What Happens If You Use A Baofeng UV-5R Without An FCC Ham License? Does A Baofeng Need A License?

You can read/search through the FCC Enforcement Database here:
In this video I explain if you need an FCC ham radio license or amateur radio license to use a Baofeng UV-5R. The UV5R is a ham radio, and according to the FCC rules you need an amateur radio aka ham radio license to use a Baofeng, or any other ham radio.
But what will happen if you use a UV-5R or other ham radio with no FCC license? Watch the video for the exciting and controversial truth.
Minor note: I accidentally picked up my UV-5R GMRS version radio (it looks exactly like the UV5R ham radio) to use while filming this video, so because I have a GMRS license, I am fully authorized and permitted to transmit on this particular Baofeng "UV-5R GMRS" radio. So, no FCC laws, guidelines or regulations were violated to make this video.
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Music by Stern Beats - You can find him here:

[logan-nwqd]

I see someone cant pass even the no code technician test. So sad 😂 lol

[toddposton]

This guy is such a smartass.
He has just won himself another subscriber.

[TheSaint]

I can finally sleep peacefully knowing that when my 6 year old daughter has a nightmare, and uses her radio to call me into her room, I will not go to prison nor have my child taken from me. Thank you YouTube dude.

[thetravi]

I just made my first contact on a GMRS repeater 25 miles from my home!! I’m new to GMRS and have only been into radios for the past 4.5 months. Randy, you taught me how to set tones and program on chirp. I’m a week into having my license so needless to say I’m pretty stoked about making my first contact. Thank god you make entertainment that revolves around knowledge!!

[Wsmith]

When I push the big button on the side of my UV-5R without a license, people talk to me in my jeep.

[thomasmaughan]

"What Happens If You Use A Baofeng UV-5R Without An FCC Ham License?"
The radio has no knowledge of your license status. It will work.

[RandellReeder]

I started off with GMRS and loved radio so much I memorized all the correct answers from a phone app to the ham tests and got my tech and general in one swipe back in May 2022. Memorized and the answers to the "EXTRA" portion and got that in Nov 2022. I have learned so much about the Baofeng UV-5R which springboard me into this wonderful radioactive hobby. Thanks Randy for the wonderful sessions, reviews, tutorials, products, t-shirts, pencil pointers, and EIS influence with the entire GMRS and amateur radio community.

[TheDoug]

I talk to NOAA weather all the time but they always ignore me and just keep repeating the same thing.

[sassedmany]

I've only been an unlicensed HAM operator for 16 years. Many learns have occurred

[williammelear]

Sorry, i already pushed it, and within minutes, i saw black helicopters flying over my house. FJB

[Sophistry]

I've only been an unlicensed ham operator for around 5 years. I tried to look for myself about what it takes to get the FCC on your back, and you'd have to be pretty belligerent. Run a signal jammer that prevent EMS from communicating or a pirate radio station that gets people to complain. Even then, they're gonna ask you nicely to stop a few times before anything escalates.

[DarkShadowCustoms]

I know people who have been using the Baofengs for 5 years or more while playing paintball or airsoft and they have never received anything kind of letter from the FCC asking them to stop. The only way the FCC can enforce their rules is to have someone on site because even if they get enough complaints the offenders will be gone by the time someone goes to investigate. Even if they talk to the field owner they won't be able to enforce anything since the field owner won't know what types of radios were being used and what frequencies were being used.

I also know a little bit about the "some people" that you refer to in the video. At my old job there was a guy who recently got his ham license. He kept insisting that I get my license because he knew I was using the UV-5R for paintball and I would get a $250k fine and have my radios confiscated for using them without a license. I just blew him off every time and he eventually left me alone. I eventually did get my ham license, but not because of any threat of action by the FCC. I got it because I had been monitoring one of the local repeaters for about 6 months or so and one day they had a sever weather net when a nasty storm came through. Listening to the severe weather net made me make the decision to wait until the storm passed and go into work at the regular start time instead of going in early like I was thinking about doing that night.

[themoe]

Retired cop...in the 90s a guy with a super powerful base station (no radio license too) was jamming a trucker trying to warn he had lost his brakes coming out of the mountains. I identified the guy and called the fcc. They went to his house and told him to knock it off. I dont think anybody needs to worry

[wyattbronx]

I never saw a guy say so much without saying anything at all. Simply amazing!

[AmericanConstellation]

I really think that when you get your license, the government now knows where to go when they want to shut us up as a ham radio operator.

[A-Negative]

I have tried to push it several times but all I hear is an air raid siren go off, I smell smoked pork and then shortly after see black helicopters circling.

[yeabutwecouldbefreer]

❤I use my UV5-R with the roger beep and an unauthorized aftermarket belt clip too. No wardriving FCCs or Sadhams have ever caught me rodger beeping the sound of freedom in the comfort of my own home.

[bendeleted]

Suffering the wrath of having your roger beep turned on seems more sure and swift than any government consequences.

[thrillbilly]

Thank you sir for putting all that out there. RIP WB5LIK never forgotten

[MrStracker]

Still - very little can compare to that first time you "get the radio to listen only" and, you know, act real sneaky and push that little button. I've been on the run from the law since. So worth it.