Oh No! I Forgot to Pay My Application Fee!

If you're anything like me, you know it’s really easy to miss things—submitting an assignment, cashing a check, or paying a fee. And if you’ve tried to pay your FCC application fee but don’t see it showing up, don’t panic. Chances are, you accidentally missed the deadline without realizing it!

When you apply for a new FCC radio license—whether it’s HAM or GMRS—you only have 10 days to pay the application fee. If you forget, or wait too long, the fee will disappear, basically letting you know you messed up. But don’t worry—it’s easy to fix this scary predicament!

All you need to do is cancel, delete, or withdraw your application (different places use different words), then start over. Yeah, it’s annoying, but at least you haven’t lost your chance to get on the air!

How to Cancel Your Application

Navigating the FCC websites can be confusing, so here’s the basic process:

1. Go to the FCC ULS website.

2. Click Online Filing (sometimes listed as Filing Online).

3. This takes you to the License Manager. Log in with your FCC credentials.

4. On the left panel, click My Applications.

5. Look for your Pending Application and click the linked word (for me, it says Pending). Be patient—it can take a while to load!

6. Once it’s open, click Withdraw (or the equivalent button).

7. Confirm everything (you may need to type your full name as a signature).
   
   

Once the system says your cancellation is submitted, you’re free to start the application process again. Just don’t forget to pay this time!