To file an application for a new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mobile radio license or to modify an existing FCC license you must first complete the FCC 601 Application Form consisting of the 601 Main Form and Schedules D and H . If you have any questions regarding specific items on the 601 application form, PCIA’s Coordination Services team can provide you with assistance.

PCIA’s primary responsibilities are to insure that your application meets FCC filing requirements, to recommend the best frequency assignments for your 601 application and to submit the application to the FCC in a timely manner.

There are private companies that will complete your Form 601 application for a fee. For a partial list of the contacts for these companies, click here.

After you have completed the Form 601 and decided on one of the methods of payment discussed below for the FCC fee and the PCIA fee to please forward it to :

PCIA Coordination Services, 901 N. Washington St., Suite 600, Alexandria, VA 22314

For fee information please click here.

Applications are normally filed with the FCC within 5 business days of receipt by PCIA. You will receive notification from PCIA once we have filed your application. It takes two weeks or more for the FCC to issue your new ten-year radio license. If you are applying for frequencies below 470 MHz, and your station is located 70 miles or more from the Canadian border; FCC rule 90.159 allows for temporary operations ten days after the FCC receives the application.

Submitting Applications to PCIA:

You may mail or fax copies of applications or use LicenseLink®, the preferred filing method for PCIA clients.

LicenseLink is PCIA's end-to-end electronic filing tool. LicenseLink is free, saves time and money and is a valuable tool for filing applications and managing application records.

Other LicenseLink benefits are:

• Virtual Form 601 : LicenseLink allows customers to complete the application online.
• Immediate Submission : Completed application can be downloaded to PCIA’s coordination system. Processing your application can begin within 1 business day.
• Templates : Customers can create templates from completed applications and save time by modifying only the necessary information when creating new applications.
• Saved Applications : Customers can retrieve previously submitted applications.
  

For information on License Link, click here.

Application Review:

The coordination specialist reviews applications for compliance with FCC rules and requirements. If an application requires additional information, we will work closely with you to obtain the appropriate information to minimize delays.

• Frequency Assignment: We search for the best available frequencies or research your requested frequencies against PCIA’s and the FCC’s ULS database. If a requested channel is not available, PCIA will search for an alternate channel for your approval. When a solution must be engineered around existing licenses, the coordination specialist will perform a signal propagation determination with the customer’s pre-approval.
  

• Submission to the FCC: PCIA submits the coordinated application to the FCC’s ULS system in an electronic batch file at the close of each business day. PCIA is committed to customer service. We follow through with applications to resolve issues that may occur prior to the granting of the license.

Payment Method:

In most cases there are two fees charged to coordinated applications, one is paid to PCIA for processing the application and one is paid to the FCC. When the FCC acknowledges receipt of an application, PCIA disburses payment of the FCC fee for that application Payment Options :

PCIA offers three payment options to our customers:

• Credit Card . Fees are charged to the customer’s designated credit card after an application is coordinated. Customers receive a Customer Activity Report listing the specific charges by application control number.
• Check . Customers may send one check to PCIA for both the PCIA and FCC fees. PCIA will pay the FCC fee on behalf of the customer when the application is filed.
• Customer Originated Electronic Payment (COEP). Used exclusively with License Link accounts- the COEP payment process is similar to that of a direct debit. An electronic payment goes directly from the customer’s designated bank account to PCIA to pay for the associated fees when an application is coordinated. If you need additional information or assistance, please contact PCIA Frequency Coordination Services at 800-759-0300.
  

IMPORTANT NOTE: The FCC requires land mobile wireless telecommunications licensees to:

• Construct their authorized system or meet specific coverage requirements within a given time period. In most cases this is one year from the grant date.
• Notify the FCC that the requirement has been met. This time period varies depending on the radio service in which the license is held. For business radio licensees it is one year from the grant date. For mobile-only systems, the system must be operational within the time period and the licensees are required to notify the FCC in the same manner as those with fixed station construction/coverage requirements.
  
• If a licensee fails to construct a station, fails to construct an entire license, or fails to meet a coverage requirement and does not file a timely request seeking an extension of time to meet the requirement, the station or license terminates automatically as of the applicable construction deadline.