Canada · Amateur radio examHow does a call sign lookup in Canada work?
Open ISED’s search and type in a call sign, or a surname, city, province or postal code. For the whole list at once, ISED’s downloads page has every assigned call sign in a ZIP file, with each amateur’s qualifications and address, and a separate file of special event call signs. The Call Sign Search link on Radio Amateurs of Canada’s site opens this same ISED search, and ISED’s list holds Canadian call signs only.
Hoping for a particular call sign? The available call sign search shows which ones are free. Call signs can’t be reserved, so check again just before you apply.
Canadian call sign prefixes
Your prefix depends on where you live. ISED’s operating standard for amateur stations, RBR-4, sets them:
| Prefix | Area |
|---|---|
| VE1, VA1 | Nova Scotia |
| VE2, VA2 | Quebec |
| VE3, VA3 | Ontario |
| VE4, VA4 | Manitoba |
| VE5, VA5 | Saskatchewan |
| VE6, VA6 | Alberta |
| VE7, VA7 | British Columbia |
| VE8 | Northwest Territories |
| VE9 | New Brunswick |
| VO1 | Newfoundland |
| VO2 | Labrador |
| VY0 | Nunavut |
| VY1 | Yukon |
| VY2 | Prince Edward Island |
| VE0 | International waters |
VE0 is only for stations on vessels that make international voyages. If you move to another province or territory, you apply for a call sign with the new prefix.
Choosing your first call sign
You apply for your first call sign with your certificate, once your examiner has sent ISED your result. List your choices in order of preference. If none is free, or you leave the field blank, ISED assigns one.
A call sign’s suffix, the letters after the number, has two or three letters. In the VE1 to VE7 and VO1 areas, a two-letter suffix needs five years with the Basic Qualification, unless you’re taking over a deceased family member’s call sign. For the VE8, VE9, VY0, VY1, VY2 and VO2 areas, ISED’s call sign policy, RIC-9, says two-letter call signs are readily available. Once more than 80% of an area’s two-letter call signs are issued, the five-year rule applies there too. ISED issues only one two-letter call sign per amateur.
Call sign fees
ISED’s amateur certification page lists these fees:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| First call sign and certificate | No fee |
| Replacement certificate, lost or damaged | No fee |
| New prefix after moving province | No fee |
| Certificate for a new qualification | No fee |
| Changing your call sign | $60 |
| Club station call sign | $60 |
| Extra call sign for yourself | $60 |
| Special event call sign or prefix | $60 |
Changing to a two-letter call sign counts as a change. A lost certificate can be printed again from your web profile. If the Amateur Radio Service Centre sends you an invoice, you can pay it online.
Moving, leaving Canada, or a death in the family
Tell the Amateur Radio Service Centre about a new mailing address within 30 days; you can do it online. If you leave Canada and no longer have a Canadian address, your call sign is released, but your certificate stays valid. Come back with a Canadian address and you can apply for a new call sign without writing the exam again.
When an amateur dies, ISED holds the call sign for one year, and an immediate family member who holds a certificate can apply for it. After that, it goes back to the pool and is assigned first come, first served.
Sources: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and 6 more. Checked November 2026.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Amateurs and clubs ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Downloads ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: RIC-9, Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes (Issue 2, provisional, October 2005) ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: RBR-4, Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service (Issue 3, July 2022) ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Amateur radio operator certification ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Amateur radio frequently asked questions ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Pay your invoice ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.