Business two-way radios almost certainly need an FCC Part 90 license, and operating without one is a federal violation. VTC prepares and files the whole package: frequency coordination, the license application, renewals, modifications, and the paperwork nobody warns you about, including Schedule K construction notices. You get a legal radio system without ever learning the FCC's filing system, and it stays legal for the license's 10-year term.
License term: 10 years. The FCC's own fee is the small slice ($105 for a new site-based Part 90 license or major modification, $35 for renewal); frequency coordination and preparation make up the rest, with the all-in cost typically $500–$750 for the full term. Government entities are exempt from FCC application fees. Timeline: usually a few weeks to a couple of months.
What we prepare and file
New Part 90 licenses with frequency coordination, license renewals before the 10-year term lapses, modifications when you add frequencies, sites, or a repeater, and Schedule K construction notices that tell the FCC your system was actually built, a step that quietly voids licenses when it gets missed. For public safety agencies, we handle the P25 and MOSWIN side too, including equipment from the official MOSWIN certified list.
Why licensing is not optional
Unlicensed business radio operation exposes you to FCC enforcement and fines, and it usually surfaces at the worst moment: an interference complaint from a licensed neighbor. The economics are lopsided, roughly $50–$75 a year amortized against a system your operation depends on. The complete picture, itinerant frequencies, license-free FRS and MURS alternatives and their 2-watt limits, is in the licensing guide.
Already running radios without a license?
You are not the first, and the fix is straightforward: we coordinate frequencies, file the license, and reprogram the fleet to the coordinated channels. Getting compliant before an interference complaint finds you is dramatically cheaper than after.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you run business-band two-way radios, almost certainly yes, under FCC Part 90. The exceptions are low-power license-free services like FRS and MURS, capped at 2 watts, which suit small single-building operations and little else.
Typically $500–$750 for a 10-year term, covering frequency coordination, preparation, and the FCC's own fee ($105 new or major modification, $35 renewal for site-based Part 90). Government entities pay no FCC application fee at all.
Usually a few weeks to a couple of months, driven mostly by frequency coordination. We file everything correctly the first time, which is where do-it-yourself applications typically lose months.
The FCC filing that confirms your licensed system was actually built and turned on within the required window. Miss it and the license can be voided even though you paid for it. We file it as part of every system build.