[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 47, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 47CFR97.19]

[Page 591-592]
 
                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION
 
        CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED)
 
PART 97_AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A_General Provisions
 
Sec. 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. RACES and 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 
Sec. 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, revoked, set aside, 
canceled, or voided license grant is not available to the vanity call 
sign system for 2 years following the date such action is taken.
    (3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild, 
stepchild, parent, grandparent, step-parent, brother, sister, 
stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and 
except for 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 
above, of the person now deceased, the call sign shown on the license of 
the person now deceased 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.
    (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,

[[Page 592]]

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]