Marine Radio Operator Licenses

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Do I Need a Radio Operator’s Permit?

The laws governing whether a license or permit is required to operate a marine radio station are no more complex than those governing marine radio station licensing.

The FCC regulates who is required to hold a radio operator’s license and what type of license is required.

The first step in determining whether you require a license or permit to operate a marine radio station, is to again determine whether or not your vessel is compulsory or voluntarily equipped.

The simple answer is if your vessel is compulsory equipped with a radio station then you are required to have a seperate operator's license to operate the radios. If you are voluntarily equipped then a radio operator's license may or may not be required.

Here is another table to illustrate who is required by law have a radio operator’s permit:

Marine Radio Operator’s License
At any point in this table you answer YES, you are required to have some form of license to operate a marine radio station.
Is your vessel any one of the following:
  1. Certain vessels that sail the Great Lakes (generally considered to be commercial vessels);
  2. Vessels more than 300 gross tons navigating in the open sea;
  3. Certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry more than 6 passengers for hire in the open sea or tidewaters of the U.S.?
If You Answered YES to any of the above -   If You Answered NO to all of the above -
 
You are required to have a Marine Radio Operator Permit.   No radio operator’s license is required.
-END-  
    Is your vessel sailing foreign or communicating with foreign radio stations?
    -AND / OR-
    You use MF/HF single sideband radio or sat comm.
   
    If you answered YES to either statement above -
   
    You are required to have a Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit.
    -END-
 

So... Do You Need an Operator’s License?

Now that you have checked the table above and have determined that you either need or maybe just want to have a radio operator’s license how do you do that?

To get you on the right track to get your Operator’s License, we are going to send you to our FCC Licensing Page.