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46 U.S.C. 7103: Licenses for radio officersText contains those laws in effect through Public Law 119-120 (October 7, 2026).
From Title 46-SHIPPINGCHAPTER 71-LICENSES AND CERTIFICATES OF REGISTRY
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§7103. Licenses for radio officers

(a)  A license as radio officer may be issued only to an applicant who has a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission.

(b)  Except as provided in section 7318 of this title, this part does not affect the status of radiotelegraph operators serving on board vessels operating only on the Great Lakes.

( Pub. L. 98–89 , Aug. 26, 1983 , 97 Stat. 540 .)

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised section

Source section (U.S. Code)

7103

46:229a

46:229b

46:229g

Section 7103 requires an applicant for a license as a radio officer to have, as a prerequisite, a first-class or second-class radiotelegraph operator license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It also excepts radiotelegraph operators that are engaged on Great Lakes vessels from the requirement of having to obtain a radio officer’s license.