Get Your Radio License

Get Your Amateur Radio License

Before you go on air, you need to be licensed and know the rules. The Federal Communications Commission grants Amateur Radio licenses in the United States to individuals who successfully pass a multiple choice written exam at a Volunteer Exam (VE) session. The FCC currently issues three levels of amateur radio license: Technician, General and Extra.

Each license exam contains multiple choice questions selected from lists that are published online at http://www.arrl.org/question-pools. Many individuals prepare for an exam session using self-study license manuals and online practice exams. From time to time, license preparation courses are offered that cover the exam material over several weeks. "Ham-Cram" sessions are also popular, where a several hours' review class of exam questions and answers is immediately followed by a license exam session.

Licensing, Education and Training

Amateur Radio License Class Announcements

• American River College offers a 36 hour 2 unit course entitled  ET 103 Ham Radio Technician License Preparation

• SacSHARP offers annual Licensing Classes

Online Amateur Radio License Courses and Practice Tests

KEØOG Online Licensing Courses

• Technician Video Course

  • • Ask Dave: Questions Answered for mostly new Hams

• General Video Course 

• Amateur Extra Course 

HamStudy.org Study and Practice Exams

• The Technician Exam Questions (2022-2026 Question Pool)

• The General Exam Questions (2023-2027 Question Pool)

• The Amateur Extra Questions (2024-2028 Question Pool)

Amateur Radio License Exam Sessions

Check with exam teams below to see if affected by COVID-19 Pandemic.

Complimentary Membership Offer for Newly Licensed Radio Amateurs

Free complimentary club membership for the balance of the current calendar year is offered to first time hams newly licensed ONLY by the following three Volunteer Examiner teams.  Apply through our membership application page.

• No Sessions during the Summer.  Carmichael Elks Lodge VE sessions are currently held at 7:00 am on the third Saturday of each month at the Carmichael Elks Lodge, 5631 Cypress Avenue, Carmichael, CA 95608.  The administration fee is $15.  For further information send an e-mail to vvyvoda@yahoo.com or call John KJ6JD at (916) 927-4201. 

• Sierra Foothills ARC VE Team holds sessions from 7:00-8:30 PM on the first Monday of each month at Crossroads Church | South Campus, 1101 Auburn Ravine Rd, Auburn, CA 95603, USA.  Go to https://www.w6ek.org/activities/testing for more information. 

• Folsom ARRL VE Team conducts VE sessions at 6:00 pm on the third Thursday of each month (except December) at Mountain Mike's Pizza, 717 East Bidwell St, Folsom, CA.  Go to https://folsomhamexams.org/ or email info@folsomhamexams.org for more information.

COVID-19 Remote Video Sessions: If you cannot find an in-person exam session in your area or if you would rather take the test via a remote video-supervised online session, you can search for online examination dates here: https://hamstudy.org/sessions. Click on the box “Show online” to only display the list of upcoming remote video sessions.

For information on testing, preparation and study materials, see:

• The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, 

• Gordon West Study Guides and 

• What to bring to an exam session