Technician License Exam Practice

The first US amateur radio license: every amateur band above 30 MHz, and some HF. Practice with the official question pool until you know every answer.

Start practicing · Topic Study · Sample questions

What's on the Exam

  1. Commission’s rules (6 questions): Purpose and permissible use of the Amateur Radio Service; Frequency allocations; Licensing; Authorized and prohibited transmissions; Control operator; Station identification.
  2. Operating procedures (3 questions): Station operation; VHF/UHF operating practices; Public service.
  3. Radio wave propagation (3 questions): Radio wave characteristics; Electromagnetic wave properties; Propagation modes.
  4. Amateur radio practices (2 questions): Station setup; Operating controls.
  5. Electrical principles (4 questions): Current and voltage; Math for electronics; Capacitance and inductance terminology and units; Ohm’s Law.
  6. Electronic and electrical components (4 questions): Fixed and variable resistors; Semiconductors; Circuit diagrams; Component functions.
  7. Practical circuits (4 questions): Station equipment; Symptoms, causes, and cures of common transmitter and receiver problems; Antenna and transmission line measurements and troubleshooting; Using basic test instruments.
  8. Signals and emissions (4 questions): Basic characteristics of FM and SSB; Amateur satellite operation; Operating activities; Non-voice and digital communications.
  9. Antennas and feed lines (2 questions): Antennas; Feed lines.
  10. Safety (3 questions): Power circuits and hazards; Antenna safety; RF hazards.

How the Exam Works

Format
35 multiple-choice questions, one from each group of the Technician question pool. You pass with 26 correct (74%).
Questions
Every question comes word for word from the public Technician pool (409 questions, in use from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030). The answers do too, though their order can change.
Where
At an exam session run by volunteer examiners, in person or online with video supervision.
Cost
The session fee is usually $15 or less. If you pass, the FCC charges $35 for your new license, paid online after the session.
Results
Graded at the session, so you know right away. The FCC then issues your license, valid for ten years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the Technician exam?

35 multiple-choice questions, one from each of the 35 groups in the Technician pool. You need 26 correct to pass (74%).

Where do the questions come from?

From the Technician question pool, which the NCVEC Question Pool Committee publishes for anyone to use. Every exam question and its answers are taken from it word for word. The current pool has 409 questions, in use from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030.

Do I need anything before taking the Technician exam?

No license or minimum age is needed. Before the session, register with the FCC (CORES) for a free FCC Registration Number (FRN), and bring a photo ID (or two other forms of ID) and the session fee, usually $15 or less.

Is there a Morse code test?

No. The FCC dropped Morse code testing for every license class in February 2007.

After Technician

General opens up most of the HF bands. You can take its exam at the same session once you have passed Technician. The General exam