Learn / Guide 12
How to become an amateur radio operator in Brazil
COER, classes C, B and A, Anatel online test, callsign, what each class can do and where LABRE and clubs help.
beginner 6 min read
First of all: the rules have changed
Revised on November 10, 2026.
Brazilian amateur radio regulations underwent a major reform between 2024 and 2026. Much of the material circulating out there still cites the old regulation, Resolution No. 449 of 2006. Use this guide as a map and confirm every detail with Anatel before registering or paying anything.
The current regulations, according to what Anatel publishes:
| Standard | What it is about |
|---|---|
| Resolution No. 777/2025 | General Telecommunications Services Regulation (RGST): general rules that also apply to amateur radio |
| Act No. 926/2024 | technical requirements: bands, segments, modes and power levels |
| Act No. 3448/2026 | operational requirements: exams, classes, callsigns, licensing. According to LABRE, it was revised by Act No. 12770, of October 6, 2026, which corrected points regarding callsigns |
| Ordinance No. 1771/2020 | online exam procedure |
Two different documents
Many people confuse the two things you need in order to transmit.
- COER, the Radio Station Operator Certificate. It proves you passed the exams for a class. It is personal, non-transferable and free, but by itself it does not put a station on the air.
- Station authorization and license. It is what puts your station on the air, with a callsign. This is where fees apply.
The three classes
Entry is via Class C. The minimum age is 10 years.
| Class | Questions by subject | Minimum to pass | Time by subject | Maximum power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 15 | 8 | 20 minutes | 100 W |
| B | 20 | 11 | 30 minutes | 1,000 W |
| A | 30 | 16 | 40 minutes | 1,500 W |
The subjects are three in all classes: Telecommunications Legislation, Technique and Operational Ethics, and Electronics and Electricity. What changes is the depth.
The questions are true or false. The exam table in the Anatel booklet, in the June 2026 version, does not include a telegraphy exam for any class.
How the exam works
The test is taken over the internet, from home.
- Create or update your gov.br account.
- Log into SEC, Anatel's certificate system, and sign up for a date on the schedule.
- On the day, an evaluator monitors via video conference (Microsoft Teams), with camera and microphone open. You need to be alone, without reference materials.
- The result is output within the system itself.
For minors, registration is done by a legal guardian via an Anatel SEI process. For visually impaired candidates, the exam is oral.
For studying, the Anatel handbook provides the syllabus for each subject and a content summary.
After approval
Once the COER is issued, the next step is to apply for the station license in the Anatel systems. Along with it comes the radiofrequency use authorization, valid for 20 years (you can ask for 10).
At this stage there are fees, such as the Public Price for the Right to Use Radiofrequencies (PPDUR) and the Installation Inspection Fee (TFI). The amounts change: consult the Anatel page.
Another point that trips up beginners: equipment must be approved by Anatel. This applies to purchased radios and, via a simplified procedure, to homebrewed radios.
The callsign
The callsign is the name of the station on the air. By rule, it goes at the beginning, during, and at the end of each transmission, and operating without identification is prohibited.
Brazilian callsigns start with series PPA to PYZ and ZVA to ZZZ. The structure is a prefix, a region number, and a letter suffix. Mine is PU2TQF:
- PU indicates Class C.
- 2 is the region of Sao Paulo, Goias, Tocantins and Federal District.
- TQF is the suffix.
In Sao Paulo, classes A and B use prefixes like PY2. The number changes according to the region: 1 is Rio de Janeiro and Espirito Santo, 3 is Rio Grande do Sul, and so on.
What each class can do
Besides power, which is in the table above, access to bands changes.
- Class A has access, in the words of the handbook, to all bands and operating conditions.
- Class B stays in the middle. The 60-meter band, for example, is for Class A only: Classes B and C cannot use it.
- Class C is the entry-level one, with access to part of the bands, shortwaves included.
Which shortwave segments are allocated to Class C, and with which modes, was one of the parts that changed the most. Do not rely on old tables or my memory: open Ato 926/2024 and check the table by class.
You can already do a lot in Class C. Digital modes like FT8, with low-power radios of a few watts, carry the signal to other continents without needing high power.
Upgrade class
Promotion is not automatic. It requires a new test and, in some cases, a minimum time in the previous class. The rulebook from June 2026 says the following:
- for Class B, those who hold a Class C COER and are under 18 must wait two years since the certificate was issued;
- for Class A, one year must pass since the issuance of the Class B COER.
The wording on the transition from C to B leaves doubt regarding the deadline for adults. If this is your case, confirm with Anatel or LABRE.
LABRE and clubs
LABRE, Liga de Amadores Brasileiros de Rádio Emissão, has existed since 1934 and is the Brazilian association affiliated with IARU, the international union of amateur radio operators. It has state sections and explains every rule change.
At local clubs, things happen up close: classes for the exam, help building your first antenna, club station to try out.
While the license does not arrive
- Follow a local repeater in your region, on FM or in DMR, and notice how people address each other, identify themselves and pass it over.
- Visit a club and ask to see a station in operation. According to the handbook, an unlicensed person may speak through an amateur radio station, provided the licensee is present and responsible for the operation.
- Read the guide about what you can listen to and what you can publish.