Us Code § 318 - Transmitting apparatus; operator's license
Full text of Us Code United States Code § 318 — Transmitting apparatus; operator's license, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 318. Transmitting apparatus; operator's license
The actual operation of all transmitting apparatus in any radio station for which a station license is required by this chapter shall be carried on only by a person holding an operator's license issued hereunder, and no person shall operate any such apparatus in such station except under and in accordance with an operator's license issued to him by the Commission: Provided, however, That the Commission if it shall find that the public interest, convenience, or necessity will be served thereby may waive or modify the foregoing provisions of this section for the operation of any station except (1) stations for which licensed operators are required by international agreement, (2) stations for which licensed operators are required for safety purposes, and (3) stations operated as common carriers on frequencies below thirty thousand kilocycles: Provided further, That the Commission shall have power to make special regulations governing the granting of licenses for the use of automatic radio devices and for the operation of such devices.
(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, §318, 48 Stat. 1089; Mar. 29, 1937, ch. 58, 50 Stat. 56; Pub. L. 86–609, §1, July 7, 1960, 74 Stat. 363; Pub. L. 94–335, July 1, 1976, 90 Stat. 794; Pub. L. 102–538, title II, §205, Oct. 27, 1992, 106 Stat. 3543; Pub. L. 103–414, title III, §303(d), Oct. 25, 1994, 108 Stat. 4296.)
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original "this Act", meaning act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, 48 Stat. 1064, known as the Communications Act of 1934, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 609 of this title and Tables.
Amendments
1994—Pub. L. 103–414 made technical amendments to directory language of Pub. L. 102–538, §205(1). See 1992 Amendment note below.
1992—Pub. L. 102–538, §205(2), redesignated cl. (4) as (3).
Pub. L. 102–538, §205(1), as amended by Pub. L. 103–414, struck out cl. (3) which read as follows: "stations engaged in broadcasting (other than those engaged primarily in the function of rebroadcasting the signals of broadcast stations),".
1976—Pub. L. 94–335 substituted "engaged primarily in the function of rebroadcasting the signals of broadcast stations" for "engaged solely in the function of rebroadcasting the signals of television broadcast stations" in parenthetical provisions of cl. (3).
1960—Pub. L. 86–609 inserted "(other than those engaged solely in the function of rebroadcasting the signals of television broadcast stations)" after "engaged in broadcasting".
1937—Act Mar. 29, 1937, inserted provisos.
About This Section
47 U.S.C. § 318 is part of Title 47 of the United States Code. The United States Code is the official codification of federal statutes maintained by the Office of the Law Revision Counsel of the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress amends the Code through new public laws, which are eventually incorporated into the relevant title.
This section may be cited in legal writing as 47 U.S.C. § 318. For the most current official text, including any recent amendments, use the official source links below. Do not rely on this page as the sole authority for legal citation or litigation.
How to Read This Statute
Statutes are organized by title, chapter, section, and subsection. Pay attention to words like "shall," "may," "and," and "or," because they determine whether a requirement is mandatory or permissive and whether multiple conditions must all be met. Historical notes and amendments often appear at the end of a section.
Using This Page
This page is intended for research and educational use. Lawyers, students, journalists, and compliance professionals can use it as a starting point, but should always verify the current text through an official government source before relying on it for legal advice, filings, or compliance decisions.