Getting Your Licence (Canada)
Exactly how to get an amateur radio licence in Canada: what the exams are, the scores you need, and how to book one. Rules are from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and were checked in October 2026.
One exam gets you on the air
In Canada, you don’t need a licence for your radio. You need an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate for yourself, issued by ISED. It comes with your own callsign, starting VE6 or VA6 here in Alberta. There’s no annual fee and no renewal.
The Basic exam
- 100 multiple-choice questions on rules, operating practice, safety and basic radio theory, all drawn from a public question bank.
- 70% to pass. That gives you the Basic Qualification and all amateur bands above 30 MHz: VHF and UHF, local repeaters, and more.
- 80% or better is “Basic with Honours” and opens up all amateur bands, including HF for long-distance contacts. Most people now aim for Honours.
- No 80%? Passing a 5-word-per-minute Morse code test also gets a Basic holder onto HF.
The Advanced exam (optional, later)
A second exam of 50 questions on deeper radio theory. Passing it lets you build your own transmitting equipment, run higher power, operate your own repeater and sponsor a club station. Many operators take it once they’ve been on the air a while.
How to study
- ISED’s free exam generator on its website gives you unlimited practice exams from the real question bank. When you’re scoring 85% or more consistently, you’re ready.
- Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) and many local clubs run Basic courses, often online, each spring and fall.
- Don’t just memorise answers. Understanding why makes the exam easier and makes you a better operator.
How to take the exam
Exams are given by Accredited Examiners, volunteers approved by ISED, or at an ISED office. You can find one through ISED’s Accredited Examiner Search. The exam is on paper, supervised, and marked on the spot, so you’ll know your result before you leave.
Taking your exam in the Lethbridge area? Gary Wheeler (VE6CV), who runs this site, is an ISED Accredited Examiner and can arrange exams locally.
After you pass, the examiner sends your results to ISED, and your certificate and callsign follow. You can pick your callsign if it’s available.
Where to go next
- What Is Amateur Radio?
- Repeaters Explained: what to do with your first handheld
- Radio Etiquette: how to sound like you’ve done this before
Sources: ISED Amateur Radio Operator Certificate Services; Radio Amateurs of Canada, “How are Amateur Radio operators authorized in Canada?”
Last updated October 2026.