The East Greenbush Amateur Radio Association holds FCC Amateur Radio license exam sessions three times per year. The next exam session will be posted here as soon as it is scheduled. The exams are held for all licenses classes—Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. If you are interested in taking an exam, scheduled sessions are posted on the ARRL website at: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session.
Pre-registration is recommended for anyone wishing to take a license exam; however, walk-ins are always welcome. Please email W2RBJ (at) outlook.com if you are interested in taking a licensing exam; we will let you know when the next exam session is to will be held.
This a great opportunity to get your Amateur Radio License or upgrade your existing license. Your best chance of passing is by being prepared. Online training and testing is a valuable resource and can easily be found with a quick search of the web. Details of what you need to take your exam can be found below.
You must have an FCC Registration Number (an FRN) in advance to take the test. See item #4, below, for details.
If you are interested in taking your Amateur Radio licensing exam, please email W2RBJ (at) Outlook.com and include what license exam you want to take (Technician, General or Amateur Extra). We need this information to ensure we have the correct number of exams and paperwork on hand.
The cost is $15 ($5 for individuals under 18 years of age) and can be paid by cash or check. New license applicants will need to pay a $35 fee directly to the FCC once they pass their exam. Please read the information below to ensure you bring all necessary documents.
What to bring to the exam session
- EITHER Government-issued photo ID. Acceptable types include:
- State driver’s license
- Passport
- Military or law enforcement photo ID
- School-issued student photo ID
- State non-driver’s photo ID
- OR Two forms of non-photo identification. Acceptable types include:
- State-issued non-photo ID
- Birth certificate (with appropriate seal)
- Social security card
- Employer’s wage statement
- Minor’s work permit
- School ID
- School or public library card
- 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 FCC Form 605.
- Minors without an acceptable photo ID need provide only one of the above items if accompanied by a legal guardian with proper photo ID.
- FCC Registration Number, FRN. To obtain an FRN you must register a username with the FCC. Visit the FCC Commission Registration System, CORES, webpage at https://www.fcc.gov/licensing-databases/commission-registration-system-fcc. We 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 with their social security number in the FCC Commission Registration System, CORES, before attending an license exam session.
- If applicable, a printed copy of your current Amateur Radio license. If the FCC has not yet issued an updated license reflecting previous exam sessions results, you also will need a copy of the Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination, CSCE, from the previous exam session. The copy of the license and any CSCE form will be returned to you, except for proof of an expired license; the copy of the expired license is forwarded to the FCC.
- Two #2 pencils with erasers and a black or blue pen.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.
- Bring a check, a money order or cash for $15 to cover the exam session fee(s). Check the ARRL VEC’s current exam fees. The FCC is now also charging new licensees a $35 fee. This is payable directly to the FCC and a link will be sent by email to those who successfully pass their exam. You must have a valid email address in order for the FCC to process your license.
- Be aware that some information about you will be made publicly available on the FCC’s website: FCC Licensee Privacy.