GMRS has 30 channels between 462 and 467 MHz: 22 that it shares with FRS, plus 8 repeater inputs on 467 MHz that only licensed GMRS stations may use. The FCC lists them in 47 CFR 95.1763 as 16 "main" and 14 "interstitial" channels; radios number the 22 shared ones 1 to 22 and show the 8 inputs as repeater channels (often RPT15 to RPT22 or 15R to 22R).
So the two counts you will see, 22 and 30, are both right. 22 is how many channels FRS and GMRS have in common (47 CFR 95.563 allots every FRS channel to GMRS on a shared basis); 30 adds the 8 GMRS-only repeater inputs. This page is the complete chart, the power and bandwidth rules that go with it, and the community conventions (like the travel channel) that are not in the rules at all.
If you are new to the service itself, start with What Is GMRS?; this page is the reference it points to.
The Complete GMRS Frequency Chart
| Channel | Frequency | FCC group | FRS power (ERP) | GMRS power | GMRS bandwidth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 462.5625 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 2 | 462.5875 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 3 | 462.6125 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 4 | 462.6375 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 5 | 462.6625 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 6 | 462.6875 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 7 | 462.7125 MHz | 462 MHz interstitial | 2 W | 5 W ERP | 20 kHz |
| 8 | 467.5625 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 9 | 467.5875 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 10 | 467.6125 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 11 | 467.6375 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 12 | 467.6625 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 13 | 467.6875 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 14 | 467.7125 MHz | 467 MHz interstitial | 0.5 W | 0.5 W ERP, handhelds only | 12.5 kHz |
| 15 | 462.5500 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 16 | 462.5750 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 17 | 462.6000 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 18 | 462.6250 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 19 | 462.6500 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 20 | 462.6750 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 21 | 462.7000 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
| 22 | 462.7250 MHz | 462 MHz main | 2 W | 50 W (mobile, base, repeater) | 20 kHz |
Source (FCC rules): GMRS channels from 47 CFR 95.1763, GMRS power from 95.1767 and GMRS bandwidth from 95.1773; FRS channel numbers from 95.563, FRS power from 95.567 and FRS bandwidth (12.5 kHz on every channel) from 95.573. Checked against the eCFR text current to October 15, 2026. The 50 W main-channel limit is transmitter output power for mobile, base and repeater stations; fixed stations are limited to 15 W. The interstitial limits are effective radiated power (ERP).
And the eight repeater pairs, licensed GMRS only. Your radio transmits on the 467 MHz input; the repeater rebroadcasts on the 462 MHz output, which is the same frequency as channels 15 to 22:
| Repeater channel | Input (you transmit) | Output (you listen) |
|---|---|---|
| RPT15 | 467.5500 MHz | 462.5500 MHz |
| RPT16 | 467.5750 MHz | 462.5750 MHz |
| RPT17 | 467.6000 MHz | 462.6000 MHz |
| RPT18 | 467.6250 MHz | 462.6250 MHz |
| RPT19 | 467.6500 MHz | 462.6500 MHz |
| RPT20 | 467.6750 MHz | 462.6750 MHz |
| RPT21 | 467.7000 MHz | 462.7000 MHz |
| RPT22 | 467.7250 MHz | 462.7250 MHz |
Source (FCC rules): 47 CFR 95.1763(a) and (c) list the 462 MHz and 467 MHz main channels; each input sits exactly 5 MHz above its output. Power on the inputs follows 95.1767(a) and bandwidth is 20 kHz under 95.1773(a). The RPT labels are a common radio convention, not FCC names.
To see the frequencies a specific radio is certified for, look up its FCC ID with our FCC ID lookup; radios in our GMRS catalog with a located grant also link their grant record. How the pairs and tones actually work is its own guide: GMRS Repeaters Explained.
How the Channel Plan Is Organized
The 30 frequencies sort into four groups, and the grouping explains every rule in the chart.
Channels 15 to 22, the 462 MHz main channels, are the heart of GMRS. Mobile, base and repeater stations may run up to 50 watts here, which is why serious GMRS activity (convoys, repeaters, base-to-mobile) lives on these eight channels.
Channels 1 to 7, the 462 MHz interstitials, sit between the main channels. GMRS users get 5 watts ERP, FRS users get 2, repeaters are not allowed, and everyone can talk to each other, which makes 1 through 7 the natural meeting ground for mixed groups of licensed and unlicensed radios.
Channels 8 to 14, the 467 MHz interstitials, are the odd ones: half a watt, handheld only, narrow bandwidth, for both services. They exist for short-range chatter that will not carry, useful in a campground, useless on a trail ride. Only handheld units may transmit on them under 95.1763(d), which is why your mobile unit skips from 7 to 15.
The 467 MHz main channels are the repeater inputs, and they are not for simplex conversation. Under 95.1763(c), mobile, handheld and control stations may transmit on 467.550 through 467.725 MHz only when communicating through a repeater or when making brief test transmissions under 95.319(c). Fixed stations may also use them, at up to 15 watts. These eight inputs are the only GMRS channels FRS radios do not have.
The bandwidth column matters more than it looks: GMRS may use 20 kHz-wide FM on channels 1 to 7 and 15 to 22, while FRS is always 12.5 kHz. In practice this is why an FRS radio can sound quieter than a GMRS radio on the same channel; the two services are compatible but not identical, a nuance covered in FRS vs GMRS.
Which Channel Should You Actually Use?
The rules set the power, station types and bandwidth for each channel, as the chart shows, but they do not designate a calling channel or an emergency channel. 47 CFR 95.1731(a) says any GMRS channel may be used for emergency communications or traveler assistance, and that operators must give emergency communications priority on every channel. Which channel to pick is therefore a matter of convention. Three are worth knowing.
Community convention, not an FCC rule: many GMRS users treat channel 20 (462.675 MHz) with a 141.3 Hz CTCSS tone as a travel and assistance channel, and some overlanding groups monitor it. Nothing in Part 95 designates it, participation is voluntary, and there is no guarantee anyone is listening.
Channel 20 with 141.3 Hz is the closest thing GMRS has to a calling channel on the road. If you are traveling and want to find other GMRS users, it is a reasonable place to start.
Convoys and groups pick a main channel (15 to 22) with a privacy tone. The 50-watt allowance means your mobile radios can actually use their power, and a CTCSS tone keeps your squelch quiet without (as the name misleadingly suggests) giving you any actual privacy; anyone without the tone still hears you.
Mixed license situations live on 1 to 7. If half your group has FRS bubble-pack radios and half has GMRS gear, channels 1 to 7 give the GMRS side a power advantage while keeping everyone on speaking terms.
If the GMRS side of that group still needs a radio, the Baofeng UV-5G Plus is a low-cost certified handheld, with a Part 95E grant we have checked against the FCC register rather than taken from the listing:
There is no official GMRS emergency channel. In a genuine emergency, use whatever channel raises help; the rules give emergency communications priority on all of them, and the channel 20 convention is one place someone may be listening.
One thing the conventions take for granted is the power to use them. Handhelds typically run around 5 watts, while channels 15 to 22 allow mobile, base and repeater stations up to 50. In a vehicle, a mobile feeding an antenna on the roof carries much farther than a handheld inside the cab, and that is what makes a convoy channel or the travel channel work between cars. Two places to start, both with a verified Part 95E grant: the Radioddity DB20-G is small enough to run without a permanent install, and the Midland MXT275 puts all of its controls on the microphone, so the radio body can live out of reach.
$109.99 · 20.00W · VHF/UHF
$199.99 · 15.00W
More certified mobiles, from 15 to 50 watts, are compared in our best GMRS mobile radios guide.
Can You Program Other Frequencies?
No, and this is the community's most repeated correction to newcomers. Every GMRS transmitter must be FCC-certified for the service (47 CFR 95.1761(a)). New grants are issued under Part 95 Subpart E, and radios certified under the former GMRS rules in Subpart A keep their certification. Section 95.1761(c) bars certifying one that can transmit on any frequency outside the 95.1763 list (unless that frequency is also certified for another service that requires certification) or that has Amateur Radio capability. It also requires the frequency programming controls to be internal, not reachable from outside the radio. The channels a certified GMRS radio ships with are the channels the service has. So a radio that lets you program transmit frequencies outside this chart is not a certified GMRS radio, no matter what the listing says, unless its grant also certifies those frequencies for another service that requires certification. You can verify any radio's certification yourself with our FCC ID lookup, and radios in our GMRS catalog show which rule parts their grant covers, checked against the FCC register.
What your radio can freely do is listen: scanning weather channels, ham traffic, or anything else is legal for everyone. Transmitting is what the license and the chart govern. The GMRS license itself is $35, no exam, and covers your family; given what it unlocks on channels 15 to 22, it is the cheapest capability upgrade in radio.
The Bottom Line
Thirty channels, four groups, two services, one chart. Save this page, put your group on a main channel with a tone, know where the travel channel is, and let the radio handle the rest; that is what a channelized service is for. If you are still choosing hardware, our GMRS handheld and mobile guides rank every certified radio in our catalog with live data.