For Radio Operations - You need a commercial radio operator license to operate the following:

• Ship radio stations if:
  • the vessel carries more than six passengers for hire; or
  • the radio operates on medium or high frequencies; or
  • the ship sails to foreign ports; or
  • the ship is larger than 300 gross tons and is required to carry a radio station for safety purposes.

• Coast stations which operate on medium or high frequencies, or operate with more than 1,500 watts of peak envelope power.
• Aircraft radio stations, except those that use only VHF frequencies on domestic flights.
• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.
• Coast and ship stations transmitting radiotelegraphy.

You do NOT need a commercial radio operator license to operate the following:

• Coast stations operating on VHF frequencies with 250 watts or less of carrier power.
• Ship stations operating only on VHF frequencies while sailing on domestic voyages.
• Aircraft stations which operate only on VHF frequencies and do not make foreign flights.

For Radio Maintenance and Repair - You need a commercial radio operator license to repair and maintain the following:

• All ship radio and radar stations.
• All coast stations.
• All hand carried units used to communicate with ships and coast stations on marine frequencies.
• All aircraft stations and aeronautical ground stations
• including hand-carried portable units) used to communicate with aircraft.
• International fixed public radiotelephone and radiotelegraph stations.

You do NOT need a commercial radio operator license to operate, repair, or maintain any of the following types of stations:

• Two-way land mobile radio equipment, such as that used by police and fire departments, taxicabs and truckers, businesses and industries, ambulances and rescue squads, local, state, and federal government agencies.
• Personal radio equipment used in the Citizens Band, Radio Control, and General Mobile radio services.
• Auxiliary broadcast stations, such as remote pickup stations.
• Domestic public fixed and mobile radio systems, such as mobile telephone systems, cellular systems, rural radio systems, point-to-point microwave systems, multipoint distribution systems, etc.
• Stations that operate in the Cable Television Relay Service.
• Satellite stations, both uplink and downlink of all types.

NOTE: Possession of a commercial radio operator license or permit does not authorize an individual to operate amateur radio stations. Only a person holding an amateur radio operator license may operate an amateur radio station.