After a lengthy and frustrating journey through the FCC web-site trying to renew my GMDSS - I finally stumbled across this - Hope this saves someone else the aggravation I went through.
WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU REMINDS HOLDERS OF CERTAIN COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATOR LICENSES THAT THEY ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO FILE RENEWAL APPLICATIONS[FONT=Verdana]<O:p[/FONT]
In the Third Report and Order in WT Docket No. 00-48, the Commission amended Section 13.15 of its Rules to extend the license terms of certain commercial radio operator licenses from five years to the lifetime of the holder. Specifically, it extended the terms of GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses (Operator Class Code DO), Restricted GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses (RG), GMDSS Radio Maintainer’s Licenses (DM), GMDSS Operator/Maintainer Licenses (DB), and Marine Radio Operator Permits (MP) to the lifetime of the holder. This rule change took effect on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com</st1:date><st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”>March 25, 2008</st1:date>[FONT=Verdana]<O:p[/FONT]
Accordingly, GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses, Restricted GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses, GMDSS Radio Maintainer’s Licenses, GMDSS Operator/Maintainer Licenses, and Marine Radio Operator Permits with expiration dates of <st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”><st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”><st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”>March 25, 2008</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date> or later no longer need to be renewed. [COLOR=red]Even if there is an expiration date on the face of the license, the license is valid for the holder’s lifetime, without filing a renewal application (unless the license is subsequently suspended or canceled). If the license expired prior to [/COLOR]<st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”><st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”><st1:date Year=“2008” Day=“25” Month=“3”>March 25, 2008</st1:date></st1:date></st1:date>, however, the licensee must file an application to renew the license within the five-year grace period for the license term to be extended to the lifetime of the holder. A licensee who fails to renew his or her license within the five-year grace period must apply for a new license and retake the required examination element(s). Holders of GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses, Restricted GMDSS Radio Operator’s Licenses, GMDSS Radio Maintainer’s Licenses, GMDSS Operator/Maintainer Licenses, and Marine Radio Operator Permits are encouraged to verify the status of their licenses in the Commission’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) database before filing an application to renew the license. If a licensee desires a hard copy of the license that bears no expiration date, the licensee may simply print out a Reference Copy of the license in ULS. Alternatively, licensees may request a replacement license by filing FCC Form 605, subject to payment of the appropriate filing fee.This rule change does not affect holders of First Class Radiotelegraph Operator’s Certificates (T1), Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator’s Certificates (T2), and Third Class Radiotelegraph Operator’s Certificates (T3). As before, these Radiotelegraph Operator’s Certificates are normally valid for a term of five years from the date of issuance. The rule change also does not affect holders of General Radiotelephone Operator Licenses (PG), Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permits (RP), and Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permits-Limited Use (RL), which already were valid for the lifetime of the holder. For technical assistance in renewing a license or applying for a replacement license, please contact the ULS Technical Support Hotline at (877) 480-3201, option 2, (717) 338-2888, or (717) 338-2824 (TTY). The ULS Technical Support Hotline is available Monday through Friday from <st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“8”><st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“8”><st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“8”>8:00 a.m.</st1:time></st1:time></st1:time> to <st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“18”><st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“18”><st1:time Minute=“0” Hour=“18”>6:00 p.m. ET</st1:time></st1:time></st1:time>. There are no weekend hours, and the hotline is closed on all Federal holidays. To provide quality service and ensure security, all telephone calls are recorded<O:p.<O:p</O:p
Be aware that MSC is claiming that when you apply for a position, you can be refused because your GMDSS license has expired. They’ve given me 11 days to re-apply and receive a new GMDSS Radio Operators License or they wont accept my application. The supposed rational is: that when the USCG inspects the MSC vessels ans they see one of the “expired” licenses, that wont fit the bilkl of required license holders. This is all new to me. Ididn’t realize the CG inspected government vessels. The ones I worked on were independently inspected(JMS) as a courtesy. Am I wrong here or are they just looking for a weak excuse to thin out applicants?
It doesnt expire anymore, but if you have a certificate with an expiration date you have to renew or “change address” in order to have the new certificate that does not have the expiration date.
That is true we passed the Letter that Mr. Cavo posted to some of our guy’s and it still was not excepted. call FCC and do a change of address then it is free
Also, all you need to do is change a very simple item on there and they will send a new copy without expiration. Just change the ready of our address it something similar. Like changing East in a street name to E. or vice versa. That is all that I did.
Can someone link me to the change of address page? Last time I changed my address I couldn’t find anywhere to do it online and had to call five different numbers to get the right department at the FCC to get it changed.
[QUOTE=Capt. Phoenix;88835]Can someone link me to the change of address page? Last time I changed my address I couldn’t find anywhere to do it online and had to call five different numbers to get the right department at the FCC to get it changed.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=capitan1962;88856]If you just change your e-mail address it will also get you a new license with no expiration date.[/QUOTE]
From reading comments in this and another thread, I’m led to believe that after changing my address on line I will automatically be sent a new license copy. It’s been 2 1/2 weeks and I’ve received nothing. Did I miss a link I should have clicked to get the license sent or what? Or is the process just really slow?
I changed my address online a week before crew change. Got it in the mail couple weeks later when I got home. If you use the link I posted earlier you shouldn’t have any issues.