Frequently Asked Questions

In order to become an amateur radio operator, one must pass the Basic exam with a mark of 70% or greater.  It is recommended that you visit our Amateur Radio Service website and read the Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service (RBR-4), the Information on the Amateur Radio Service (RIC-3), and the Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes (RIC-9) before taking the exam.  You will also find on this website the Amateur Radio Exam Generator which is a learning tool for prospective amateurs and accredited examiners. In order for you to do the exam, you must contact an Accredited Examiner in your area which can be found on the Accredited Examiners page.

Persons holding any of the following certificates listed below may be issued an authorization to operate in the amateur radio service with the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic, Morse and Advanced qualifications:

• Radiocommunication Operator General Certificate (Maritime)
• Radio Operator’s First Class Certificate
• Radio Operator’s Second Class Certificate

Persons holding any of the following Canadian certificates may be issued an authorization to operate in the amateur radio service with the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with the Basic qualification:

• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Aeronautical)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Maritime)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Land)
• First-Class Radioelectronic Certificate

Please complete the application form (IC-2381) and email to spectrum.amateur@ic.gc.ca.

There are no equivalencies given for holders of Amateur licences from other countries.  The only way to get your Canadian Amateur Radio Operator Certificate is to take and pass the Canadian Basic qualification with a mark of 70% or greater.

Contact the Amateur Radio Service Centre to discuss what options are available in this situation.

All cheques and money orders sent to the ARSC should be paid to the order of the: "Receiver General of Canada".

No, the privilege of operating your own repeater, within the same band, is given only to operators with Advanced Qualifications.

Cross-band repeaters are allowed, but again you must have the Advanced Qualification in order to operate a repeater and you may only transmit in the designated amateur bands.

To sponsor a radio station for Amateur Radio Club you must have attained the Advanced Qualification.

Radio Amateurs of Canada (www.rac.ca) is "Canada's National Amateur Radio Society" and have an abundance of information.  Radio Amateurs du Quebec Inc. (www.raqi.ca) is the association that supports Amateurs in the province of Quebec.  Both of these are excellent resources and are able to connect you to local clubs.

Industry Canada is not responsible for licence plates.  Please contact your provincial or territorial Ministry of Transportation.

As per the Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes (RIC-9) an amateur may hold as many three letter call signs as they wish.  The fee is $60 per additional call sign after they receive their original call sign. Please note that only one two-letter call sign is assigned per amateur operator.  A club may also have as many call signs as they wish. Call signs for club stations will be issued with three-letter suffixes only. Existing two-letter club station call signs will remain valid until the club disbands or the call sign is released. To request an additional amateur or club call sign, please visit the Amateurs and Clubs page.

In certain areas there is high traffic of amateur operators. In these areas there are far less two-letter call signs available. For this reason certain areas require that an individual has been an amateur for at least five years before they are eligible to obtain a two-letter call sign. These provinces are: Nova Scotia; Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; Saskatchewan; Alberta; British Columbia; and Newfoundland.  The regions where there is no five year designation are: Northwest Territories; New Brunswick; Labrador; Nunavut; Yukon; Prince Edward Island.  No matter where you live in Canada, you may not hold more than ONE two-letter call sign.  Clubs may not apply for a two-letter call sign.

Information regarding special events can be found in the Radio Information Circular 9 (RIC-9), Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes.

To become an Accredited Examiner one must have a certificate with Basic, Morse (5 wpm) and Advanced Qualifications. RIC-1 Guide for Examiners Accredited to Conduct Examinations for Amateur Radio Operator Certificates is the document that gives information for Accredited Examiners. Please submit an application to become an accredited examiner which can be found on the Accredited Examiners page.
Reminder that a completed/signed Appendix A must be scanned and included as part of the submission.

Industry Canada requires that Accredited Examiners keep exams for a minimum of three years.

Within 10 working days.

A candidate who fails the written test may be retested as often as necessary.  The examiner is required to provide a different examination for each re-examination.

Yes. Canadians can obtain a CEPT licence, issued by Radio Amateur of Canada, that allows them to operate in the countries that have signed the CEPT agreement.  Please visit www.rac.ca for more information, and read RIC-3 Information on the Amateur Radio Service for information on CEPT and the participating countries.

You may use your home station call sign when in international waters without any problems.  Since your call sign reflects your geographical location you may wish to obtain a VE0 to show this when operating. The VE0 call sign can not be used in Canadian waters including lakes, rivers or on land.  It can only be used in international waters.  In order to qualify for a VE0 prefix, an amateur must have a land based call sign already assigned to them. To obtain the VE0 you must request and additional call sign plus pay a $60.00 fee.

For participatory countries an IARP may be obtained. For more information please contact Radio Amateur of Canada (www.rac.ca).

In order to you use the call sign of your home country in Canada you must bring your CEPT certificate and Amateur Radio Operator’s Licence.  A Letter of Authority is not necessary but can be provided upon request to Industry Canada ARSC.  Amateurs must add the prefix of the geographical location they will be in.  Therefore, an amateur from the United Kingdom with the call sign G**** who will be operating in Winnipeg, Manitoba, will use the prefix VE4 while visiting and will use the call sign VE4G****.

Anyone with a Canadian address is eligible for the Canadian certificate upon passing the Canadian Basic Amateur exam.  There are no restrictions based on nationality, age or sex.

When you are moving to a new address within the same province notify the ARSC by requesting a "change of amateur address" which can be found on the Amateurs and Clubs page. If you are moving out of province and will no longer be retaining an address in the province of your call sign, request a "change of amateur province" which can be found on the Amateurs and Clubs page. A new call sign will be issued to you for the appropriate province free of charge and your call sign for the former province will be made available for reassignment.  If you have addresses in two different provinces, you may hold call signs in those two provinces, as long as an address is provided for each province and each call sign. Please contact the ARSC if you have addresses in two different provinces.

* Even if you have addresses in two different provinces you may not hold more than one two-letter call sign.

Once you have created a user account, you will be able to request a change of amateur or club address which can be found on the Amateurs and Clubs page.

You must give a valid address when applying for your first call sign and keep us up to date on your address as it changes. If you do not want your address information to appear online on our website, please update your disclosure information by selecting "Request a Change of Amateur Address" on the Amateurs and Clubs page.

Attaining honour scores (80% or above) on the Basic examination will grant the amateur certificate holder certain additional operating privileges as specified in RBR-4 Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service, giving full access to the amateur frequency bands below 30 MHz (i.e. high frequency (HF)).

According to the Radio Information Circular 9 (RIC-9) Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes, call signs are assigned based on your geographical area in Canada.  If you do not have a valid address in Canada you may not be assigned a call sign and your call sign will be released. You will still be an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate holder for life and if you come back to operate in Canada and have a Canadian address you can apply for a call sign and not have to take the exam over.

When an amateur dies Industry Canada must be notified of the death by either a copy of the death certificate or an obituary which should include the amateur’s date of birth or age.  Once the documentation is sent and verified, Industry Canada’s Amateur Radio Service Centre (ARSC) places the call sign on hold for one year from the date of passing. During this period of time an immediate family member may obtain the call sign by submitting an application and payment of the $60 fee.  If no one from the immediate family obtains the call sign after the one year has expired, the call sign is released and becomes available to the public.

* NOTE: Close family friends etc. are not eligible to obtain the call sign during the year that the call sign is on hold for Next of Kin.  If the family does not want the call sign, they can write or email Industry Canada's ARSC granting permission to release the call sign early. Once a call sign is released it is assigned on a "first come - first served" basis.

The following is a time line to regulatory changes and the effect to existing Amateurs:

• July 2005: Any Amateur who held a Basic Certificate from before April 2, 2002 was grandfathered to a Basic with Honours Certificate.
• March 2000: VE9 becomes the exclusive prefix to New Brunswick. All residents of New Brunswick who held VE1/VA1 call signs are grandfathered these call signs.
• March 2000: Publishing of RIC-9 introduces a new policy for two letter call signs, capping the number of two letter call signs for individuals to one, and disallowing clubs from holding any two letter call signs.  All individuals with more than one two letter and clubs with any two letter call signs were grandfathered these call signs.
• March 1993: All Amateurs who held an Amateur and Advanced Certificate were grandfathered to Basic, 12 wpm and Advanced.
• March 1993: All Amateurs who held an Amateur Digital Radio Operator’s Certificate were grandfathered to Basic and Advanced Certificate.
• October 1990: All Amateurs who held an Amateur Certificate or an Amateur and Advanced Certificate were grandfathered to Basic, 12 wpm and Advanced.