What is a Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number?

A Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number is a 9 digit number issued by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA)  The number is essentially an identification number and allows for vvessel oinformation to be stored on the AMSA database. The number, when received, is programmed into the marine radio equipment. When you transmit from the radio the transmission will contain your MMSI number. If your radio is linked to other devices such as Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) then the transmission can also include additional information such as vessel position, course and speed etc.

The MMSI can be obtained by completing Form 89 on the AMSA website. HOWEVER before making the application you will need to obtain a Marine Radio Licence. This is not a difficult process if you follow the steps we already have in place. We have been assisting people to obtain their Marine Radio Licence since 2002. So, step 1 is to obtain your Marine Radio Licence from the links on this page. 

How long does a Marine Radio Licence last?

The Marine Radio Licence is one of those very rare certificates that, when obtained, it has no expiry date and there are no renewal fees!

How do I get an MMSI number to register a Marine Radio.

A Marine Radio Licence is required if you are applying for an MMSI number to program into a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Marine VHF and/or MF/HF Radios or Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). The licence does not have anything to do with whether the vessel is recreational or commercial. If you intend obtaining a commercial qualification such as a Coxswain or Master <24 or higher you need to have the licence anyway however it is simply about having the knowledge to correctly operate Marine VHF and/or MF/HF Radios.

If you currently have an old type Marine VHF and/or MF/HF Radio on board your vessel and you do not currently have a Marine Radio Licence you will find that it will be necessary to obtain a licence in the future if you intend to up grade your radio to the preferred Digital Selective Call (DSC) type of radio. To access the full features of these radios requires that the radio be registered and a Marine Mobile Service Identity number (MMSI) obtained from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) using form 89. Please see image below with information taken from the AMSA website.

To obtain an MMSI you need to provide your Marine Radio Licence number. So the first step is to obtain your marine radio licence.

You can enrol in the marine radio licence course at any time from the enrolment link on this page and on completion of enrolment you will receive:

1. A FREE downloaded version of the Marine Radio Handbook and/or the VHF Radio Handbook,
2. Access to additional training material and resources related to Marine Radio knowledge and operation,
3. Unlimited access to over 350 questions of a similar nature to the final exam and
4. Access to our Free App for Tablet and Phone mobile studying
5. Access to our Senior Trainer/Exam Supervisor via phone and email.
6. Access to our Free Simulated Marine Radio App for demonstration of competency in using marine radios
7. Final online exam process for the total cost of $279.00. (this cost includes the government exam paper cost of $89.00)

How long will it take to obtain a Marine Radio Operators Certificate?

We estimate that to complete the online component will take approximately 4-5 hours of self study. The online assignments are open book and take between 4 to 10 minutes each to complete.

When the assignments are completed an email response is sent to your inbox advising you of your results and sections that need to be reviewed. When candidates are consistently achieving 80-85% in the online components then we recommend sitting the final ‘closed book’ examination which is conducted via Zoom and takes about 30 minutes .

When the final 50 question multiple choice examination has been completed your exam results are automatically returned to the OMC who will finalise the licence. This is the longest part of the process where it can take up to 15 day to receive your credit type licence with your photo on it in the mail.

Types of Marine Radio Licences

There are essentially 2 types of Marine Radio Licences:

1. The Long Range Operators Certificate of Proficiency (LROCP) which is for operating both VHF radios (short range radios) and Medium Frequency/High Frequency (MF/HF) Radios (which are designed for long range transmission) and
2. The Short Range Operators Certificate of Proficiency for VHF Only (SROCP) is designed for those who are only carrying and/or operating a Very High Frequency (VHF) (Short Range) radio.

Basically if you intend travelling on offshore coastal voyages, are part of a yacht race crew, or applying for commercial qualifications such as a Coxswain’s or Master V certificate, you should obtain an LROCP Certificate. THIS IS THE PREFERRED CERTIFICATE TO OBTAIN.

If you are operating small recreational vessels in harbours and bays or staying near the coast then an SROCP (VHF Only) Certificate will be sufficient.

It should be noted that there is not upgrade facility from SROCP to LROCP. In the past we have had applicants with VHF only radio certificates who have sought to upgrade to the LROCP due to a number of reasons (required on a yacht in an official yacht race, to obtain a commercial certificate or even joining a Marine Rescue organisation as a volunteer etc). Unfortunately the OMC do not have an upgrade process. You simply have to do it all again with all the time and costs involved.

Regardless of which certificate you wish to apply for if you are a Boat Owner and you wish to upgrade your MF/HF or VHF Radio to a Digital Selective Calling (DSC) Radio, which is now the preferred type of radio to have on board, you will NOT be able to complete the radio registration process with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and obtain a Marine Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number for the radio unless you obtain your Marine Radio Operators Licence first.