Policy on apparatus licence renewals

We send a 'validation notice' 90 days before we send a renewal notice.

We send a renewal notice at least 4 weeks before your licence is due to expire.

The renewal notice includes a quote for your apparatus licence fee. 

If you apply to renew and pay the fee, we will renew your licence.

We may not offer to renew an apparatus licence when there are special circumstances.

Or, we may offer to renew it but under different conditions.

We may do this:

1. because of re-planning decisions
2. when we cannot renew a licence for legal reasons
3. for other reasons

These sections of the Radiocommunications Act contain more detail on why we may not offer to renew an apparatus licence:

• section 104
• section 105
• section 130
• section 131

Re-planning decisions

We may not offer to renew a licence because of re-planning decisions, such as:

• the minister has issued a spectrum designation notice for a part of the spectrum you use
• the minister has issued a spectrum re-allocation declaration for a part of the spectrum you use
• your licence is affected by re-planning and would not be consistent with:
  • the Australian Radiofrequency Spectrum Plan
  • a frequency band plan
  • an administrative band plan
  • assignment and licensing instructions
  • embargo
  • other administrative arrangements

Legal and other reasons

There may be other reasons why we may not offer to renew your apparatus licence. Or, we may offer to renew it under different conditions.

For example, if you have a:

• short term licence (usually less than one year) that was issued for a special event
• scientific licence
• licence for a transmitter you must be qualified to operate, and you are no longer qualified 
• licence for a datacasting transmitter and it has been renewed before
• licence for a non-foundation digital radio multiplex transmitter
• history of non-compliance with the Act or other relevant laws 

We will not offer to renew your licence if there is an order from a court or tribunal.

If we decide not to offer to renew your licence, we will write to you and tell you why. 

We will also tell you if we decide to offer to renew your licence under different conditions. 

You may ask us to review the decision.

We review this policy from time to time, particularly when there are changes to the:

• policy
• legislative framework