§  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 § 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,
   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]