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Amateur Radio Operators GURL
With this licence you can operate your amateur radio equipment without the need to get a licence in your own name or pay licence fees.
About this General User Radio Licence (GURL)
This GURL covers the operation of radio transmitting equipment used by amateur radio operators in New Zealand. You'll share this GURL with other amateur operators.
For the terms and conditions and operating frequencies for this GURL, see the Gazette notice.
General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators Notice(external link) — gazette.govt
View the current General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators.
General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators Notice 2023 [PDF, 193 KB]
Note: This GURL doesn't include the operation of amateur beacons, repeaters or fixed links.
Operator qualifications and callsigns
To transmit under this GURL you must have:
- a current General Amateur Operator’s Certificate of Competency (GAOC)
- a callsign.
Only New Zealand citizens or New Zealand residents can be granted a New Zealand GAOC.
See Visiting amateur operators for information about amateur radio operators visiting New Zealand.
To get a GAOC or callsign
Contact an Approved Radio Examiner (ARX) if you:
- need a GAOC — they can offer you the amateur radio operator’s examination and allocate you a callsign
- have a GAOC, but it's not current and you don’t have a callsign — they can update your certificate and allocate you a callsign.
Certificates of Competency and callsigns are recorded in the Register of Radio Frequencies (RRF).
Fees
$0.00 - There is no fee for a General User Radio Licence (GURL). All fees associated with this licence are paid for by Radio Spectrum Management (RSM).
However, you may need to pay a one-off examination fee and/or callsign issue fee. This is agreed between you and your ARX.
Your responsibilities
You must follow the technical parameters and conditions of the licence, which include operating in specific frequency bands and up to a set power limit.
You must not operate in a way that causes interference to other radio services.
Process
- Obtain a GAOC.
- Obtain a callsign.
- Read the General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators Notice 2023.
General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators Notice(external link) — gazette.govt - Start transmitting.
Useful links
New Zealand Association of Radio Transmitters(external link) — nzart.govt