What to Bring to an Exam Session

Exam Day

The FCC charges a fee to issue an initial license as well as for other FCC services. The FCC fee must be paid directly to the FCC not to an organization or exam team. View the fee filing guide and instructions on the FCC Application Fee webpage.

Exam sessions are conducted by volunteers working under the direction of the FCC and a Volunteer Exam Coordinator (VEC). There will likely be a charge for taking the exam. The exam fee is set by the VEC and is usually $15 or less. Contact the exam session administrator to determine the fee that applies to the exam session you plan to attend, the documents required and to verify the session date and time. VEC organizations may have different policies regarding candidate procedures and requirements.
ARRL will cover the one-time $35 FCC application fee for new license candidates younger than 18-years old for tests administered under the ARRL VEC program. The $35 FCC application fee will be reimbursed after the ARRL VEC receives the completed reimbursement form and the new license has been issued by the FCC. The reimbursement check will be mailed to the fee payer. Also, candidates younger than 18-years old would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC VE team at the time of the exam. Visit the Youth Licensing Grant Program webpage for more information and for the reimbursement instructions.

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What to Bring to an ARRL Exam Session:

      1.  MANDATORY BEFORE THE EXAM
           FCC Registration Number (FRN):  Examinees are required by the FCC to submit your FRN with your license application form. New license applicants must create an FCC user account and register their Social Security Number (SSN) in the FCC Commission Registration System (CORES) before attending exam sessions. Registrants will be assigned an FRN which will be used in all license transactions with the FCC. For instructions on how to register your SSN and receive an FRN from the FCC, visit the CORES Registration page and the FCC's Registration instructions page. Per FCC rules, a valid email address is also mandatory on the application form to receive FCC correspondence, including the official copy of your Amateur Radio license.

      2.  One legal photo ID (identification):
           a. State Driver’s License
           b. Government issued Passport
           c. Military or Law Enforcement Officer Photo ID card
           d. Student School Photo ID card
           e. State Photo ID card

      3.  If no photo ID is available, two forms of identification:
           a. Non-photo State ID card (some states still have them)
           b. Birth certificate (must have the appropriate seal)
           c. Social security card
           d. Employer's wage statement or Minor's work permit
           e. School ID card
           f. School or Public Library card
           g. Utility bill, bank statement or other business correspondence that
               specifically names the person; or a postmarked envelope addressed
               to the person at his or her current mailing address as it appears on
               the Form 605.

      4.  Students/minors without a photo ID need to bring only one of the above items if a legal guardian presents their photo ID; otherwise two non-photo IDs are required. ARRL will cover the one-time FCC application fee for new license candidates younger than 18-years old for tests administered under the ARRL VEC program. Candidates younger than 18-years old would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC VE team at the time of the exam. Visit the Youth Licensing Grant Program webpage for more information and for the reimbursement instructions. Minor children (under the age of 18) may be accompanied in the room by an adult during the test.

      5.  If applicable, bring a printed copy of your Amateur Radio license or be able to show proof of the license in the official FCC database. Acceptable copies or printouts of licenses are available from the following sources: the official license or reference license printed from the FCC website or license data printed from the ARRL website or QRZ website. The original(s) and photocopy(s) of any Certificates of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) you may hold from previous exam sessions. If your license has already been issued by the FCC, the CSCE showing license credit is not needed. The candidate is require to show proof of the current license to the team but the team is no longer required to submit the proof to the VEC. Expired license proof must be submitted to the team and to the VEC for processing to FCC. These photocopies will not be returned. Instructions on how to obtain an official FCC license copy are on our Obtain License Copy web page.

      6.  Two number two pencils with erasers and a pen for in-person sessions. 

      7.  A calculator with the memory erased and formulas cleared is allowed. You may not bring any written notes or calculations into the exam session. Slide rules and logarithmic tables are acceptable, as long as they're free of notes and formulas. Cell phone must be silenced or turned off during the exam session and the phones' calculator function may not be used. In addition, iPhones, iPads, Androids, smartphones, Blackberry devices and all similar electronic devices with a calculator capability, may NOT be used.

      8.  Bring a check, a money order or cash to cover the exam session fee(s). Check the ARRL VEC’s current exam fees.

      9.  Be aware that some information about you will be made publicly available on the FCC's website (FCC Licensee Privacy) including a felony conviction status. All applicants must answer the Basic Qualification Question (felony conviction status question) on the 605 Form at the exam session. Applicants that answer "YES" for the question must follow these FCC procedures: FCC qualification question instructions

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