Radio licence for commercial vessels

As of 1 January 2026, the NMA is responsible for issuing maritime radio licences for Norwegian recreational and commercial vessels, offshore installations, maritime training institutions and radio service companies. Licences for land-based use continue to be issued by the Norwegian Communications Authority (Nkom).

• For a recreational vessel licence, log in as a private individual, and for a commercial vessel licence, select the company/entity you represent.
• Vessels registered in NIS/NOR will be visible once you have logged in. From there, you can select the vessel and apply for a licence.

Which maritime radio equipment requires a licence?

When a vessel is equipped with a VHF radio or other equipment that operates on maritime frequencies, the ownership must be updated with the NMA. This ensures that the correct owner and contact information is regisered, which is a legal requirement and essential for safety at sea.

Examples of maritime radio equipment requiring registration:

• VHF radio (fixed and/or hand-held)
• AIS transmitter
• MF/HF transmitter
• Search And Rescue Transponder (SART)
• Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB)
• Mann overboard device (MOB device)

Why is a licence required? 

Under the Electronic Communications Act and the Regulations on authorisation to establish and operate radio equipment on board Norwegian ships and mobile offshore units (Norwegian title: forskrift om tillatelse til å opprette og drive radioutstyr om bord i norske skip og flyttbare innretninger), it is mandatory to  hold a licence for maritime radio equipment carried on board a vessel. This requirement applies to both recreational vessels and commercial vessels.

When a licence is issued, the vessel is assigned a call sign and an MMSI number (Maritime Mobile Service Identity). This number is a unique nine-digit code that identifies the vessel's radio equipment.

The licence document must always be kept on board. It specifies the radio equipment used on the vessel, and for commercial vessels it forms an important part of the radio inspection and the issuance of the radio safety certificate.

At the same time, the NMA updates the national Ship Radio Register, which is used, among others, by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. Updated information is also submitted to the International Telecommunication Union in Geneva.

Change of ownership

If you have bought or sold a vessel equipped with radio equipment, it is important that the change of ownership is reported. 

Vessel registration

If you have a new vessel, a ned hand-held radio or a used vessel purchased outside of Norway (and which has never previously been registered in Norway), it must be registered.

Verification of radio licence

To obtain confirmation that your licence is valid, you can enter the licence number in the NMA's verification service at verify.sdir.no. You can also find information about the licence's validity by logging in to My Vessels. 

Inmarsat

For activation or deactivation of Inmarsat, please contact the service provider.

An overview of service providers can be found at Inmarsat.com

Prices

Updated January 2026:

• Annual basic licence VHF and AIS: NOK 200
• Annual extended licence (A1, A2 A3 and A4): NOK 500