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Regulatory & Advocacy
Amateur Radio is subject to regulation at the international and national levels with regard to telecommunications and at the state and local levels with respect to land use regulations. ARRL advocates on behalf of Amateur Radio at all of these levels.
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01/15/2026 | New 60-Meter Frequencies Available as of February 13
The new 60-meter frequencies approved by the FCC in December will become available to amateurs as of February 13, 2026, along with new power restrictions on those frequencies Learn More
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01/15/2026 | FCC Poised to Exempt Amateurs from Foreign Adversary Reporting Requirements
At the urging of ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is expected to exempt radio amateurs from foreign adversary reporting requirements Learn More
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12/11/2025 | FCC Allocates 60-Meter World-Wide Amateur Band Approved at WRC-15; Continues Amateur Use of Four Additional 60-Meter Channels, and Updates 420 MHz Coordination Information
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on December 9, 2025, released a long-awaited Report and Order adopting a new amateur radio spectrum allocation in the 60-meter band that was approved for world-wide use on a secondary basis in the WRC-15 (World Learn More
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11/18/2025 | ARRL VEC Ready to File 2,500+ Ham Radio License Applications; FCC Extends Renewal Filing Deadline
The FCC has extended the filing deadline to March 5, 2026, for amateur radio licenses that otherwise were due to expire from October 1, 2025, to March 5, 2026 Learn More
Advocacy: "Science & Skill in Service" Report
ARRL's 2015 report on how Amateur Radio has benefitted the United States through public service, disaster response, and partnering with other served agencies. Targeted to legislators at all levels of government.
Click here for the PDF.
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Legislative Activities
ARRL informs lawmakers about the contributions and needs of the Amateur Radio service. Learn More
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Regulatory Agencies
ARRL interacts with the FCC and other federal agencies involved in telecommunications policies. Learn More
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State Advocacy
The ARRL volunteer Field Organization includes State Government Liaisons (SGL) who monitor state legislation. Learn More
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Local Advocacy
ARRL supports local amateurs in representing Amateur Radio in their communities. Learn More
The ARRL Regulatory Information Branch is responsible for interpretations of Amateur Radio regulatory issues. These include:
- Concerns about FCC rules and regulations,
- Applications for a new or renewed amateur licenses,
- Changes of address
- Vanity call sign applications and operations overseas
RIB staff maintain and administer:
- The Volunteer Counsel, Volunteer Consulting Engineer and Volunteer Monitor Programs,
- Answer general regulatory questions as well as those on the FCC preemption of RFI,
- The ARRL Equipment Insurance and Club Liability Insurance Plans, antenna restrictions and the ARRL Monitoring System,
- Edit The ARRL's FCC Rule Book.
Answers to most of your regulatory concerns can be found on these pages or you may contact us for additional information.
Additonal Resources
The ARRL recommends the following publications on regulatory topics:
- Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur by Fred Hopengarten
Everything you and your attorney need to know to obtain a permit for your antenna support system.
Contact Us -- ARRL HQ Regulatory Staff
Bart Jahnke, W9JJ
Tel: 860-594-0272
E-mail: reginfo@arrl.org
Fax: 860-594-0259
Administrator, ARRL Volunteer Counsel and Volunteer Consulting Engineer Programs.
Duties include:
- General regulatory questions
- Volunteer Monitor Program
- RFI regulatory information
- Antenna restrictions
- International operating
Steve Ewald, WV1X
Tel: 860-594-0265
E-mail: wv1x@arrl.org
Field Services.
- Backup of general regulatory inquiries
Note:
Amateurs occasionally ask for ARRL General Counsel to assist with a problem or question. Please note that ARRL's counsels are not employees of the ARRL but are retained to provide services to the ARRL Board and are not available to provide legal advice to ARRL members. Questions requiring a legal opinion can be asked of an ARRL Volunteer Counsel in your area.








