GMRS Type-accepted Exceptions

GMRS RADIO EXCEPTIONS

Allowed Exception (Official FCC Rule)

✅ Radios that were Part 95A (old GMRS) certified before 2017

Some older Part 90/95 dual-certified commercial radios were previously legal for GMRS use.

If you have one of these grandfathered models, it is still legal to use.

Gray Areas & Workarounds

🚧 1. Part 90 Radios That Meet GMRS Technical Specs

Many commercial radios (e.g., Motorola, Kenwood, Icom) meet all GMRS technical requirements (power limits, bandwidth, emissions).

While not Part 95E certified, these radios do not cause interference and are widely used on GMRS, especially for repeater access.

The FCC has not actively gone after users who properly program Part 90 radios for GMRS.

🚧 2. Amateur (Part 97) Radios Receiving on GMRS

Ham radios (like Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood) can legally listen to GMRS, but they cannot transmit unless they are also Part 95-certified.

Many GMRS users still program ham radios to transmit on GMRS frequencies, but this is not legal under current rules.

🚧 3. Dual-Certified (Part 90 + Part 95) Radios

Some business radios have both Part 90 & Part 95 certifications. These are legal for GMRS use.

Example: Some Motorola or Kenwood models may have dual certification.

🚧 4. Military / Public Safety Radios Used Under Emergency Exceptions

FCC rules allow any radio to be used in a true emergency when no other communications are available.