Source Material Facilities Licensing
The NRC licenses all source material facilities in the United States. After the initial license is granted, the license may be amended, renewed, transferred, or otherwise modified depending on activities that affect the facility during its operating life.
Process for New Licenses
A company that wishes to operate a source material facility must submit an application to NRC. This application must demonstrate how the facility will be operated to ensure adequate safety and safeguards in accordance with NRC regulations found in 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 70, 73, 74, and 76.
NRC reviews the application according to procedures and criteria documented in various documents. Several standard review plans associated with source material facilities are Standard Review Plan for Transportation Packages for Radioactive Material (NUREG-1609) and Standard Review Plan for the Review of a Reclamation Plan for Mill Tailings Sites Under Title II of the Uranium Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 (NUREG-1620).
License Modification Process
To make changes to a license, the licensee prepares an application for an amendment. This application must contain the basis for the changes and a detailed description of how the change would affect safety of the workers, the public, and the environment. The NRC technical staff reviews the application and, if it is approved, the license is amended to include the change.
License Renewal Process
Source material facility licenses can be renewed for up to a 10-year period.
License Fees
The fees charged by the NRC to applicants for an NRC license and to holders of NRC licenses and the associated requirements are found in 10 CFR Part 170 and 10 CFR Part 171. See in particular 10 CFR 170.20 and 170.31, and 10 CFR 171.16 and 171.17(b) for sections directly applicable to fees for source material licenses. Also see 10 CFR 170.11 and 10 CFR 171.11 for exemptions from the fee requirements. For more information about fees, see our License Fees page and 10 CFR 170 and 10 CFR 171.
Public Involvement
To learn how stakeholders can participate in our licensing process, see Public Involvement in Licensing.
Page Last Reviewed/Updated Friday, July 07, 2023