Trying to renew a long expired license

[Guest Art]

I just tried to renew my gmrs license, (it had expired quite a while ago) now today I see the application was dismissed although I paid the fees requested , asked for a waiver filled out what was asked of me..... does anyone have a suggestion on what I can do to correct all this, I highly doubt I could get my money back

Thanks!

[SteveShannon]

  On 4/15/2025 at 8:48 PM, Guest Art said:

I just tried to renew my gmrs license, (it had expired quite a while ago) now today I see the application was dismissed although I paid the fees requested , asked for a waiver filled out what was asked of me..... does anyone have a suggestion on what I can do to correct all this, I highly doubt I could get my money back

Thanks!

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Call customer support at the FCC 

[Davichko5650]

  On 4/15/2025 at 8:48 PM, Guest Art said:

I just tried to renew my gmrs license, (it had expired quite a while ago) now today I see the application was dismissed although I paid the fees requested , asked for a waiver filled out what was asked of me..... does anyone have a suggestion on what I can do to correct all this, I highly doubt I could get my money back

Thanks!

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Call FCC on the phone, they are pretty good to work with.  Best to just apply for a new license, you will not be able to get the old call sign issued to you. (been there done that when I forgot to renew mine a few years back!)

[TrikeRadio]

Yeah, I had a GMRS callsign 12 years back which i let expire... and in the past year decided to give it another try. I looked into trying to resurrect my old callsign (although I was not really attached to it) but found it easier to just register for a new one on my existing FRN. 

not sure how you go about getting your $35 refunded though... hope you can. 

[WRUE951]

if after 360 some odd days, i think it would be easier and faster to apply for a new license.  

[Jaay]

Awhile back, when renewing my license I ran into a issue where somehow my old Gmrs license had a different FRN number, resulting in 3 FRN numbers. The new one I applied for, plus the FRN for my ham license. I Called CORES, and they removed the third FRN and got me all set again. Easy Peasy!

Here's the number directly to CORES: 1-877-480-3201

[Davichko5650]

  On 4/16/2025 at 12:24 AM, WRUE951 said:

if after 360 some odd days, i think it would be easier and faster to apply for a new license.  

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It absolutely is.  The FCC will not issue a waiver to regain an old GMRS callsign.  Ran into this when I for got to renew a few years back. Tried the waiver application on the website, got nowhere. Called CORES and a quick chat with very helpful person there got me steered into a new license.

"You're not attached to that call like your amateur one, are you?"

[SteveShannon]

  On 4/16/2025 at 2:33 PM, Davichko5650 said:

It absolutely is.  The FCC will not issue a waiver to regain an old GMRS callsign.  Ran into this when I for got to renew a few years back. Tried the waiver application on the website, got nowhere. Called CORES and a quick chat with very helpful person there got me steered into a new license.

"You're not attached to that call like your amateur one, are you?"

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This is especially true if the license that the OP seeks to renew is one of the grandfathered licenses.  FCC has made it very clear that those licenses, which carry with them privileges that newer licensees may not exercise, must be kept up. Once expired they will not be renewed.

[WRUE951]

  On 4/16/2025 at 2:54 PM, SteveShannon said:

This is especially true if the license that the OP seeks to renew is one of the grandfathered licenses.  FCC has made it very clear that those licenses, which carry with them privileges that newer licensees may not exercise, must be kept up. Once expired they will not be renewed.

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I think the FCC uses the term 'grand fathered' because they know at some point,  the old fart is going to die and sometimes the FCC can't wait for that to happen. Back in the day we had a 12GHz Microwave link. The FCC soon claimed the band for other uses and gave us a 'Grand Father' clause to keep operating.  That didn't last but two years when they sent us a letter giving us 90 days to cease operation. Thank god we were well into building a fiber backbone to replace that old unreliable Microwave.  It's my understanding that band is now used for government purposes. 

[Guest Art]

Thanks for all your responses, I doubt I will see my money returned but maybe I'll get lucky

[WSHH887]

Does it say on the website that fees for licenses not issued is non refundable?  If not and you get no refund call your congressman or senator. They are your representatives in government. Make them earn at least a little of their bloated salaries. 

[OffRoaderX]

  On 4/17/2025 at 6:24 PM, WSHH887 said:

call your congressman or senator. They are your representatives in government. Make them earn at least a little of their bloated salaries. 

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You are 100% correct that they are not only our representatives, but they are also there to serve us.. But It's cute that you think this would actually accomplish anything because they all seem to have forgotten about that part of the job.

[WSHH887]

We just need to keep reminding them. 

[SteveShannon]

  On 4/17/2025 at 10:45 PM, WSHH887 said:

We just need to keep reminding them. 

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After 90 days you can’t renew an GMRS license but you can get a new one. According to google’s AI refunds can be given, but it’s probably easier to apply the credit towards a new license. 
Call their support number. I’ve gotten excellent and friendly service the one time I called. 

[EternalNoob]

  On 4/17/2025 at 11:28 PM, SteveShannon said:

After 90 days you can’t renew an GMRS license but you can get a new one.  

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So--and I'm, um, asking for a friend--one can get a new license/call sign if their current one is ridiculous? 

[TerriKennedy]

  On 4/17/2025 at 2:42 PM, Guest Art said:

Thanks for all your responses, I doubt I will see my money returned but maybe I'll get lucky

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The payment should be associated with a FRN and show up as unused funds. If you apply for a new license using that FRN, instead of paying through the payment portal you should see your $35 there and a balance due of  $0.

[SteveShannon]

  On 4/17/2025 at 11:58 PM, EternalNoob said:

So--and I'm, um, asking for a friend--one can get a new license/call sign if their current one is ridiculous? 

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Sure, you can give up your current license and buy another, but it’ll cost you another $35.  We had a member here that regularly irritated people then got a new license with different call sign.  But there’s no selection of call signs.  You might get something you dislike more. They’re assigned in order.

[WSHH887]

Steve you just answered a question I had regarding call sign assignment. That was were the issued alpha numerically. It seemed that way but with any government agency appearances can be deceiving. 

[Davichko5650]

  On 4/17/2025 at 11:58 PM, EternalNoob said:

So--and I'm, um, asking for a friend--one can get a new license/call sign if their current one is ridiculous? 

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As Steve Shannon mentioned, yes, but at an additional $35. In what way is your call sign ridiculous to where you'd want a change?  I can't see that with the sequential assignment system.  Maybe in the Amateur world where you get a tongue twister or very bad on cw maybe...

[WSEZ864]

Gotta be careful with Google AI with these technical/administrative questions.

I've been trying to help a blind Canadian immigrant get his US ham license. Due to the difficulty in studying, he is having great difficulty with the Tech exam and after unsuccessful several tries, he was looking for an easier way.

Google AI told him his existing Canada license can be 'converted' to an equivalent grade US amateur radio license, which, after much legwork and investigation, we determined is NOT true.

The actual situation is that one must pass the US exam to get the US license. Period. The corollary is that he CAN operate under a reciprocal agreement using his Canadian ticket while in the US until a) his Canada license expires, or b) until he becomes a US citizen. I think this is the point Google AI misunderstood and misrepresented - reciprocation vs conversion.

Bottom line: Google AI rendered incorrect information that gave the guy false hope and took us a couple weeks to clear up.

[EternalNoob]

  On 4/18/2025 at 12:10 PM, Davichko5650 said:

In what way is your call sign ridiculous to where you'd want a change?  I can't see that with the sequential assignment system.  Maybe in the Amateur world where you get a tongue twister or very bad on cw maybe...

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Don't know what "cw" means (again, I'm new). As for the call sign, the DMV is unlikely to let this particular combination of numbers and letters fly on a vanity plate. I apologize if I'm coming off as a troll. I was genuinely asking. 

"Tongue twister" is actually a spot-on way to describe it, come to think of it, but this is a family forum so I'll leave it at that. 

[Davichko5650]

  On 4/18/2025 at 4:33 PM, EternalNoob said:

Don't know what "cw" means (again, I'm new). As for the call sign, the DMV is unlikely to let this particular combination of numbers and letters fly on a vanity plate. I apologize if I'm coming off as a troll. I was genuinely asking. 

"Tongue twister" is actually a spot-on way to describe it, come to think of it, but this is a family forum so I'll leave it at that. 

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CW = Continous Wave, or morse code.  And yes, if the letters can be construed as an expletive, DMV might balk.  Althought my buddy's amateur call that ended in FKU was no problem with DVS here in MN.

[WRTC928]

  On 4/16/2025 at 5:33 AM, Jaay said:

Awhile back, when renewing my license I ran into a issue where somehow my old Gmrs license had a different FRN number, resulting in 3 FRN numbers. The new one I applied for, plus the FRN for my ham license. I Called CORES, and they removed the third FRN and got me all set again. Easy Peasy!

Here's the number directly to CORES: 1-877-480-3201

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I'm pretty sure I didn't get a new FRN for my amateur license. Is it normal to have different FRNs for GMRS and amateur licenses?

[OffRoaderX]

  On 4/20/2025 at 12:42 AM, WRTC928 said:

Is it normal to have different FRNs for GMRS and amateur licenses?

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Probably not, and it is not necessary.  

[WRTC928]

  On 4/20/2025 at 12:47 AM, OffRoaderX said:

Probably not, and it is not necessary.  

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I'd say definitely not necessary, since FCC issued both my licenses on the same FRN. I was just curious if it was common to have more than one FRN.