# What happens if I don't get an FCC license for these Motorola walkie-talkies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372 "2003-11-26T13:57:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![H8\_2\_W8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c77e96/32.png) [@H8\_2\_W8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/H8_2_W8)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/1 "2003-11-26T13:57:15Z")
[http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=255353&prmenbr=126&twoway\_cgrfnbr=9&zipcode=](http://commerce.motorola.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=255353&prmenbr=126&twoway_cgrfnbr=9&zipcode=) It says it requires an FCC license. Do I have to have the license prior to buying these? What are the penalties for using them w/o a license? (Not that I’d break the law knowingly.) ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/2 "2003-11-26T14:44:55Z")
Most units of the type you linked two have two sets of frequencies; Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS). Generally the FRS channels have lower power and shorter range than the GMRS ones. GMRS requires a license, FRS does not. If the radio in question can operate under GMRS rules then you need a license; if it operates under FRS rule you do not. A license is $75 for 5 years, btw. [FCC on GMRS/FRS licensing](http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/personal/generalmobile/) ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/3 "2003-11-26T15:16:46Z")
Can I use my FCC Radio Telephone Operator’s License? (It was required to operate the radios when I got my pilot’s certificate.) ---
**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/4 "2003-11-26T15:31:59Z")
Heh, I was wondering the very same thing **Johnny**. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/5 "2003-11-26T15:45:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Johnny L.A. \* > \*\*Can I use my FCC Radio Telephone Operator’s License? (It was required to operate the radios when I got my pilot’s certificate.) \*\* Nope, the licence you got was for A/C radios. This is a seperate deal. Get the license. It covers the whole family and is not that costly. Licenced users will be unwilling to converse with an unlicensed user. You’d have to check with the FCC website to find the penalties for unlicenced use but listed penalties in the $10K range are not that uncommon. It’s unlikely you’d get caught though. But that’s not a reason to not have the license though. You could be the one they choose to make an example of. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/6 "2003-11-26T15:49:33Z")
I actually did check into getting a license for GRMS radios (I have a pair that I have used only once when I halped a friend move, and don’t have a need to use them now), but the application was very long and complicated. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happens-if-i-dont-get-an-fcc-license-for-these-motorola-walkie-talkies/215372/7 "2003-11-26T19:02:09Z")
Maybe a while back. I got my license two years ago and it only took a few minutes on line. And a credit card of course!