# Does your FCC GMDSS cert have an expiration date? **URL:** \ **Category:** Professional Mariner Forum\ **Created:** [May 5, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967 "2010-05-05T00:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![richard8000milesaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@richard8000milesaway](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/richard8000milesaway)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/1 "2010-05-05T00:58:34Z")
my old GMDSS & Marine Radio Operators Permit had expiration dates (2012) but I had heard time and time again that they never expire. after hearing some scuttlebutt on my ship (The Caesar) I did the following: with my current (and non expired) certs in front of me, I went to the FCC site ([https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do](https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do)) and followed the links to update my information. I updated my address and email address, then submitted the changes online; the whole process, which costs nothing, took maybe 5 minutes max. I received my new FCC certs which have NO expiration date within 7 days. damn, I was impressed with the FCC. ---
**Author:** ![mike50](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/aeb1de/32.png) [@mike50](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/mike50)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/2 "2010-05-05T02:04:14Z")
Mine have no expiration date and are supposed to be good for life. ---
**Author:** ![Steamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Steamer](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Steamer)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 3:01am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/3 "2010-05-05T03:01:22Z")
[QUOTE=richard8000milesaway;32204] … damn, I was impressed with the FCC.[/QUOTE] I recently went through the same process with the FCC, changing addresses online and renewing another license. It was an amazing and refreshing experience compared to dealing with the NMC on license issues. There is simply no reason other than institutionalized stupidity that the NMC can’t operate the same way. edit: [I]OK stupidy is probably too harsh, there are some smart people there, I should have said “incompetence” because there is no reward for doing a good job but exercising initiative can be risky. Shuffling paper and not making a decision is safe so that is the smart course for a career civil servant. Safety in the workplace has a different meaning to those folks, I call it incompetence because it puts our employment at risk, to them it is job security. [/I] [I]We might get the same or better service from a call center in Mumbai. At least that would save the taxpayer some money.[/I] ---
**Author:** ![roversea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@roversea](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/roversea)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/4 "2010-05-05T05:20:36Z")
Thanks all for the info. ---
**Author:** ![CaptAndrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@CaptAndrew](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/CaptAndrew)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 12:46pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/5 "2010-05-06T12:46:04Z")
Mine had no expiration right from the beginning. I understand that MROP’s no longer expire either. ---
**Author:** ![injunear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/6 "2010-05-06T13:07:24Z")
Telegraph and GMDSS Maintainer are still 5 years. ---
**Author:** ![Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@Jon](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/7 "2010-05-06T13:20:23Z")
Actually the GMDSS Maintainer is NOT five years. The telegraph, yeah, that is still five years, but not the GMDSS Maintainer. > [@From http://wireless.fcc.gov/commoperators/index.htm?job=dm](#): > > Term of License > A DM is issued for the holder’s lifetime. (Prior to March 25, 2008, the license term for a DM was five years. Any holder of a DM that expired prior to March 25, 2008, must still file an application to renew the license within the five-year grace period after expiration.) ---
**Author:** ![injunear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e95f7d/32.png) [@injunear](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/injunear)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/8 "2010-05-06T13:29:29Z")
I stand corrected. Mine was issued 5/2006 and hadn’t kept up. ---
**Author:** ![Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@Jon](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:33pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/9 "2010-05-06T13:33:14Z")
[QUOTE=Steamer;32208]I recently went through the same process with the FCC, changing addresses online and renewing another license. It was an amazing and refreshing experience compared to dealing with the NMC on license issues. There is simply no reason other than institutionalized stupidity that the NMC can’t operate the same way.[/QUOTE] Exactly!!! ---
**Author:** ![Jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3bc359/32.png) [@Jon](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/Jon)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/10 "2010-05-06T13:34:36Z")
What I have never understood is why, when the FCC decides, “Okay this license will never expire now,” why the licenses that are still valid must be renewed? ---
**Author:** ![mike173](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/54ee81/32.png) [@mike173](https://forum.gcaptain.com/u/mike173)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://forum.gcaptain.com/t/does-your-fcc-gmdss-cert-have-an-expiration-date/3967/11 "2010-05-08T12:08:03Z")
[QUOTE=Jon;32271]What I have never understood is why, when the FCC decides, “Okay this license will never expire now,” why the licenses that are still valid must be renewed?[/QUOTE] It’s my understanding that even though your FCC license has an expiration date (because it was issued before the non-expiration changes), it does not need to be renewed. But if you sail deep sea or internationally, try telling a port-state inspector in, say India, that your license is still valid even though the date indicates it’s expired. That’s why I sent away for a new one with no expiration date. The process was free and as painless as Richard8000 and Steamer indicated above. It took maybe a week to get my new one. One thing I never never have to think about again.