Waiting to receive your
ham license in the mail is now a thing of the past, unless you have
specifically requested it. As of February 17, the FCC stopped routinely issuing
paper license documents to amateur licensees, noting that inclusion in the
Commission's online database has for several years been the official record of
a ham's authorization to operate. Licensees may print out official copies - as well as unofficial "reference copies" - of their licenses via the FCC's Universal Licensing System (ULS) database, or may request the issuance of a paper document.
According to the ARRL Letter, the ARRL had asked that new licensees continue to receive paper licenses, along with instructions on how to set up their ULS accounts for future license renewals and upgrades. But the FCC declined, saying applicants or licensees who include e-mail addresses with their applications will receive an official electronic authorization via e-mail. The Commission says the change will save it over $300,000 a year.
