License Exams

Our FCC Volunteer Examiners (VEs) conduct local test sessions every other month. Our VEs are certificated through ARRL, GLAARG, and LARC. Please read this page for details about the exam sessions we will be administering.

The FCC charges a $35 application fee that applies to new Technician licenses, renewals, and vanity call sign requests. The fee is per application. Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, and modification applications to upgrade an amateur radio licensee’s operator class, are exempt from fees. The fee must be paid directly to the FCC (more details below).

Next Session

Date: Saturday, May 11, 2024
Time: Test-takers should arrive by 10:00 AM.
Place: Sandpoint Library (Community Room A)
1407 Cedar St, Sandpoint, ID 83864
Fee: No exam fee! In support of our community, we are administering the exam under the LARC VEC who does not charge an exam fee.

Please register for this exam session at HamStudy.org (May 11th registration page is here).
Note: our examiner team is named Inland NW Amateur Radio Examiners (INWARE).

Required at exam session: Photo ID

Required at exam session: FCC-issued FRN How to get an FCC Registration Number (FRN)

To ask questions, contact (via phone or email):
Lee Lukehart K7AVR, 208-742-6644, luke (at) skysavvy (dot) net
 

Basic Information for all exam sessions:

  • A Legal Photo ID is required to take the test (driver’s license, state ID card, U.S. passport, military ID card, etc.). Students/minors without a photo ID need to bring one of the following if a legal guardian also presents their photo ID: birth certificate, school ID card, social security card, public library card, or a postmarked envelope addressed to the minor at his or her current mailing address as it appears on the Form 605.
  • All Applicants must have a FCC issued FRN. If you have never registered at the FCC page, you need to so at this link: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do .
  • Exam Fee: We charge NO exam fee!
  • FCC Application Fee: The FCC charges a $35 application fee (as of 4/19/2022) that applies to new licenses, renewals, and requests for a vanity call sign. The fee will be per application. Other updates, such as upgrades to an amateur radio licensee’s operator class or a change of name, mailing or email address, are exempt from fees. The fee must be paid directly to the FCC.
  • FCC Application Fee Payment Process: New license applicants will pay the exam session fee (if any) to the VE team as usual, but pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC using the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) Pay Fees system. When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, the FCC will email a link with payment instructions to each successful candidate who then will have 10 days from the date of the email to pay. After the fee is paid and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license. That link will be good for 30 days. Licensees also will be able to view, download, and print official license copies by logging into their FCC ULS account. The FCC no longer provides printed licenses.
    License Search: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp
  • Applicants do not have to wait for the FCC email to pay the fee. They can look up their application in the FCC application search system using their FRN. If the applicant has a pending application in the system, that means the VEC has submitted the application to the FCC, and the fee can be paid by logging into the CORES system.
    Application Search: https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/searchAppl.jsp
  • You may sit for multiple license class exams at a single session. If you pass the Technician, you will be offered the opportunity to take the General exam. Under FCC rules, you can take the exams in any order. However, you must pass the lower exams to gain the higher class licenses (Extra is the highest level). To clarify: if you take and pass the Technician and Extra exams, but fail the General exam, you will have credit for the Extra, but be granted only the Technician license. You will have 365 days (including the date you passed the Extra) to pass the General exam. Once you have passed General, you will hold an Extra class license.

We are aware that certain email preferences and email services may potentially block or filter incoming email attachments. If this is a concern, we suggest that the applicant’s email preferences be set to allow incoming email from authorizations@fcc.gov before their applications are submitted.

Future test sessions (second Saturday, ~bi-monthly):
Jul 13, 2024
Sep 14, 2024
October 26, 2024

Study, Study, Study