. If to your physical printer, just use scissors to cut out the info area.
ii. If to a PDF printer, save as PDF.
If you have Adobe's expesive "Acrobat" or Scansoft's "PDFCreate" programs,
you can edit the PDF and crop the image (as if with scissors).

b. Use Windows screen capture button or Techsmith's EXCELLENT SnagIt program
to capture the screen image 6-ways from Sunday and edit the captured image
in it's included editor. You can then save the final image as a JPG, TIF, or GIF
or insert the image within a PDF. It's still an image - not text.

2. Certificate Format
License as a printable certificate with watermark "OFFICIAL COPY".

As of 2017 (I know not how much earlier), the FCC.gov/ULS licensing page has an option in the top-left of your home page (after login) menu. It allows you to print out your OFFICIAL LICENSE with the watermark "OFFICIAL COPY" as opposed to earlier print options that used to say "REFERENCE COPY". Better still, it is a PDF - the de facto document standard - it's only shame being an Adobe product.
 

edweirdFL

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As stated at the end of X0r42's post, those with an FRN account on the FCC site need only login to be able to print a copy of their license that says "Official Copy" across it.
 

N4GIX

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Hot Springs, AR
2. Certificate Format
License as a printable certificate with watermark "OFFICIAL COPY".

As of 2017 (I know not how much earlier), the FCC.gov/ULS licensing page has an option in the top-left of your home page (after login) menu. It allows you to print out your OFFICIAL LICENSE with the watermark "OFFICIAL COPY" as opposed to earlier print options that used to say "REFERENCE COPY". Better still, it is a PDF - the de facto document standard - it's only shame being an Adobe product.

I'm glad you mentioned this. All of my printed copies have the Official Copy watermark. I carry the wallet size in my wallet. I have another wallet size copy with my car's registration and insurance papers in the glove box as well.
 
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