Description
Let’s talk about the FCC Telegraph Operator License (which the FCC refers to as a T license)…
Getting an FCC Radiotelegraph Operator License
A telegraph license, which the FCC calls a Radiotelegraph Operator License, requires multiple exams. It’s part of the Commercial Radio Operator program under 47 CFR Part 13.
This is by far a niche credential, and the exam elements and code-speed requirements have changed over the years. Because the FCC changes its rules from time-to-time, you must confirm the exact details with the FCC or an exam manager before you put in the time to study the written elements and practice the Morse Code element.
Do You Actually Need a Radiotelegraph License?
Probably not. It’s mainly for professional maritime and similar work where regulations call for a radiotelegraph credential. If you just want to use Morse code, an amateur radio license works, and it no longer includes a code test. That route is cheaper and simpler.
Step 1: Get an FCC Registration Number (FRN)
Register for free in the FCC’s CORES system. Your FRN is your FCC ‘account number’ and you’ll need it to apply for nearly every FCC license.
Step 2: Find an Exam Manager
The FCC doesn’t run commercial exams itself. Authorized organizations called COLEMs (Commercial Operator License Examination Managers) do. The FCC’s website lists them, and many offer online or in-person testing.
Step 3: Understand the Exam Elements
Commercial exams are divided into numbered “elements,” each covering a topic. The ones most relevant to telegraph licensing are:
- Element 1: Basic Radio Law and Operating Practice. This is a short written test (about 24 questions) covering FCC rules, station operating procedures, and basic legal obligations. Nearly every commercial license and all amateur radio licenses starts here.
- Element 6: Advanced Radiotelegraph. This is a longer written test (about 100 questions) covering the technical and operational knowledge for radiotelegraph work: radio theory, equipment, and maritime communication procedures.
- Morse code (telegraphy) elements. Historically, telegraph licenses required sending and receiving Morse code at a set speed, with higher classes requiring faster speeds, often in the range of 16 to 20 words per minute. Whether a code test applies today, and at what speed, is something to confirm with your COLEM, since this is where the rules have changed most.
Other elements, such as Element 3 (General Radiotelephone) and Element 8 (Ship Radar Techniques), belong to different licenses and endorsements. You’d only need them if you’re pursuing those too.
What About Experience?
The older FCC rules for the top-tier radiotelegraph certificates included experience requirements, such as documented time working onboard as a ship radio operator. Those were tied to a time when telegraph operators were standard on vessels. Today, the FCC’s commercial operator licenses are generally exam-based, with no experience requirement, but ask your exam manager directly whether any work history or prior license is still needed, so you don’t prepare for the wrong path.
Step 4: Study and Prepare
Get study guides from your COLEM or from radio training publishers. For the code portion, practice with Morse code apps or audio courses, and build both receiving speed (copying by ear) and sending accuracy. Expect the technical element to take longer to prepare for than the legal one.
Step 5: Take the Exam and Pay Fees
Bring a photo ID and your FCC FRN. The exam manager may charge a testing fee, and the FCC charges an application fee for commercial licenses. That fee has been about $35 in recent years, but check the current amount.
Step 6: Receive Your License
After you pass the various elements, the exam manager will file your application with the FCC. Your license is issued electronically, and you can verify it with the FCC’s Universal License System Search tool. Commercial operator licenses have generally been valid for life, but verify that for your specific license.
Where to Check
Start with the FCC’s Commercial Radio Operator pages and 47 CFR Part 13.