Aeronautical/Aircraft licences

Who does this licence apply to?

• Persons or other legal entities that own an aircraft with radio transmitting equipment fitted on-board.

• Persons or other legal entities that own and/or operate radio transmitting equipment for the purpose of communicating with aircraft or other aeronautical services within the confines of an airport or aerodrome.

Aircraft operating within the territorial limits of New Zealand

New Zealand aircraft are covered by a General User Radio Licence. This means they are not required to be individually licensed.

If you would like to obtain an identification code or a callsign, you must submit an application to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Aircraft registered in New Zealand are allocated registration marks in the series ZK AAA to ZK ZZZ. The registration letters form the aircraft callsign (except where alternatives such as flight identification are authorized). Registration marks can be found in the online aircraft register which is maintained by the CAA.

Aircraft operating outside the territorial limits of New Zealand

When engaged in international flying a aircraft owner may have difficulty in convincing a foreign aviation authority that the Radiocommunications Regulations (General User Radio Licence for Aeronautical purposes) Notice 2005 constitutes a valid radio licence, hence aircraft owners may choose to maintain an individual licence for their aircraft (and pay an annual fee) so that they can present a copy of the radio licence to officials in foreign airports.

Application for an aircraft radio licence can be made online or by sending RSM a completed Radio 1 form [170 kB PDF]. For applicable fees refer to the fees schedule.

Aeronautical land station transmitters

Aeronautical land mobile and portable transmitters operating within the territorial limits of New Zealand and who meet certain terms and conditions are covered by a General User Radio Licence. This means they are not required to be individually licensed.

Aeronautical fixed or repeater land station transmitters are individually licensed in order to manage interference and ensure compatibility with other radio services. Callsigns for services below 30 MHz are allocated in the ZKA series, or otherwise in accordance with ITU-R and ICAO provisions.

In order to obtain a licence for an aeronautical fixed or repeater land station transmitter submit an application online, or send a completed Radio 2L form Application for Radio Licence form (Aeronautical/Land Mobile/Maritime Services) - Radio 2L [177 kB PDF] to the address specified on the form.

All aeronautical land station transmitters can be found online in SMART.

Persons operating radio transmitting equipment

Persons operating aeronautical radio transmitting equipment (either aircraft or ground based) are required to hold an appropriate radio operators qualification.