License View API

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Overview

The FCC issues licenses for use of the nation's airwaves and other purposes. License View API provides snapshots such as the number of licenses across different services, how many licenses different entities have, and how many licenses are up for renewal in the near future. The following APIs represent a step toward reform of our licensing systems and improvement in how the FCC makes licensing information available to the public.

Disclaimer

The FCC License View contains licenses that have been granted by the Federal Communications Commission, and is intended solely to demonstrate some of the changes envisioned for the Commission's new Consolidated Licensing System. Users are cautioned that this system does not necessarily constitute the complete record in any particular license and, as such, the FCC makes no representations regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information maintained in the FCC License View. Users seeking a record of a particular license are urged to utilize the Commission's official databases, such as the Cable Operations and Licensing System (COALS), Consolidated Data Base System (CDBS), Experimental Licensing System (ELS), International Bureau Filing System (IBFS) and Universal Licensing System (ULS), instead.

The information contained herein has not been relied upon by the Commission to analyze the competitive marketplace or assessing the spectrum holdings of service providers in any particular geographic area. Furthermore, users should be aware that matters not reflected in the FCC License View may relate to and affect the status of FCC licenses, including spectrum leasing arrangements, transactions pending before the FCC, transactions approved by the FCC but not consummated by applicants, future proceedings before the FCC, or actions in the courts. The FCC License View is also not an endorsement by the FCC of any particular service, technology, product, or service provider, and the FCC makes no representations or warranties about the provision of service on the data included in this database.

Reference Files

Data Dictionary

Read a brief explanation of each field included in the data set. (406 KB)

Sample Data Set

View a small subset of data as an example of the file download layout. (74 KB)

Full Data Set

Download the complete set of data in the License View database. (577 MB)

getLicenses

Description

This API returns high level license information including name, FRN, call sign, category, service, status, expiration date and license id, based on the search criteria passed. The API returns data where the search criteria match a name, FRN, or call sign.

Users seeking a record of a particular license are urged to utilize the Commission's official databases, such as the Universal Licensing System (ULS), International Bureau Filing System (IBFS), Experimental Licensing System (ELS) Cable Operations and Licensing System (COALS) and Consolidated Data Base System (CDBS), instead.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/basicSearch/getLicenses?searchValue=[searchValue]

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/basicSearch/getLicenses?searchValue=Verizon%20Wireless&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getCommonNames

Description

This API returns a list of currently known licensee names associated with a common name. This API is currently available for top ten license holders. With no parameters, this API returns list of top ten common names.

Not all license holders are currently associated with a common name. As part of the Spectrum Dashboard, common names were manually identified for licenses in the following bands: 700 MHz, 800 MHz Cellular, Advanced Wireless Service (AWS), Broadband Personal Communications Service (PCS), Broadband Radio Service (BRS) and Educational Broadband Service (EBS), and 2.3 GHz Wireless Communications Service (WCS). Confirmed associations were then mapped to all license data within License View. Currently, less than 10% of all licenses have a confirmed association with a common name. Users seeking a record of a particular license are urged to utilize the Commission's official databases.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getCommonNames

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getCommonNames?commonName=Sprint%20Nextel&limit=10&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getStatuses

Description

This API returns the license counts and percent distribution by status. A license falls into one of the following statuses: active, expired, cancelled or terminated.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getStatuses

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getStatuses?commonName=Sprint%20Nextel&limit=10&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getCategories

Description

This API returns the counts and percent distribution of active licenses by category. A license falls into only one category.

For general overview purposes, we have associated each radio service with a specific usage category. Categories are based on most common usage by industry and may not reflect the actual use of an individual license. The data dictionary provides a mapping of the radio service to its respective category.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getCategories

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getCategories?commonName=Sprint%20Nextel&limit=10&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getEntities

Description

This API returns the counts and percent distribution of active licenses by entity type. There are four entity categories: Individual, Business, Government and Other.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getEntities

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getEntities?format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getRenewals

Description

This API returns the number of licenses up for renewal in a given month. The API returns 12 months worth of data.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getRenewals

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getRenewals?commonName=Sprint%20Nextel&limit=10&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes

getIssued

Description

This API returns the number of licenses that were issued by the Commission on a yearly basis. The data returned includes the year and the total number of licenses issued.

API URL

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getIssued

Example Request

http://data.fcc.gov/api/license-view/licenses/getIssued?commonName=Sprint%20Nextel&limit=10&format=jsonp&callback=?

Error Response Codes