§  97.19   Application for a vanity call sign.

   (a) The person named in an operator/primary station license grant or in
   a club station license grant is eligible to make application for
   modification of the license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a
   call sign selected by the vanity call sign system. Effective February
   14, 2011, the person named in a club station license grant that shows
   on the license a call sign that was selected by a trustee is not
   eligible for an additional vanity call sign. (The person named in a
   club station license grant that shows on the license a call sign that
   was selected by a trustee is eligible for a vanity call sign for his or
   her operator/primary station license grant on the same basis as any
   other person who holds an operator/primary station license grant.)
   Military recreation stations are not eligible for a vanity call sign.

   (b) Each application for a modification of an operator/primary or club
   station license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign
   selected by the vanity call sign system must be filed in accordance
   with §  1.913 of this chapter.

   (c) Unassigned call signs are available to the vanity call sign system
   with the following exceptions:

   (1) A call sign shown on an expired license grant is not available to
   the vanity call sign system for 2 years following the expiration of the
   license.

   (2) A call sign shown on a surrendered or canceled license grant
   (except for a license grant that is canceled pursuant to §  97.31) is
   not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years following the
   date such action is taken. (The availability of a call sign shown on a
   license canceled pursuant to §  97.31 is governed by paragraph (c)(3)
   of this section.)

   (i) This 2-year period does not apply to any license grant pursuant to
   paragraph (c)(3)(i), (ii), or (iii) of this section that is
   surrendered, canceled, revoked, voided, or set aside because the
   grantee acknowledged or the Commission determined that the grantee was
   not eligible for the exception. In such a case, the call sign is not
   available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days following the date
   such action is taken, or for the period for which the call sign would
   not have been available to the vanity call sign system pursuant to
   paragraphs (c)(2) or (3) of this section but for the intervening grant
   to the ineligible applicant, whichever is later.

   (ii) An applicant to whose operator/primary station license grant, or
   club station license grant for which the applicant is the trustee, the
   call sign was previously assigned is exempt from the 2-year period set
   forth in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

   (3) A call sign shown on a license canceled pursuant to §  97.31 of
   this part is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2 years
   following the person's death, or for 2 years following the expiration
   of the license grant, whichever is sooner. If, however, a license is
   canceled more than 2 years after the licensee's death (or within 30
   days before the second anniversary of the licensee's death), the call
   sign is not available to the vanity call sign system for 30 days
   following the date such action is taken. The following applicants are
   exempt from this 2-year period:

   (i) An applicant to whose operator/primary station license grant, or
   club station license grant for which the applicant is the trustee, the
   call sign was previously assigned; or

   (ii) An applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild,
   parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother,
   stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law of the person now
   deceased or of any other deceased former holder of the call sign,
   provided that the vanity call sign requested by the applicant is from
   the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class of
   operator license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential
   call sign system; or

   (iii) An applicant who is a club station license trustee acting with a
   written statement of consent signed by either the licensee ante mortem
   but who is now deceased, or by at least one relative as listed in
   paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section, of the person now deceased or of
   any other deceased former holder of the call sign, provided that the
   deceased former holder was a member of the club during his or her life.

   (d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be selected
   from the group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class
   of operator license held by the applicant as designated in the
   sequential call sign system.

   (1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the license
   grant be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in order of
   preference. In the event that the Commission receives more than one
   application requesting a vanity call sign from an applicant on the same
   receipt day, the Commission will process only the first such
   application entered into the Universal Licensing System. Subsequent
   vanity call sign applications from that applicant with the same receipt
   date will not be accepted.

   (2) The first assignable call sign from the applicant's list will be
   shown on the license grant. When none of those call signs are
   assignable, the call sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on the
   license grant.

   (3) Vanity call signs will be selected from those call signs assignable
   at the time the application is processed by the FCC.

   (4) A call sign designated under the sequential call sign system for
   Alaska, Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific Insular areas will
   be assigned only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing
   address is in the corresponding state, commonwealth, or island. This
   limitation does not apply to an applicant for the call sign as the
   spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent,
   brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew,
   or in-law, of the former holder now deceased.

   [ 60 FR 7460 , Feb. 8, 1995, as amended at  60 FR 50123 , Sept. 28, 1995;
    60 FR 53132 , Oct. 12, 1995;  63 FR 68979 , Dec. 14, 1998;  71 FR 66461 ,
   Nov. 15, 2006;  75 FR 78170 , Dec. 15, 2010]

   return arrow Back to Top