RAM licensing: overview
A Radioactive Materials (RAM) license is the official authorization granted by a regulatory agency to possess, use, store, and handle radioactive materials. The RAM license provides the legal and operational framework for safely managing Ac-225 — every other workstream (safety, facilities, waste, training) flows from what is written into it.
In the United States, RAM licenses are issued by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or by an Agreement State that has assumed regulatory authority under §274 of the Atomic Energy Act. Roughly 88% of medical RAM licenses are issued by Agreement State programs; the remaining ~12% are issued directly by the NRC.
Because wait times can run long — especially for an isotope category regulators see less often — it can help to file the RAM license submission as early as practical and use that file date as a gating milestone for the rest of the plan.
Two regulatory paths
NRC-regulated states
The NRC directly regulates medical use of byproduct material in a minority of states. Applications follow NUREG-1556, Vol. 9, Rev. 3 and the NRC Form 313 pathway, with isotope-specific authorizations enumerated on the license.
Agreement States
Most states regulate their own medical-use programs under an agreement with the NRC. Agreement State rules must be at least as restrictive as NRC rules, but the forms, fees, review timelines, and inspector practices vary considerably from state to state.
Regulatory bodies that grant RAM licenses
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Regulates approximately 12% of medical RAM licenses in the US. Direct point of contact for facilities in non-Agreement States, and the source of consensus guidance (NUREG-1556 series) used across the country.
Agreement State agencies
Regulate approximately 88% of medical RAM licenses in the US. May use the NRC application package or a state-specific equivalent. Always confirm the controlling agency for the facility address before drafting an application.
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Licensing. www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/regulatory/licensing.html
- US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Agreement States. www.nrc.gov/about-nrc/state-tribal/agreement-states.html
- NUREG-1556, Vol. 9, Rev. 3 — Program-Specific Guidance About Medical Use Licenses.