An inductor-capacitor voltage controlled oscillator is implemented using an active inductor. The active inductor may use bipolar technology or CMOS technology. The VCO with an active inductor offers a more compact design and is useable with flip chip technology. The active inductor may be implemented in bipolar junction or complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology. The configuration of the voltage controlled oscillator with an active inductor of the present invention is fully differential and fully symmetric.