Exams and testing
How US amateur radio exams work, and how to find one near you.
How exam sessions work
Amateur radio exams in the United States are administered by volunteers - Volunteer Examiners, or VEs - who are accredited by a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. Sessions are held at clubs, libraries, hamfests, schools and increasingly online by video.
Three accredited VEs must be present. They grade your exam on the spot, so you normally know whether you passed before you leave.
What to bring
- Your FCC FRN (register in CORES beforehand - the FCC no longer accepts Social Security numbers in its place).
- Government-issued photo ID, or the documents your VE team specifies for minors.
- Your existing license or CSCE if you are upgrading.
- The session fee, usually about $15 - check whether the team takes cards.
- A basic calculator, if you want one. Phones may not be used.
Find a session
HamStudy publishes the most complete national list of in-person and remote sessions, updated continuously.
Search exam sessionsAfter you pass
You will get a CSCE at the session. Your VEC files the paperwork electronically; the FCC then emails you to pay the $35 application fee for a new license. Your callsign appears in the FCC database a few days later, and only then may you transmit.