---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 C.F.R. § 13.201"
title: "47"
number: "13.201"
heading: "Qualifying for a commercial operator license or endorsement."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/47/13.201"
---

# §13.201. Qualifying for a commercial operator license or endorsement.

- (a) To be qualified to hold any commercial radio operator license, an applicant must have a satisfactory knowledge of FCC rules and must have the ability to send correctly and receive correctly spoken messages in the English language.
- (b) An applicant must pass an examination for the issuance of a new commercial radio operator license, other than the Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit and the Restricted Radiotelephone Operator Permit-Limited Use, and for each change in operator class. An applicant must pass an examination for the issuance of a new Ship Radar Endorsement. Each application for the class of license or endorsement specified below must pass, or otherwise receive credit for, the corresponding examination elements:
  - (1) **Radiotelegraph Operator License.**
    - (i) Telegraphy Elements 1 and 2;
    - (ii) **Written Elements 1 and 6.**
  - (2) **General Radiotelephone Operator License—** Written Elements 1 and 3.
  - (3) **Marine Radio Operator Permit—** Written Element 1.
  - (4) **GMDSS Radio Operator's License—** Written Elements 1 and 7, or a Proof of Passing Certificate (PPC) issued by the United States Coast Guard or its designee representing a certificate of competency from a Coast Guard-approved training course for a GMDSS endorsement.
  - (5) **Restricted GMDSS Radio Operator License—** Written Elements 1 and 7R, or a Proof of Passing Certificate (PPC) issued by the United States Coast Guard or its designee representing a certificate of competency from a Coast Guard-approved training course for a GMDSS endorsement.
  - (6) **GMDSS Radio Maintainer's License—** Written Elements 1, 3, and 9.
  - (7) **Ship Radar Endorsement—** Written Element 8.

## Notes

### Amendments

[58 FR 9124, Feb. 19, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 3795, Jan. 27, 1994; 68 FR 46959, Aug. 7, 2003; 78 FR 23154, Apr. 18, 2013]

### Authority

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303.

### Source

Source: 58 FR 9124, Feb. 19, 1993, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[58 FR 9124, Feb. 19, 1993, as amended at 59 FR 3795, Jan. 27, 1994; 68 FR 46959, Aug. 7, 2003; 78 FR 23154, Apr. 18, 2013]