France Licensing
Considerations
France is a CEPT country with only one amateur license class. In order to legally operate an amateur station there, one can either get a license in France, or use a foreign license thanks to reciprocal agreements.
Operating in France with a foreign license
Conditions
You may operate in France if you have a CEPT license, (a license from a country which applies CEPT Recommendation TR61-01 and TR61-02) or a license from a country from which there is a reciprocal agreement with France.
Amateurs staying more than 3 months must apply for a French callsign, and use it instead of their home callsign. They may apply using the paper form, or the the online service (in French only). If you do not understand French, you may look at the paper form to help you fill out the online one.
You need to have a physical address in France that is not a PO box, and that matches the address from which the station will be operated.
Callsign to use for stays under 3 months
Foreign stations that are allowed to operate in France must use the correct prefix and suffix:
Prefixes
- F/ for mainland France
- TK/ for Corsica
- FG/ for Guadeloupe
- FM/ for Martinique
- FR/ for Réunion
- FP/ for St Pierre et Miquelon
- FH/ for Mayotte
Suffixes
In France, the use of suffixes is mandatory, and only the following may be used:
- /P for portable operation (by default for foreign licenses)
- /M for mobile operation
- /MM for maritime mobile operation (operating more than 12 nautical miles from shore).
Please note that there is no /AM suffix as operation from aircraft is not allowed in France without special permission.
Callsign to use for stays above 3 months
Once you get notified of your French callsign, you must stop using your foreign callsign and start using the French one, and use it every time you come to France.
Obtaining a French license
In France, the amateur license examination is done only in French, and no documents are allowed.
You need to take an appointment to take the exam, to do so, you need to call the nearest ANFR regional agency (you have to speak French).
As of 2021, there is no tax or fee to pay in order to take the exam or to keep the license.
The pool of questions has not been published by the ANFR, therefore the answers cannot be memorized by heart. Moreover, it is recommended to take a non-programmable calculator with you.
Study Resources
- Exam1, an online tool to work for the exam (in French only).