Special temporary authority
| Special temporary authority | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | STA |
| Granted by | Federal Communications Commission (FCC) |
| What it allows | Temporary operation not covered by a station's license or the normal rules |
| Typical uses | Experiments, equipment tests, emergencies, one-time operations |
| Terms | |
| Duration | Limited; in many wireless services up to 180 days at a time |
| Fee | Listed at $35 for the amateur service in the FCC's 2025 fee schedule |
| Conditions | Usually secondary, on a non-interference basis |
| Related | Rule waivers; Part 5 experimental licenses |
Special temporary authority (STA) is permission from the FCC to operate a radio station in a way that its license or the normal rules do not allow, for a limited time and a specific purpose. STAs are used across the radio services the FCC regulates: a broadcaster may get one to run from a temporary site after a tower collapse, and a company may get one to test new equipment before applying for a regular license. In amateur radio they are uncommon, because Part 97 already gives amateurs wide freedom to experiment, but they exist for the cases the rules do not cover.
What an STA is
An STA is a temporary grant, not a rule change. It applies only to the station or person named, only for the purpose described in the request, and only until its expiration date. The FCC's general procedure for wireless services sets out the circumstances that can justify an STA, including:
- emergencies and the restoration of disrupted service;
- tests needed to prepare an application for a regular license;
- a temporary, one-time operation;
- other unusual situations in which waiting for a regular application would harm the public interest.
STAs come with conditions. They are typically granted on a secondary basis, meaning the station must not cause harmful interference to licensed users and must accept any interference it receives. The grant may limit frequencies, power, location and hours of operation, and the FCC can withdraw it at any time. In many wireless services an STA lasts no more than 180 days, and an extension needs a fresh justification.
Uses in amateur radio
Most amateur activities that seem unusual need no special permission. High-altitude balloon flights, moonbounce, homebrew transmitters and new digital modes all fit within Part 97, provided the station stays within its frequencies, power limits and other technical rules. Likewise, a special event station needs no STA: short 1×1 call signs are assigned through volunteer special event call sign coordinators, and the event can operate under an ordinary club or personal license.
An STA becomes relevant when an operation genuinely falls outside the rules. Examples include tests of a signal type or bandwidth Part 97 does not permit, operation on frequencies not allocated to amateurs, or a temporary need to exceed a technical limit. In 2012, for example, the FCC granted a six-month STA to an amateur experimenter to test spread-spectrum signals on several amateur bands, using a special experimental call sign, to study whether such signals could share the bands with existing users. Experiments like this can produce data that later supports a petition to change the rules.
Related authorizations
An STA is one of several ways the FCC grants exceptions, and the right tool depends on the situation.
- Rule waivers. The FCC can temporarily waive a specific rule for a group of licensees. After major hurricanes, for example, it has temporarily relaxed limits on HF data transmissions so that amateurs could move relief traffic more efficiently.
- Experimental licenses. Under Part 5 of the FCC rules, the Office of Engineering and Technology issues experimental licenses, with call signs containing an X, for research and development. Before the 630-meter and 2200-meter bands were opened to US amateurs, hams explored those frequencies under experimental licenses.
- Rule changes. Permanent changes go through the public rulemaking process, with a petition or FCC proposal, public comment and a final order.
Requesting one
An STA request is filed with the FCC, ahead of the proposed operation, and must fully explain what is planned, why the normal rules do not cover it, and why it is needed now. The FCC's general rules ask for STA requests at least 10 days before operation begins, except in emergencies. Requests should give the frequencies, power, emission type, location and dates, and show how interference to other users will be avoided. An application fee may apply; the FCC's 2025 fee schedule lists $35 for an amateur STA, but check current fees and filing instructions before applying. The ARRL's regulatory information staff can advise members on whether an STA is needed at all.