VHF Radio Course (SRC): Online vs Classroom, Prices Compared
If you want to use a marine VHF on a British-flagged boat, you need the RYA Short Range Certificate (SRC), and a VHF radio course is how you get it. It's one day in a classroom or about ten hours online, then a short exam, and it's one of the cheapest tickets you'll put on a yacht CV. The confusing part is the price. Most schools quote a course fee, and the RYA charges its own £76 exam fee on top. Here's what you're actually paying for, and which route makes sense.
What is the RYA VHF radio course (SRC)?
The RYA VHF radio course teaches you to use a marine VHF and DSC (Digital Selective Calling) radio, and ends in the exam for the Short Range Certificate. The RYA calls the SRC the "minimum qualification required by law" to operate VHF or DSC equipment on a British-flagged vessel. Study takes about 10 hours, plus the exam.
According to the RYA course page, the course covers:
- Basic radio operation and which channels to use
- Distress (Mayday), urgency (Pan-Pan) and medical assistance calls
- DSC alerts and how GMDSS works
- Ship-to-shore calls and day-to-day radio etiquette
The RYA VHF Handbook (G31) is included. The exam has two parts: a written theory paper (London School of Sailing says 30 minutes) and a practical where you work a real set, run through scenarios and make calls. You need to be 16 or older on exam day.
A modern fixed DSC VHF set. The red button under the flap sends a digital distress alert with your MMSI and position, and the SRC course teaches you when and how to press it. Photo: PaterMcFly, CC BY 3.0.
How much does a VHF radio course cost?
Most people pay £125–£210 in total for a VHF radio course in the UK. That's the school's course fee plus the RYA's £76 exam fee, which covers the examiner and issuing your certificate. Nearly every school collects the £76 separately: you pay it to the RYA through its online exam payment page before you sit the exam.
Each price below comes from the provider's own website:
| Provider | Format | Course fee | Exam session | RYA £76 fee | Rough total | Source (checked Nov 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solent Boat Training, Southampton | One-day classroom + exam at 5pm | £49–£99 (varies by date) | Included | Extra | £125–£175 | solentboattraining.co.uk |
| Solent Boat Training | Online + exam at their Southampton centre | £89 | Ask | Not stated, ask | £89 + exam costs | solentboattraining.co.uk |
| London School of Sailing, Balham | Online + assessment | From £95 | £40 (£60 if you trained elsewhere) | Extra | ~£211 | course, assessment |
| Preston Marina | Online, with or without assessment | £65 online only; up to £115 with an assessment at the marina | Included in the assessment options | Extra (paid to the RYA) | ~£141 without exam; up to ~£191 with | Preston Marina shop |
| Hoylake Sailing School / JPMA, Wirral | One-day course + exam | £120 (lunch included) | Included | Extra | £196 | hss.ac.uk |
| Sailing Trust, Guernsey | Online + 2-hour in-person exam | £159 | Included | Included (exam fee and certificate) | £159 | sailingtrust.org.gg |
| Bluewater, Antibes | Online + exam in Antibes | €50 | €75 (exam only) | Not stated, ask | €125, plus the RYA fee if charged separately | bluewateryachting.com |
A cheap online course isn't really cheap if the nearest exam centre is a day's travel away. To find a VHF radio course near you, use the RYA's Where's my nearest search. If you're booking Powerboat Level 2 on the Solent anyway, see our RYA Powerboat Level 2 Southampton guide and do the SRC the same week.
Can you do the VHF radio course online?
You can do the theory online, but not the exam. The online marine radio course runs on a laptop or tablet at your own pace. London School of Sailing says most people finish in 5–8 hours, and the RYA lists 10, so you can spread it over a few evenings.
The exam is always done in person at an RYA training centre. The usual process is:
- Finish the online course and print your completion certificate.
- Pay the £76 RYA exam fee online and complete the RYA's exam application.
- Book an exam slot with a centre. It doesn't have to be the school you bought the online course from, but some charge more if you trained elsewhere.
- Bring what the centre asks for: usually the completion certificate, the application form, a passport photo and photo ID.
Online or classroom? Online suits you if you're disciplined and there's an exam centre nearby. The one-day classroom marine VHF radio course suits you if you want to sit the exam the same day, practise on a real set with an instructor, and get it done. If you're green crew in Antibes, Bluewater's online-plus-local-exam route lets you fit it around dockwalking.
Do you need a VHF radio licence?
People say "VHF licence" (or "VHF license" in the US) for two different documents, and you may need both:
- SRC (operator's certificate): This belongs to you and proves you're qualified to use the radio. It comes from the RYA once you pass the exam.
- Ofcom Ship Radio Licence: This belongs to the boat. It covers the radio equipment on board and gives you your MMSI, the number a DSC set needs before it can send a distress alert. According to Ofcom's terms, it's free if you apply online (£20 by post) and has no end date as long as the details stay correct, though Ofcom revokes it if you don't update or revalidate it at least once every ten years.
If you use a handheld VHF on different boats, Ofcom offers a separate Ship Portable Radio Licence, priced the same way: free online, £20 by post. Either way, whoever uses the radio still needs an SRC.
If you're crew rather than an owner, the ship licence is the captain's or management company's job. Your SRC is yours, and you keep it from boat to boat.
Do yacht crew need a VHF radio course?
You don't need one to land a first job as a junior deckhand. Your STCW Basic Safety Training and ENG1 come first. But it's cheap, quick and expected, and it shows up on a lot of deck CVs. It matters for three reasons:
- Tenders and handhelds: Deck crew are on handheld VHF constantly during mooring, tender runs and guest drop-offs. Captains like to know you won't panic on Channel 16.
- Commercial endorsement: The RYA commercial endorsement you need to drive a tender professionally on your Powerboat Level 2 asks for an SRC (or another GMDSS operator certificate), along with sea survival, PPR and a medical.
- The Yachtmaster route: You need an SRC or higher radio certificate before you sit the Yachtmaster exam (see Yachtmaster Offshore requirements). Many crew knock it out alongside Day Skipper theory or a Competent Crew course.
On larger yachts, the bridge radios are GMDSS equipment, and the officers who stand watch hold a harder certificate: the GMDSS General Operator's Certificate (GOC). Training providers list the GOC among the courses for the MCA Officer of the Watch (Yachts <3000GT) ticket. You don't need it as a deckhand, but if you're aiming for mate one day, the SRC is the first step on that radio ladder.
A GMDSS-compatible VHF. On a superyacht the bridge sets are GMDSS kit run by officers with a GOC, but deck crew still use VHF in the tender and on handhelds. Photo: Fanny Schertzer, CC BY-SA 2.5.
Once your tickets are sorted, you don't have to keep refreshing a dozen Facebook groups for daywork. You can sign up free as crew on Radius, check in at your port and get your ENG1, STCW and CV verified so captains can find you on the map. See our guide to junior deckhand yacht jobs for what comes next.
VHF radio course FAQs
Does the SRC expire?
There's no renewal fee or revalidation: training providers describe the SRC as valid for life, and the RYA's pages list no expiry. The tender commercial endorsement it supports does need revalidating every five years.
Is the SRC valid abroad or in the US?
Training providers say it's recognised across CEPT (European) countries, so it's widely accepted on British-flagged and European boats. US recreational boats in domestic waters generally don't need an FCC operator permit at all, but US commercial vessels are different, so check with the boat.
What is the minimum age for the VHF radio course?
You can take the course younger, but you must be 16 or older on the day you sit the exam.
Does the VHF radio course cover DSC?
Yes. DSC distress alerts, individual calls and setting up a DSC set are core parts of both the course and the practical exam.
Do I need a licence for a handheld VHF?
You need an SRC to use it. The handheld itself needs either the boat's Ship Radio Licence or an Ofcom Ship Portable Radio Licence, and both are free if you apply online.
How long does the VHF radio course take?
The classroom version is one day, usually with the exam that evening. Online, it's 5–10 hours of study at your own pace, then a separate exam booking.