Although in Amateur radio circles people often refer to having an 'Amateur License' that is not strictly correct in New Zealand.
In New Zealand anyone wishing to operate a radio transmitter in the Amateur bands needs to hold a NZ General Amateur Operators Certificate or Radio Operator's Certificate of Competence and have a callsign allocated to them.
Holding the NZ General Amateur Operators Certificate and callsign allows an Amateur to transmit on the ham bands within the rules laid out in the General User Radio Licence for Amateur Radio Operators or GURL as it is often abbreviated.
To gain the NZ General Amateur Operators certificate you need to pass an exam which is administered primarily in New Zealand by NZART.
The Radio Spectrum Management (RSM) Group within the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) delegate the administration of the exam process to Approved Radio Examiners which allows us to run the exam at a local club or branch level through out the country.
Last Updated: 27 February 2020