Amateur Radio Examinee Prerequisites
The Volunteer Examiners (VEs) of the Emerald Amateur Radio Society welcome you. We provide the following information to make your upcoming examination as pleasant and trouble free as we can. You have worked long and hard in your studies to gain your Amateur Radio license and we want to be sure that you have all the prerequisites that are needed.
Beginning May 20, 2021, all amateur examination applicants will be required to provide an FCC Registration Number (FRN) to the Volunteer Examiners (VEs) before taking an amateur exam. This is required due to changes the FCC has made to its licensing system.
Amateur Radio candidates who already have an FCC license already have an FRN and can use
the same number. All prospective new FCC licensees, however, are required to obtain an FRN before the examination and provide that number to the volunteer examiners on the Form 605 license application.
An FCC instructional video provides step-by-step instructions on how to obtain an FRN through the FCC’s Commission Registration System (CORES).
The video is available at, https://www.fcc.gov/rofrn . Please be sure to watch it before coming for your examination. YOU MUST have your FRN before taking the exam.
The FRN is required for all new applicants to take the amateur exam and is used after successful completion of the exam by the applicant to download the license document from the FCC universal Licensing System (ULS), upgrade the license, apply for a vanity call sign, and or to submit administrative updates (such as address and email changes) and renewal applications.
Also, after June 29, 2021, all applications will be required to contain an email address for FCC correspondence. Applicants will receive an email directly from the FCC with a link to the official
electronic copy of their license whenever a license is issued or changed. The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) suggests that those without access to email use the email address of a family member or friend. Licensees will be able to log in to the ULS using their FRN and password to download the latest version of their license at any time. The FCC no longer provides paper license documents.
Your Social Security number is not required nor to be collected in order for you to take the FCC examination for a radio license. Your examiners will not ask for it and only the FRN is necessary. If you have questions or need assistance in obtaining your FRN we will do our best to be of help. However, please make every attempt to have your email and FRN available when you arrive for the exam. Please be sure to arrive ON TIME. Doing so will expedite the process and will help to make your experience a pleasant and rewarding one. Good luck.
Best wishes, the Volunteer Examiner team of the Emerald Amateur Radio Society.
Last Updated on February 10, 2023 by President
