Sec.  97.19   Application for a vanity call sign.

   (a) The person named in an operator/primary station license grant or in a
   club station license grant is eligible to make application for modification
   of the license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected
   by the vanity call sign system. RACES and military recreation stations are
   not eligible for a vanity call sign.

   (b) Each application for a modification of an operator/primary or club
   station license grant, or the renewal thereof, to show a call sign selected
   by the vanity call sign system must be filed in accordance with  Sec. 1.913 of
   this chapter.

   (c) Unassigned call signs are available to the vanity call sign system with
   the following exceptions:

   (1) A call sign shown on an expired license grant is not available to the
   vanity call sign system for 2 years following the expiration of the license.

   (2) A call sign shown on a surrendered, revoked, set aside, canceled, or
   voided license grant is not available to the vanity call sign system for 2
   years following the date such action is taken.

   (3) Except for an applicant who is the spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild,
   parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister,
   aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, and except for an applicant who is a
   club station license trustee acting with the written consent of at least one
   relative, as listed above, of a person now deceased, the call sign shown on
   the license of person now deceased is not available to the vanity call sign
   system for 2 years following the person's death, or for 2 years following
   the expiration of the license grant, whichever is sooner.

   (d) The vanity call sign requested by an applicant must be selected from the
   group of call signs corresponding to the same or lower class of operator
   license held by the applicant as designated in the sequential call sign
   system.

   (1) The applicant must request that the call sign shown on the license grant
   be vacated and provide a list of up to 25 call signs in order of preference.

   (2) The first assignable call sign from the applicant's list will be shown
   on the license grant. When none of those call signs are assignable, the call
   sign vacated by the applicant will be shown on the license grant.

   (3) Vanity call signs will be selected from those call signs assignable at
   the time the application is processed by the FCC.

   (4) A call sign designated under the sequential call sign system for Alaska,
   Hawaii, Caribbean Insular Areas, and Pacific Insular areas will be assigned
   only to a primary or club station whose licensee's mailing address is in the
   corresponding state, commonwealth, or island. This limitation does not apply
   to an applicant for the call sign as the spouse, child, grandchild,
   stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother,
   stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or in-law, of the former holder now
   deceased.

   [ 60 FR 7460 , Feb. 8, 1995, as amended at  60 FR 50123 , Sept. 28, 1995;  60 FR 53132 , Oct. 12, 1995;  63 FR 68979 , Dec. 14, 1998]