(a) Wireless Telecommunications Services.

(1) In circumstances requiring immediate or temporary use of station in the Wireless Telecommunications Services, carriers may request special temporary authority (STA) to operate new or modified equipment. Such requests must be filed electronically using FCC Form 601 and must contain complete details about the proposed operation and the circumstances that fully justify and necessitate the grant of STA. Such requests should be filed in time to be received by the Commission at least 10 days prior to the date of proposed operation or, where an extension is sought, 10 days prior to the expiration date of the existing STA. Requests received less than 10 days prior to the desired date of operation may be given expedited consideration only if compelling reasons are given for the delay in submitting the request. Otherwise, such late-filed requests are considered in turn, but action might not be taken prior to the desired date of operation. Requests for STA for operation of a station used in a Contraband Interdiction System, as defined in §1.9003, will be afforded expedited consideration if filed at least one day prior to the desired date of operation. Requests for STA must be accompanied by the proper filing fee.

(2) Grant without Public Notice. STA may be granted without being listed in a Public Notice, or prior to 30 days after such listing, if:

(i) The STA is to be valid for 30 days or less and the applicant does not plan to file an application for regular authorization of the subject operation;

(ii) The STA is to be valid for 60 days or less, pending the filing of an application for regular authorization of the subject operation;

(iii) The STA is to allow interim operation to facilitate completion of authorized construction or to provide substantially the same service as previously authorized;

(iv) The STA is made upon a finding that there are extraordinary circumstances requiring operation in the public interest and that delay in the institution of such service would seriously prejudice the public interest; or

(v) The STA is for operation of a station used in a Contraband Interdiction System, as defined in §1.9003.

(3) Limit on STA term. The Commission may grant STA for a period not to exceed 180 days under the provisions of section 309(f) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, (47 U.S.C. 309(f)) if extraordinary circumstances so require, and pending the filing of an application for regular operation. The Commission may grant extensions of STA for a period of 180 days, but the applicant must show that extraordinary circumstances warrant such an extension.

(b) Private Wireless Services.

(1) A licensee of, or an applicant for, a station in the Private Wireless Services may request STA not to exceed 180 days for operation of a new station or operation of a licensed station in a manner which is beyond the scope of that authorized by the existing license. See §§1.933(d)(6) and 1.939. Where the applicant, seeking a waiver of the 180 day limit, requests STA to operate as a private mobile radio service provider for a period exceeding 180 days, evidence of frequency coordination is required. Requests for shorter periods do not require coordination and, if granted, will be authorized on a secondary, non-interference basis.

(2) STA may be granted in the following circumstances:

(i) In emergency situations;

(ii) To permit restoration or relocation of existing facilities to continue communication service;

(iii) To conduct tests to determine necessary data for the preparation of an application for regular authorization;

(iv) For a temporary, non-recurring service where a regular authorization is not appropriate;

(v) In other situations involving circumstances which are of such extraordinary nature that delay in the institution of temporary operation would seriously prejudice the public interest.

(3) The nature of the circumstance which, in the opinion of the applicant justifies issuance of STA, must be fully described in the request. Applications for STA must be filed at least 10 days prior to the proposed operation. Applications filed less than 10 days prior to the proposed operation date will be accepted only upon a showing of good cause.

(4) The Commission may grant extensions of STA for a period of 180 days, but the applicant must show that extraordinary circumstances warrant such an extension.

(5) In special situations defined in §1.915(b)(1), a request for STA may be made by telephone or telegraph provided a properly signed application is filed within 10 days of such request.

(6) An applicant for an Aircraft Radio Station License may operate the radio station pending issuance of an Aircraft Radio Station License by the Commission for a period of 90 days under temporary operating authority, evidenced by a properly executed certification made on FCC Form 605.

(7) Unless the Commission otherwise prescribes, a person who has been granted an operator license of Novice, Technician, Technician Plus, General, or Advanced class and who has properly submitted to the administering VEs an application document for an operator license of a higher class, and who holds a CSCE indicating that he/she has completed the necessary examinations within the previous 365 days, is authorized to exercise the rights and privileges of the higher operator class until final disposition of the application or until 365 days following the passing of the examination, whichever comes first.

(8) An applicant for a Ship Radio station license may operate the radio station pending issuance of the ship station authorization by the Commission for a period of 90 days, under a temporary operating authority, evidenced by a properly executed certification made on FCC Form 605.

(9) An applicant for a station license in the Industrial/Business pool (other than an applicant who seeks to provide commercial mobile radio service as defined in Part 20 of this chapter) utilizing an already authorized facility may operate the station for a period of 180 days, under a temporary permit, evidenced by a properly executed certification made on FCC Form 601, after filing an application for a station license together with evidence of frequency coordination, if required, with the Commission. The temporary operation of stations, other than mobile stations, within the Canadian coordination zone will be limited to stations with a maximum of 5 watts effective radiated power and a maximum antenna height of 20 feet (6.1 meters) above average terrain.

(10) An applicant for a radio station license under Part 90, Subpart S, of this chapter (other than an applicant who seeks to provide commercial mobile radio service as defined in part 20 of this chapter) to utilize an already existing Specialized Mobile Radio System (SMR) facility or to utilize an already licensed transmitter may operate the radio station for a period of up to 180 days, under a temporary permit. Such request must be evidenced by a properly executed certification of FCC Form 601 after the filing of an application for station license, provided that the antenna employed by the control station is a maximum of 20 feet (6.1 meters) above a man-made structure (other than an antenna tower) to which it is affixed.

(11) An applicant for an itinerant station license, an applicant for a new private land mobile radio station license in the frequency bands below 470 MHz or in the 769-775/799-805 MHz, the 806-824/851-866 MHz band, or the one-way paging 929-930 MHz band (other than a commercial mobile radio service applicant or licensee on these bands) or an applicant seeking to modify or acquire through assignment or transfer an existing station below 470 MHz or in the 769-775/799-805 MHz, the 806-824/851-866 MHz band, or the one-way paging 929-930 MHz band may operate the proposed station during the pendency of its application for a period of up to 180 days under a conditional permit. Conditional operations may commence upon the filing of a properly completed application that complies with §90.127 if the application, when frequency coordination is required, is accompanied by evidence of frequency coordination in accordance with §90.175 of this chapter. Operation under such a permit is evidenced by the properly executed Form 601 with certifications that satisfy the requirements of §90.159(b).

(12) An applicant for a General Mobile Radio Service system license, sharing a multiple-licensed or cooperative shared base station used as a mobile relay station, may operate the system for a period of 180 days, under a Temporary Permit, evidenced by a properly executed certification made on FCC Form 605.

[63 FR 68928, Dec. 14, 1998, as amended at 76 FR 70909, Nov. 16, 2011; 82 FR 22759, May 18, 2017; 83 FR 61089, Nov. 27, 2018]