Rules note: You need an FCC license to transmit on GMRS (47 CFR 95.1705). Use only FCC-certified GMRS radios, and stay within the power and channel limits for your station type. This is general information, not legal advice. The eCFR text of Part 95 Subpart E is the authority.
Like the other Personal Radio Services, GMRS requires the radio itself to be certified for the service before you may transmit with it (95.1761(a)). Using a non-certified transmitter “voids the user’s authority to operate that station” (95.335). The FCC’s public database lets anyone check a radio in a few minutes.
On this page
Step 1: Find the FCC ID
The FCC says FCC IDs “are usually shown on a label found on a certified radio frequency device.” If the device has a display, the ID may be shown electronically, and the user manual will say where to find it (FCC ID Search). On handhelds, check under the battery as well as on the case.
An FCC ID has two parts (FCC):
- Grantee code: the first 3 characters (starting with a letter) or 5 characters (starting with a number 2-9). It identifies the company.
- Product code: everything after that, assigned by the company. It may contain hyphens.
Step 2: Search the FCC database
- Open the FCC ID Search page, or the advanced search for more fields.
- Enter the grantee code in the first box and the product code in the second.
- Open the grant record for the matching product.
Step 3: Read the grant
On the grant, look for:
| Field | What you want to see |
|---|---|
| Rule part | Part 95 Subpart E (GMRS). Subpart B is FRS. |
| Frequency range | 462-467 MHz entries that match the GMRS channels in 95.1763 |
| Output power | Within the limits in 95.1767 for the station type |
| Grantee name | The brand or maker you expected |
A radio certified only under Subpart B is an FRS radio, which the FCC says is licensed by rule, at up to 2 W ERP (FCC). Since December 27, 2017, the FCC no longer certifies handhelds under both FRS and GMRS (95.1761(d)). Combination GMRS/FRS radios have been banned from sale since September 30, 2019 (95.1791). See GMRS vs FRS.
Red flags
- No FCC ID anywhere. Certified radio devices carry one; GMRS radios must be certified.
- The grant doesn’t list Part 95 Subpart E at all (for example, only Part 90). That isn’t a certified GMRS radio. Separately, a GMRS radio can’t be certified if it also operates in services that don’t require certification, such as amateur radio (95.1761(c)). See ham radios on GMRS.
- Listings that promise “unlocked” or extra frequencies. Modifying a radio to add transmit frequencies or power in violation of Part 95 voids its certification (95.337).
- The ID belongs to a different product. Check the grant’s description and photos against what you’re buying.
Before you buy
Selling non-certified Personal Radio Service equipment is itself prohibited (95.391), but that won’t help you if you’ve already transmitted with it. Check the FCC ID from the listing’s photos or manual first, then compare current prices: Shop gmrs radio on Amazon →.
FAQ
What does “Part 95 Subpart E” mean? It is the GMRS rules in 47 CFR.
The label is worn off. What now? Check the menu or manual; the FCC allows electronic display of the ID on devices with screens (FCC).
What if a radio’s certification is revoked? If the FCC revokes or withdraws a certification, radios already in service may usually keep operating until the FCC says otherwise by public notice (95.335(b)).
Sources: FCC ID Search page; 47 CFR 95.335, 95.337, 95.391, 95.1761, 95.1763, 95.1767, 95.1791. Checked October 13, 2026.