**PUBLIC NOTICE**![](media/image1.png){width="0.7388888888888889in"
height="0.7458333333333333in"}

**FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION**

**445 TWELFTH STREET, S.W.; TW-A325**

**WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554**

News Media Information: (202) 418-0500

Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830

Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

ftp.fcc.gov

**DA 99-1455**

# Released: July 23, 1999

**WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU TO BEGIN USE OF**

**UNIVERSAL LICENSING SYSTEM (ULS) FOR LICENSING IN THE AMATEUR RADIO
SERVICES BEGINNING ON AUGUST 16, 1999**

On August 16, 1999, the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (Bureau) will
begin use of the Universal Licensing System (ULS) for all application
and licensing activity in the Amateur Radio Services.[^1]

ULS is a new, interactive licensing database developed by the Bureau to
consolidate and replace eleven existing licensing systems used to
process applications and grant licenses in wireless services. ULS
provides numerous benefits, including fast and easy electronic filing,
improved data accuracy through automated checking of applications, and
enhanced electronic access to licensing information.

This Public Notice summarizes the procedures that will take effect on
August 16, 1999, for station and operator licensing in the Amateur Radio
Services using ULS and in accordance with the ULS rules. The conversion
of the Amateur Radio Services to ULS will affect the filing of
applications with the Bureau, and we encourage licensees to become
familiar with these changes now (even if you do not anticipate renewing
or modifying your license in the near future).

For further information regarding the ULS rules and procedures, please
refer to the FCC's ULS Internet site at
<http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls>.[^2]

# [OVERVIEW OF ULS CONVERSION]{.underline}

### I. NEW FCC FORM 605

On August 16, 1999, the Bureau will begin use of FCC Form 605 (OMB
Control Number 3060-0850) for Amateur Service application filings for
license renewals, modifications, cancellations, application withdrawals
and amendments, requests for duplicate licenses, and administrative
updates (*i.e.*, a change of address or other clerical license
modification). FCC Form 605 will also be used to apply for vanity call
signs under the Vanity Call Sign System program.

Applications for new licenses or for a change in operator class will
continue to be filed through a

Volunteer Examiner-Coordinator (VEC). As described below, applications
for Club, Military Recreation, and RACES licenses will continue to be
made on FCC Form 610B until further notice.

### New Filing Procedures

For applications that do not need to be filed by a VEC, such as renewals
and administrative updates,[^3] Amateur Service licensees may file FCC
Form 605 electronically (interactively) or manually (see "ULS Filing
Procedures" below). Electronically filed applications will be subject to
automated edit checking, enabling the applicant to make corrections
before filing the application. Manually filed applications will not be
checked automatically, and may be subject to dismissal if they are
defective or incomplete.

Amateur Service licensees may continue to use pre-ULS application forms
(FCC Forms 610 and 610V) for a six-month transition period (*i.e*.,
until February 16, 2000), so long as the applicant provides the
supplemental information described below (see Appendix A).

### Effect of ULS Data Conversion on Processing Prior to August 16

The ULS conversion process requires the transfer of existing Amateur
Radio Services licensing data into the ULS database. To accommodate the
transfer, it will be necessary to discontinue electronic filing activity
in the pre-ULS system as follows:

-   Electronic files submitted by VECs under the current filing system
    will not be accepted after 4 p.m. EDT on August 8, 1999.

-   Electronic renewals via FCC Form 900 will not be accepted after 9
    a.m. EDT on August 9, 1999.

-   Electronic submission of FCC Form 610V will not be available after
    5:30 p.m. EDT on August 13, 1999.

Beginning August 16, 1999, FCC Form 605 may be filed electronically in
ULS, and Amateur Radio Services licensing data will be available to the
public via ULS. The pre-ULS database will no longer be available to the
public.

### Automated Processing of Amateur Service Applications in ULS

Under ULS, applicants may file FCC Form 605 electronically at any time
24 hours a day, seven days a week. Automated processing of
electronically filed applications will occur nightly on each business
day, beginning at approximately 11 p.m., EDT. When the nightly
processing run is completed, ULS will generate a file listing the day's
licensing activity, and processing results will be available for query
through the ULS Internet public access system. Applications filed on
weekends and holidays will be given a receipt date for, and will be
processed on, the next business day.

II\. REGISTRATION OF TAXPAYER IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (TINs)

In order to file any application in ULS electronically or manually, you
must (1) [register]{.underline} your TIN in ULS and associate your
current callsign(s) with your TIN; and (2) [provide]{.underline} your
TIN on all applications filed [on or after August 16.]{.underline}

For individuals, the TIN is your Social Security Number (SSN). For
businesses, the TIN is the Employer Identification Number (EIN) of the
business. Under some circumstances, Amateur Service applicants or
licensees may not be required by law to have a TIN (*e.g*., citizens of
foreign countries and certain nonresident aliens). The FCC will provide
you with an FCC-generated identification number for access to ULS ***if
and only if*** you are not required by law to have a TIN. To determine
whether you fall within this category, call ULS Technical Support at
(202) 414-1250.

Trustees and custodians of Club, Military Recreation, and RACES licenses
should not use their personal Social Security Number as the TIN for
these licenses, but should instead use an EIN (when one is available).
Otherwise, contact ULS Technical Support to obtain a FCC-generated
identification number.

The Bureau urges Amateur Service applicants and licensees to register
their TINs ***immediately***, and not to wait until the ULS conversion
date for the service. You only need to register your TIN once.

**IMPORTANT: If you do not register your TIN, you will be UNABLE to file
applications in ULS. Additionally, applications that do not contain your
TIN on or after August 16 will be DISMISSED as defective.**

There are several ways to register your TIN in ULS:

1.  [Electronic TIN Registration:]{.underline}

> The Bureau strongly recommends electronic registration. To register
> electronically, access the FCC\'s ULS Internet site at
> <http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls>, click on the \"ULS TIN/Call Sign
> Registration\" link, and follow the on-line instructions.
>
> When you register your TIN electronically, you select a password to
> identify yourself in future, private transactions with the FCC
> database. (This is analogous to setting a PIN when your bank gives you
> a new ATM card.) Your password can be 5 to 30 characters (letters
> and/or numbers) long and is ***case-sensitive***. For additional
> security, you must also specify a personal or corporate identifier. We
> recommend that you not use your Amateur Service call sign or any other
> call sign that can be associated with you as a password or identifier.
>
> After registering your TIN, you will be asked to enter your call
> sign(s). Associating your call sign(s) with your TIN in ULS will
> enable you to file renewals, modifications, notifications, and other
> filings with respect to the call sign(s) identified.

2.  [Automatic TIN Registration Through VECs (available beginning August
    16, 1999):]{.underline}

As a convenience for Amateur Service applicants and licensees, the
Bureau has established an automatic TIN registration process for Amateur
Service applications filed through VECs. If you are filing an
application through a VEC and have not previously registered your TIN,
you may submit your TIN to the VEC with the application. When the VEC
files the application on your behalf with the Commission, your TIN will
be automatically registered in ULS. Note that if you register your TIN
through the automated VEC registration process, you must still obtain a
password if you want to file in ULS electronically in the future. To
obtain a password, call ULS Technical Support at (202) 414-1250.

3.  [Manual TIN Registration:]{.underline}

> To register your TIN manually, use FCC Form 606 (TIN Registration
> Form). This form can be obtained from the Internet at
> [http://www.fcc.gov/formpage.html]{.underline}, or by calling the
> FCC\'s Forms Distribution Center at 1-800-418-FORM (3676). FCC Form
> 606 also allows you to associate your callsign(s) with your TIN. If
> you register your TIN manually, you must call ULS Technical Support at
> (202) 414-1250 to obtain a password before you can file applications
> electronically in ULS.

Manually-filed FCC Form 606 should be mailed to:

> Federal Communications Commission
>
> Information Technology Division
>
> Attention: Kathy McLucas
>
> 1270 Fairfield Road
>
> Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245

[For More Information on TIN Registration:]{.underline} Fact Sheet
Number 206-U, released in April 1999, discusses TIN registration in a
question-and-answer format. A link to this Fact Sheet is available on
the ULS Internet site (<http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls>) under the "ULS
Headlines" section. The ULS Internet site contains additional
information about registering your TIN under the topic "Getting your
Login and Password (Tin/Call Sign Registration)." The site also contains
a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about TIN registration.

### Confidentiality of TIN Information

Once registered, your TIN will not be disclosed to the public. Instead,
the ULS will generate a Licensee Identification Number that will be used
in place of your TIN on publicly available records.

### III. PROVIDING YOUR TIN ON APPLICATIONS

In addition to registering your TIN, beginning August 16, 1999, you must
also include the TIN or Licensee Identification Number on all
applications filed in ULS. **All applications filed on or after this
date that do not include the information described below will be
DISMISSED as defective.**

All paper applications filed directly with the FCC or via Mellon Bank
(*i.e.,* Vanity Call Sign applications) ***must*** include a TIN.

For applications that a VEC files on your behalf after August 16, you
will have the option of providing either your TIN or your Licensee
Identification Number to the VEC. Because you obtain a Licensee
Identification Number when you register your TIN, you:

-   should register your TIN ***prior*** to qualifying for an Amateur
    Service license if you plan to provide a Licensee Identification
    Number; and

-   cannot use the Automatic TIN Registration Through a VEC feature and
    provide the VEC your Licensee Identification Number as part of the
    same filing.

The Bureau encourages applicants to include their TIN on all filings
submitted to the FCC between now and August 16. If you do not provide
your TIN with an application filed before August 16, processing of your
application may be delayed. If you do not provide your TIN with an
application filed on or after August 16, your application will be
dismissed.

**IV. FILING PROCEDURES UNDER ULS**

FCC Form 605 replaces all letter requests and old forms (FCC Form 610
and FCC Form 610-V) previously used by Amateur Radio Services licensees
(except Form 610B, as described below). FCC Form 605 will be used for
all Amateur Service licensing applications filed directly with the FCC
or via Mellon Bank. Manual filers must use an edition of FCC Form 605
with a July 1999 edition date or later. Filings on earlier editions of
FCC Form 605 will be dismissed as defective.

To file FCC Form 605 electronically you must use your browser to connect
to ULS though the Commission's wide-area network via a toll-free number,
1-800-844-2784. Instructions for connecting to ULS are contained on the
ULS website at <http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls>. For instructions on filing
FCC Form 605 manually, refer to the instructions on the form.

[Required and Optional Applicant Information:]{.underline} All Amateur
Radio Services licensees must provide a U.S. mailing address on their
applications; the Bureau will not accept foreign addresses.[^4] FCC Form
605 also includes fields for applicant telephone number, fax number, and
e-mail address. These fields are [optional]{.underline} for Amateur
applicants and licensees, and any information that is provided in these
fields will not be made available to the public.

[Use of Pre-ULS Forms:]{.underline} Amateur Service licensees may
continue to use FCC Form 610 and FCC Form 610-V until February 16, 2000,
provided that they submit their TINs and certain other required
information with the application. Supplemental information required when
filing Forms 610 and 610-V is described in Appendix A of this Public
Notice. **Applications filed on FCC Form 610 and FCC Form 610-V after
February 16, 2000 will be dismissed as defective.**

Although licensees have the option of continuing to use pre-ULS forms
during the six-month transition period, the Bureau strongly urges
applicants and licensees to begin using FCC Form 605 immediately. The
choice of application form and filing method will affect processing in
the following way:

(1) FCC Form 605 filed electronically -- is the most efficient filing
    method and will result in expedited processing compared to filing
    manually.

(2) FCC Form 605 filed manually - will result in expedited processing
    compared to filing pre-ULS forms or letter requests.

(3) Pre-ULS forms or letter requests - is ***not*** recommended and will
    result in slower processing than the options described above.
    Submissions on pre-ULS forms that are received before August 16,
    1999, but are still pending as of the conversion, are subject to
    additional processing delay while the Bureau contacts you to obtain
    the additional information needed to process these applications
    under ULS. Applicants filing pre-ULS forms or letter requests
    ***must*** remember to include their TIN with each filing
    submission. As of August 16, 1999, failure to provide the TIN on
    each application or letter request will result in dismissal.

[Continued Use of FCC Form 610B for Club, Military Recreation, and RACES
Licenses:]{.underline} Until further notice, applicants should continue
to use FCC Form 610B for Club and Military Recreation station licenses
and requests for modifications and renewals of Club, Military
Recreation, and RACES station licenses. In the future, ULS will
accommodate the processing of these license applications on FCC Form 605
through call sign administrators; until this program is in place,
however, Club, Military Recreation, and RACES station licensees and
applicants will be unable to use FCC Form 605. **Important**: Beginning
August 16, you must provide the EIN or FCC-generated ID number and other
information specified in Appendix A on each FCC Form 610B you submit.
Applications that do not include this information are subject to
dismissal.

**V. APPLICATION FEES (Vanity Call Sign applications)**

Amateur Service applicants filing vanity call sign applications in ULS
remain subject to existing application fees under Section 1.1102 of the
rules, 47 CFR § 1.1102. ULS, however, will simplify the process of
submitting fees to the Commission. When an applicant submits an
application electronically, ULS will assign a file number and show the
correct fee amount due and the payment type code on a confirmation
screen. Clicking on the "Form 159" button will pre-fill this information
on the FCC Form 159. ULS will then instruct the applicant on how to
print out the pre-filled FCC Form 159 so that it can be mailed to Mellon
Bank at the address specified below.[^5]

NOTE: Applicants who do not use the pre-printed FCC Form 159 in
connection with an electronically filed application must enter the
ULS-generated file number in the FCC Form 159 box labeled FCC Code 2. If
problems arise while trying to print FCC Form 159, call the FCC
Technical Support Hotline at (202) 414-1250 for assistance (available
Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT). Mellon Bank must
receive the FCC Form 159 and accompanying fee within 10 calendar days of
submitting the application. In the near future, ULS will be capable of
accepting credit card payments online. The Bureau will release a public
notice and provide information on its web site when this option becomes
available.

[Where to Send Payments for Electronically-filed
Applications.]{.underline} All payments for electronically filed
applications should be sent to:

Federal Communications Commission

##  ULS Electronic Filings

P.O. Box 358994

Pittsburgh, PA 15251-5994

**VI. WHERE TO SEND MANUALLY FILED APPLICATIONS IN THE AMATEUR RADIO
SERVICES**

Manually filed applications **that do not require fees** should be sent
to:

Federal Communications Commission

1270 Fairfield Road

Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245

Manually filed applications **that require fees** (applications for
Vanity Call Signs) should be sent to:

Federal Communications Commission

Wireless Telecommunications Bureau

P.O. Box 358130

Pittsburgh, PA 15251-5130

**[FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE]{.underline}**

For general information about ULS, including answers to frequently asked
questions regarding submitting applications, finding the status of
pending applications, and searching the ULS database, the Commission
recommends first consulting the ULS webpage at
[http://www.fcc.gov/wtb/uls]{.underline}. Individuals having specific
questions not addressed on the webpage may contact Commission staff via
phone or e-mail as described below.

[FCC Technical Support Hotline]{.underline}: (202) 414-1250, or via
e-mail at ulscomm@fcc.gov. Contact the Technical Support Hotline about
questions concerning computer access to ULS, TIN registration, uploading
files, or submitting attachments in ULS. The hotline is available Monday
through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., EDT. In order to provide better
service to ULS users and ensure the security of the electronic filing
system, all calls to the hotline are recorded.

[ULS Licensing Support]{.underline}: 1-888-CALL-FCC (225-5322), or via
e-mail at <ulshelp@fcc.gov>. Contact Licensing Support with questions
about which application purpose(s) are appropriate for a particular
filing, what information is being requested on a ULS Form or Schedule,
or any other ULS-related licensing matter. ULS Licensing Support is
available Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT.

Comments on ULS should be sent via email to: ulscomm@fcc.gov.

**[APPENDIX A]{.underline}**

# FCC FORM 610 (September 1997 Edition) INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

Beginning August 16, 1999, we will accept filings made on FCC Form 610
("Application Form 610 for Amateur Operator/Primary Station License"),
provided:

1)  The TIN is provided on the application. The TIN should be placed in
    the upper right hand corner of the application.

2)  The purpose cannot be \"Examination\" (Blocks 4A or 4B)

3)  The following items are required to be completed:

a\) Applicant Name and Address

b\) What you are applying for

c)  Call Sign shown on license

d)  Signature and Date

# 

# FCC FORM 610-B (September 1997 Edition) INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

Beginning August 16, 1999, we will accept filings made on FCC Form 610-B
("Application to Renew or Modify an Amateur Club, RACES or Military
Recreation Station License"), provided:

> The EIN or FCC-generated ID number is provided on the application. The
> number should be placed in the upper right hand corner of the
> application.

NOTE: Until notified otherwise, do not use FCC Form 605 for applications
to renew or modify an Amateur Club, RACES, or Military Recreation
Station License.

# FCC FORM 610-V (November 1995 Edition) INFORMATION REQUIREMENTS

Beginning August 16, 1999, we will accept filings made on FCC Form 610-V
("Amateur Station Vanity Call Sign Request"), provided:

1)  The TIN is provided on the application. The TIN should be placed in
    the upper right hand corner of the application.

2)  The following items are required to be completed:

> a\) Applicant Name and Address

b)  Current call sign to be vacated

c)  Eligibility for a vanity call sign

d)  Signature and Date

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3)  If applicable, Section 2 (call sign preference) must be filled out.

[^1]: The conversion affects those services licensed under Part 97 of
    the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. Part 97. For a definition of
    "Amateur Radio Services," see § 97.3(a)(2), 47 C.F.R. § 97.3(a)(2).

[^2]: Additional information can be found in the *ULS Report and Order*.
    *See* Amendment of Parts 0, 1, 12, 22, 24, 26, 27, 80, 87, 90, 95,
    97, and 101 of the Commission\'s Rules to Facilitate the Development
    and Use of the Universal Licensing System in the Wireless
    Telecommunications Services, WT Docket No. 98-20, *Report and
    Order*, 13 FCC Rcd 21027 (1998), *recon*., FCC 99-139 (adopted June
    10, 1999, released June 28, 1999). *See also* \"Wireless
    Telecommunications Bureau Announces New Universal Licensing System
    (ULS) Filing Procedures and Revised Application Forms Effective
    February 16, 1999,\" *Public Notice*, February 10, 1999.

[^3]: An Administrative Update is a change of any administrative data,
    such as a change in licensee's name, address, telephone number,
    e-mail, or contact information.

[^4]: *See* § 97.23 of the Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. § 97.23.

[^5]: The FCC Form 159 will display in a separate browser window. If,
    after clicking on the "Form 159" button, you do not see the form,
    check the task bar at the bottom of your Windows 95/98 screen for a
    button labeled "Form 159." Click on this button to view the FCC Form
    159.