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
Online Amateur Radio License Courses and Practice Tests
KEØOG Online Licensing Courses
Ask Dave: Questions Answered for mostly new Hams
Ham Academy
Practice Exams http://hameducation.org/
HamRadio Testing Easy Audio Flashcard Videos
The Technician Exam Playlist (07-01-2018 to 06-30-2022 Question Pool)
The General Exam Playlist (07-01-2019 to 06-30-2023 Question Pool)
The Amateur Extra Exam Playlist (07-01-2020 to 06-30-2024 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.
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 sponsors VE sessions from 8-9 AM on the first Saturday of each month at the meeting room in Raley's Supermarket, 6845 Douglas Blvd, Granite Bay, CA 95746. Go to http://w6ek.org/veexams.html or e-mail ai6jb@arrl.net for more information.
Steve Porten KN6OX conducts the Folsom ARRL VE Sessions at 6 pm on the third Thursday of each month (except July and December) at Round Table Pizza, 9500 Greenback Ave, Suite 1, Folsom, CA 95630. More details at http://www.kn6ox.net/test/
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: