What You May and May Not Transmit

Identification

Each GMRS station must be identified by transmission of its FCC-assigned call sign at the end of transmissions and at periodic intervals during transmissions. — 47 CFR 95.1751

Concretely:

• At the end of a single transmission or a series of them, and
• after 15 minutes, and at least every 15 minutes thereafter, during a series lasting longer than that.

By voice in English, or by international Morse using an audible tone. You may add a unit number after the call sign — “WRXX123 mobile” — and many families do, to tell radios apart.

Note what is not required: there is no obligation to identify at the start. Ending with your call sign satisfies the rule. And note the difference from amateur practice, which is every 10 minutes rather than 15 — close enough to confuse if you hold both licences, so learn them as two facts, not one.

Permitted uses

The operator of a GMRS station may use that station for two-way plain language voice communications with other GMRS stations and with FRS units concerning personal or business activities. — 47 CFR 95.1731

The scope is broader than people expect: business use is explicitly permitted, unlike the amateur service, where communications for pecuniary interest are prohibited. A contractor coordinating a crew on GMRS is doing exactly what the service is for.

Also permitted:

• Emergency communications and traveller assistance, on any channel.
• One-way transmissions in three narrow cases: calling for help, warning travellers of hazardous road conditions, and brief test transmissions.
• Digital data from hand-held units containing or requesting location information — the basis for the location-sharing feature on some GMRS radios.

Prohibited uses

Two lists apply: §95.333, which covers every Personal Radio Service, and §95.1733, which adds GMRS-specific prohibitions.

From §95.333 — no station may transmit:

• in connection with any activity against federal, state, or local law;
• advertisements or programme material from broadcasting;
• messages for hire, or a common-carrier service;
• interference with another station, intentionally;
• obscene, profane, or indecent language;
• false or deceptive communications.

From §95.1733, GMRS additionally must not transmit:

• coded messages or messages with hidden meanings — with an explicit carve-out: “10 codes” are permissible;
• music, whistling, sound effects, or material to amuse or entertain;
• advertisements or offers for the sale of goods or services (campaign business may be discussed; campaign advertising may not);
• international distress signals, such as the word “Mayday” — except when on a ship, aircraft, or other vehicle in immediate danger;
• messages to amateur stations, unauthorised stations, or foreign stations, except emergency messages;
• continuous or uninterrupted transmissions, with narrow exceptions.

The three that catch careful people

Advertising is prohibited but business use is not. You may run your business on GMRS. You may not use it to sell to the public. “Bring the trailer round to gate two” is fine; “we have three units left, call now” is not.

No connection to the telephone network. Section 95.1749 prohibits operating a GMRS station with a telephone connection. Repeaters and base stations may be connected to a network only for remote control of the station itself. This is the rule that makes GMRS-over-internet linking, which exists in the amateur world, unavailable here.

Do not call an amateur station. Except in an emergency, GMRS stations must not communicate with stations in the Amateur Radio Service. Holding both licences does not merge the services.

Emergencies outrank the lot

Operators of GMRS stations must, at all times and on all channels, give priority to emergency communications. — 47 CFR 95.1731(a)

Any channel. At all times. Whatever else a rule says about who may use which channel, an emergency has priority — and the corresponding amateur rule, §97.403, goes further still, saying no provision of the rules prevents using any means of radiocommunication at your disposal for the immediate safety of human life or protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.

That last clause is part of the rule and worth keeping: it is a real exception for a real emergency, not a general permission to ignore service boundaries whenever something feels urgent.

Check yourself

1. You have been talking for 20 minutes. When were you required to identify?
2. Your business partner asks you to relay a price quote to a customer over GMRS. Permitted?
3. A hiker on your channel needs help and you can only reach them on a channel you would not normally use. What do the rules say?