The Ham Radio Technician Test is the exam for a Technician Class amateur radio license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Volunteer Examiner Coordinators such as ARRL VE run it, in person or online. You need 26 of 35 multiple-choice questions correct to pass. This page has free practice sets by topic, three worked questions, the main rules on fees and retakes, and a study plan you can follow before your session.
According to Federal Communications Commission (FCC); examinations administered by Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, including ARRL VE, “Element 2: 35 questions concerning the privileges of a Technician Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 26 questions answered correctly.”[3]
Passing this exam qualifies you for a Technician Class operator license. The FCC grants the license, but you do not sit the exam with the FCC. Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, including ARRL VE, run the sessions with teams of volunteer examiners. Under the FCC rules, anyone who qualifies by examination can apply for a license, except a representative of a foreign government.
The exam has 35 multiple-choice questions on the privileges of a Technician Class license. You pass with at least 26 correct answers. Sessions are held regularly, both in person and online. At an in-person session, the examiners grade your answers as soon as you finish. For a remote exam, the rules say grading must happen at the earliest practical opportunity.
Plan for two costs: the $35 FCC application fee and a separate exam fee charged by the VEC that runs your session. The FCC does not set the VEC fee, and it can differ between coordinators, so check it when you book. If you fail and retake the exam at the same ARRL VEC session, you pay another exam fee and get a different question set. A license is normally granted for 10 years. If it expires, you have a 2 year grace period to apply for renewal. Before you test, check the current details on the ARRL getting-licensed pages and in the FCC amateur radio rules published by ARRL.
Interactive Ham Radio Technician Test resources on PracticeTestGeeks, free to start:
Facts verified Oct 18, 2026 against Federal Communications Commission (FCC); examinations administered by Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, including ARRL VE. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Facts verified Oct 18, 2026 against Federal Communications Commission (FCC); examinations administered by Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, including ARRL VE. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Facts verified Oct 18, 2026 against Federal Communications Commission (FCC); examinations administered by Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, including ARRL VE. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
Prepare for the Ham Radio Technician Test exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the phase connection between a series resonant circuit's resonance voltage and current?
Answer: C. The voltage and current are in phase
Explanation:
C is correct. At resonance in a series circuit, the inductive and capacitive reactances are equal and opposite, so they cancel. Only resistance is left. In a purely resistive circuit, voltage and current rise and fall together, so they are in phase.
Rule to remember: at resonance the reactances cancel, the circuit acts like a resistor, and voltage and current are in phase. To remember which one leads, use "ELI the ICE man": voltage (E) leads current (I) in an inductor (L), and current leads voltage in a capacitor (C).
Question: What is the purpose of placing warning signs near a transmitting antenna installation?
Answer: B. To warn uninformed persons of potential RF exposure so they can maintain safe distance
Explanation:
B is correct. A warning sign is a simple way to control RF exposure. It tells people who do not know about the hazard to stay back from an antenna that may be transmitting.
Rule to remember: when a question asks how to protect the public from RF, look for the answer about distance, limiting access, or warning people who may not know the risk.
Question: What is the purpose of a CTCSS tone used with a repeater?
Answer: A. To prevent the repeater from activating on unintended signals
Explanation:
A is correct. CTCSS stands for Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System. It adds a low tone below the range you hear to your transmission. A repeater set to require that tone stays silent unless the tone is present. That way it ignores interference, distant stations on the same frequency, and stray signals.
Rule to remember: if a repeater does not respond to you, check that your radio is sending the right tone. Repeater listings often show it as PL or CTCSS.
Take the full practice test once before you study, so you know your starting point. Then sort the questions you missed by topic.
The exam has 35 multiple-choice questions, and you need at least 26 correct to pass. The questions cover the privileges of a Technician Class license, so rules, operating practice, safety and basic electronics all come up. Practising until you score well above 26 gives you some room for questions you find harder on the day.
There are two costs: the $35 FCC application fee and an exam fee charged by the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator that runs your session. The FCC does not set the VEC fee, and it can differ between coordinators, so confirm the amount when you book. If you retake a failed exam at the same ARRL VEC session, you pay another exam fee.
Yes. ARRL says online and in-person exams are given regularly, and you can find a local session or book an online one through its getting-licensed pages. In person, your answers are graded right after you finish. For remote exams, the FCC rules say grading must happen at the earliest practical opportunity, so your result may take a little longer.
You can retake it. The FCC rules say you cannot be given the same question set again, so a retake uses different questions. At an ARRL VEC session, you only pay a retest fee if you retake an element after failing it at that session. Before retaking, spend some time on the topics where you lost the most points.
An amateur license is normally granted for 10 years. If it expires, you have a 2 year grace period to apply to the FCC for renewal for another term. Note the expiration date when your license is granted so you can renew on time, and check the FCC rules for current renewal steps.
Under the FCC rules, anyone who qualifies by examination can apply for an amateur operator and station license. The only group excluded is representatives of a foreign government. To qualify, you pass the exam at a session run by a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator, such as ARRL VE, either in person or online.