Who Needs A Commercial Operator License?

The answer depends on whether you wish to operate or repair and maintain radio stations. If you only intend to operate a radio station, read the Radio Operations paragraphs below. If you intend to operate, repair, and maintain radio stations, read the Radio Maintenance and Repair paragraphs below.

CAUTION: These listings only describe when a commercial operator license is necessary. A commercial operator license does not constitute or imply FCC authorization to transmit radio signals. Before you operate any radio station, make certain that the station is licensed as required by the FCC. Citizens band and Radio Control radio stations do not require individual station licenses.

Radio Operations

You need a commercial radio operator license to operate the following:

• Ship radio stations if:
  • the vessel carries more than six passengers for hire; or
  • the radio operates on medium or high frequencies; or
  • the ship sails to foreign ports; or
  • the ship is larger than 300 gross tons and is required to carry a radio station for safety purposes.

• Coast stations which operate on medium or high frequencies, or operate with more than 1,500 watts of peak envelope power.

• Aircraft radio stations, except those that use only VHF frequencies on domestic flights.

• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.

• Coast and ship stations transmitting radiotelegraphy.

• Coast stations operating on VHF frequencies with 250 watts or less of carrier power.

• Ship stations operating only on VHF frequencies while sailing on domestic voyages (unless the vessel carries more than six passengers for hire, or the ship is larger than 300 gross tons and is required to carry a radio station for safety purposes).

• Aircraft stations which operate only on VHF frequencies and do not make foreign flights.

Radio Maintenance and Repair

You need a commercial radio operator license to repair and maintain the following:

• All ship radio and radar stations.

• All coast stations.

• All hand carried units used to communicate with ships and coast stations on marine frequencies.

• All aircraft stations and aeronautical ground stations including hand-carried portable units) used to communicate with aircraft.

• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.

You do NOT need a commercial radio operator license to operate, repair, or maintain any of the following types of stations:

• Two-way land mobile radio equipment, such as that used by police and fire departments, taxicabs and truckers, businesses and industries, ambulances and rescue squads, local, state, and federal government agencies.

• Personal radio equipment used in the Citizens Band, Radio Control, and General Mobile Radio Services (GMRS).

• Auxiliary broadcast stations, such as remote pickup stations.

• Domestic public fixed and mobile radio systems, such as mobile telephone systems, cellular systems, rural radio systems, point-to-point microwave systems, multipoint distribution systems, etc.

• Stations that operate in the Cable Television Relay Service.

• Satellite stations, both uplink and downlink of all types.

NOTE: Possession of a commercial radio operator license or permit does not authorize an individual to operate amateur or GMRS radio stations. Only a person holding an amateur or GMRS radio operator license may operate an amateur or GMRS radio station.

Return to Top

Last reviewed/updated on 8/1/2007