In Australia, you need a licence to operate a transmitter (amateur station).
You also need to follow licence conditions, device rules and use certain frequencies.
Operating an amateur station in Australia if you’re an international visitor
If you’re an overseas visiting amateur, depending on what type of overseas licence you hold, you can operate an amateur station in Australia under the Radiocommunications (Amateur Stations) Class Licence 2023.
If your overseas qualification or licence is listed in Table A or Table B below, you can operate in Australia for 365 days without needing to inform us. You do not need to get an individual licence. You must follow the rules and conditions of the class licence and transmit your overseas call sign with the letters VK before it.
Amateur operators who are visiting from overseas and staying in Australia for longer than 365 continuous days will need to get an Australian qualification and call sign to continue operating in Australia.
Different arrangements are planned for Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC) (European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) Recommendation T/R 61-02) licensees, so that they can operate an amateur station under the class licence for any length of time and can apply for an Australian call sign.
Equivalent qualifications and licences
Table A: We have an arrangement with these countries or regions
We accept these amateur licences and qualifications because we have an arrangement with the country or region.
| Who issued the licence | Overseas licence or qualification | Australian amateur licence you may be able to get | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Previous | New | ||
| European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) | CEPT Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC) Level A | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| CEPT HAREC Level B | Limited | Advanced | |
| CEPT HAREC | - | Advanced | |
| CEPT class 1 licence | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| CEPT class 2 licence | Limited | Advanced | |
| CEPT licence | - | Advanced | |
| Canada | Advanced Amateur Certificates of Proficiency in Radio | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Certificate of Proficiency in Radio | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Denmark | Sendetilladelse Fur Amator Radio Station Kategory A and B | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Kategory D and E | Limited | Advanced | |
| Kategory C | Novice | Standard | |
| France (including New Caledonia) |
Radio Amateur Station Licence Groups D and E | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Radio Amateur Station Licence Group C | Limited | Advanced | |
| Radio Amateur Station Licence Group B | Novice | Standard | |
| Germany | Deutsche Bundespost Class B Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Deutsche Bundespost Class C Licence | Limited | Advanced | |
| Deutsche Bundespost Class A Licence | Novice | Standard | |
| Greece (Hellenic Republic) |
Certificate of Category 'A' | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Certificate of Category 'B' | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Certificate of Category 'C' | Novice | Standard | |
| India | Amateur Wireless Telegraphy Station Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Israel | Radio Amateur Licence Class 'A' | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Radio Amateur Licence Class 'B' | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Radio Amateur Licence Class 'C' | Novice | Standard | |
|
Japan
* Telephone-only operation on frequency bands above 30 MHz with 10 watts maximum power |
First Class Amateur Radio Operator Certificate | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Second Class Amateur Radio Operator Certificate | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Third Class (Telegraph Class) Amateur Radio Operator Certificate | Intermediate* | Advanced* | |
| Fourth Class (Telephone Class) Amateur Radio Operator Certificate | Limited | Advanced* | |
| Malaysia | Amateur Station Licence (qualified in telegraphy at 12 words per minute) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Station Licence (no telegraphy qualification) | Limited | Advanced | |
| New Zealand | Amateur Operator's Certificate (General) (Grades I and II prior to 14/07/1986) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Operator's Certificate (Limited) (Grade III prior to 14/07/1986) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Amateur Operator's Certificate (Novice) | Novice | Standard | |
| Papua New Guinea | Amateur Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Licence (Limited) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Novice Licence | Novice | Standard | |
| Poland | Amateur Licence Kategoria (Category) Pierwsza (Class A) | Intermediate | Advanced |
| Amateur Licence Kategoria (Category) Drugiej (Class B) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Solomon Islands | Amateur Radio Licence (Unrestricted) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Radio Licence (Restricted) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Spain | Aficionado Class A | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Aficionado Class B | Limited | Advanced | |
| Aficionado Class C | Novice | Standard | |
| Switzerland | Amateur Radio Telegraphist's Certificate (Transmission) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Class A Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Class B Licence | Limited | Advanced | |
| United Kingdom | Foundation | Foundation | |
| Intermediate | Standard | ||
| Full | Advanced | ||
| United States of America |
Original licence granted before 15 April 2000 | ||
| Amateur Extra Class operator | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Advanced Class operator | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| General Class operator | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Technician Plus Class operator | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Technician Class operator | Limited | Advanced | |
| Novice Class operator | Novice | Standard | |
| Licences granted from 15 April 2000 to 22 September 2016 | |||
| Amateur Extra Class operator | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| General Class operator | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Technician Class operator | Limited | Advanced | |
| Licences granted from 23 September 2016 to 2 July 2017 | |||
| Amateur Extra Class operator | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| General Class operator | Unrestricted | Advanced | |
| Technician Class operator | Limited | Foundation | |
| Licences granted from 3 July 2017 | |||
| Amateur Extra Class operator | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| General Class operator | Intermediate | Standard | |
| Technician Class operator | Limited | Foundation | |
Table B: We see these as equal to Australian qualifications
We may accept these licences and qualifications because we see them as equal to those in Australia.
| Administration | Class of certificate or licence Held | Australian amateur licensing option for which holder is eligible | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Previous | New | ||
| Argentina | Licencia de Aficionado, Categoria Superior (Amateur Radio Operator's Licence, Superior Category) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Cayman Islands | Amateur Operator's Certificate Class C | Novice | Standard |
| Hong Kong | Amateur (Sound) Station Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Indonesia | Advanced Level Amateur Station Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Intermediate Level Amateur Station Licence | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Preliminary Level Amateur Station Licence | Novice | Standard | |
| Ireland | Amateur Experimenters Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Italy | Licenza di Impianto ed Esercizio di Stazione di Radioamatore, Classe 3 (Radio Amateur Station Licence Class 3) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Licenza di Impianto ed Esercizio di Stazione di Radioamatore, Classe 2 (Radio Amateur Station Licence Class 2) | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Licenza di Impianto ed Esercizio di Stazione di Radioamatore, Classe 1 (Radio Amateur Station Licence Class 1) | Novice | Standard | |
| Luxembourg | Licenced Amateur (Amateur Radio Operator's Certificate) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Malta | City and Guilds of London Radio Amateur's Certificate§ | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| City and Guilds of London Radio Amateur's Certificate (no telegraphy qualification) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Nauru | Amateur Radio Station Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Netherlands | Amateurradiozendmachtiging Categorie A (Amateur Radio Licence Class A) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateurradiozendmachtiging Categorie B (Class B) | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Amateurradiozendmachtiging Categorie C (Class C) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Amateurradiozendmachtiging Categorie D (Class D) | (not acceptable) | ||
| Norway | Amateur Station Licence Class A | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Philippines | Radio Amateur Station Licence Class A (Advanced Class) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Radio Amateur Station Licence Class B (General Class) | Intermediate | Advanced | |
| Radio Amateur Station Licence Class C (Novice Class) | Novice | Advanced | |
| Singapore | Amateur Station Licence (qualified in telegraphy at 12 words per minute) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Amateur Station Licence (no telegraphy qualification) | Limited | Advanced | |
| South Africa | Amateur Radio Station Licence | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Restricted Amateur Licence | Limited | Advanced | |
| Sri Lanka | Radio Amateur Licence | Novice | Standard |
| Sweden | Tillstand att inneha och anvanda amatorradiosandare, Klass A and B (Amateur Licence Class A and B) | Unrestricted | Advanced |
| Tillstand att inneha och anvanda amatorradiosandare, Klass T (Amateur Licence Class T) | Limited | Advanced | |
| Tillstand att inneha och anvanda amatorradiosandare, Klass C (Amateur Licence Class C) | Novice | Standard | |
| Vanuatu | Amateur Wireless Station Operator's Certificate | Limited | Advanced |
| West Indies | Amateur Radio Operator's Certificate Class A and B | Unrestricted | Advanced |
Call signs for overseas visitors
If you operate an amateur station in Australia, you must use the prefix VK before your usual (home country) call sign.
You may also use the relevant prefix for the state or territory designator of the location you are transmitting from. For example, if you are an overseas visiting amateur operator transmitting from the Cocos Keeling Islands, you may use VK9 followed by your usual home country call sign.
Read our call sign policy, which outlines the procedures under the class licence.
Australian amateur operators going overseas
Australian advanced amateurs may be able operate in various overseas countries under reciprocal licensing arrangements under the European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT) Recommendation:
- T/R 61-01 – CEPT Radio Amateur Licence
- T/R 61-02 – Harmonised Amateur Radio Examination Certificate (HAREC).
Advanced amateurs planning to operate overseas in a country that participates in CEPT Recommendation T/R 61-01 or T/R 61-02 can provide to that overseas regulator:
- for a short stay (usually less than 3 months) – your advanced qualification (Amateur operator’s certificate of proficiency (Advanced), Amateur operator’s certificate of proficiency or Amateur operator’s limited certificate of proficiency), and either the ACMA confirmation letter sent to you in January or February 2024 or the call sign certificate if your call sign was assigned after 19 February 2024
- for a longer stay (over 3 months) – your advanced qualification (an ACMA recognition certificate (Advanced), Amateur operator’s certificate of proficiency (Advanced), Amateur operator's certificate of proficiency or Amateur operator’s limited certificate of proficiency). Alternatively, you can seek a written confirmation from us that you have passed an exam that fulfils the HAREC requirements. To request this, email your request, including your name, client ID, date of birth and a copy of your advanced qualification to info@acma.gov.au.
We recommend you contact the relevant overseas radiocommunications authority to understand their requirements and confirm your ability to operate in that country, before you leave.