Amateur radio in Canada is regulated by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). To operate a transmitter on the amateur bands, a person must hold an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate (AROC), which is earned by passing one or both of the national licence examinations.

The Two Licence Tiers

Canada's amateur radio licensing structure has two levels: the Foundation Certificate and the Advanced Certificate. Each grants different operating privileges and is assessed through a separate written examination.

Foundation Certificate

  • Entry-level licence
  • Most amateur bands permitted
  • Power limit: 250 W PEP on HF, 250 W on VHF/UHF
  • No self-built transmitter construction privileges
  • Telephone and digital modes permitted

Advanced Certificate

  • Full licence privileges
  • 1000 W PEP on HF (or EIRP equivalent)
  • Authorisation to construct and operate home-built transmitters
  • Ability to act as Control Operator for repeater stations
  • All modes and all amateur bands

Most newcomers to the hobby begin with the Foundation examination. It is designed for candidates with no prior electronics background, though some familiarity with basic electrical concepts is useful preparation.

The Examination System

Both examinations are administered through a network of accredited volunteer examiners across the country. Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) coordinates the examination program and publishes the official question bank from which exam questions are drawn.

The Foundation examination consists of 100 multiple-choice questions drawn from a published pool. Candidates must achieve a minimum score of 70% to pass. The Advanced examination is a separate 50-question test also requiring 70% or higher, and candidates must already hold the Foundation Certificate before attempting it.

All examination questions come from the publicly available RAC question bank. This means candidates can study from the exact pool of questions that will appear on the exam. Both the Foundation and Advanced pools are available through rac.ca and practice tools such as Hamtests.ca.

Finding and Registering for an Exam

Examination sessions are held by local amateur radio clubs throughout Canada. The RAC website maintains a searchable list of upcoming exam dates by province and city. Candidates typically register directly with the club hosting the session.

In addition to in-person sessions, some clubs offer remote examination options using video conferencing, which expanded significantly during 2020 and has continued as a permanent alternative in many areas. The process follows the same question bank and pass threshold as in-person sessions.

Fees vary by club. Most sessions charge between $20 and $40 CAD to cover administrative costs. There is no ISED application fee for the certificate itself.

Study Resources

Several established study resources are available for candidates preparing for the Foundation or Advanced examination:

  • RAC Study Guide: Radio Amateurs of Canada publishes an official study guide for both licence levels. These guides walk through each topic area in the question pool with explanations of underlying theory.
  • Hamtests.ca: A widely used online practice tool that presents questions from the official pool in random order and tracks progress by subject area.
  • Club study sessions: Many clubs offer evening or weekend study groups for candidates, often in the weeks leading up to a scheduled exam date.
  • ARRL Handbook and publications: The American Radio Relay League's technical publications are used throughout Canada as supplementary study material, particularly for the Advanced examination's electronics and antenna topics.

Call Sign Assignment

After passing the examination, the club examiners submit the results to ISED. The certificate is typically processed within a few weeks, and ISED issues a Canadian call sign.

Canadian call signs follow standard ITU Region 2 conventions. The prefix reflects geographic location:

  • VE1 — Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island
  • VE2 / VA2 — Quebec
  • VE3 / VA3 — Ontario
  • VE4 — Manitoba
  • VE5 — Saskatchewan
  • VE6 — Alberta
  • VE7 / VA7 — British Columbia
  • VE8 — Northwest Territories and Nunavut
  • VE9 — New Brunswick (some allocations)
  • VY1 — Yukon
  • VY2 — Prince Edward Island (some allocations)

Call signs are alphanumeric identifiers that must be used during transmissions at least every ten minutes and at the end of each contact.

After the Licence

The AROC does not expire and does not require renewal, though operators must comply with any regulatory changes issued by ISED. Once issued, an operator can transmit on all amateur bands corresponding to their licence class anywhere in Canada.

Many operators join a local club shortly after receiving their certificate, which provides access to club stations, experienced mentors, and organised on-air activities such as nets and contest weekends. The RAC club finder tool lists affiliated clubs by postal code across all provinces and territories.