FCC Amateur Radio License Grants & Exams
Here are the next scheduled in-person volunteer examiner testing sessions to be held in Owensboro in 2026:
- September 26 at 9:00 a.m.
- November 14 at 9:00 a.m.
More information about the local in-person testing will be posted here as we get closer to the date. If you will be taking the entry-level Technician exam, you must first obtain a FCC Registration Number (FRN) from the FCC and bring it with you to the exam session. If you are already licensed and will be taking an exam to upgrade to a higher class license, bring a copy of your license to the exam session. Your FRN is on your current license. The cost to take an exam is $15.00, and our VE team will accept cash or a check.
Operation of an amateur station requires an amateur operator license grant from the FCC. Before receiving a license grant, you must pass an examination administered by a team of volunteer examiners (VEs). The VEs determine the license operator class for which you are qualified through the testing of your skills and abilities in operating an amateur station. You can contact a VE team in your community to make arrangements for being administered the examination elements you desire. If you need assistance in finding a VE team in your area, contact a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC).
After you successfully complete the exam, the VEC collects your infromation from your VE team and, after carefully screening it, forwards the information thereon to the FCC for processing. Your operating authority begins when your license grant information appears on the amateur service licensee database of the Universal Licensing System.
Common Filing Tasks
Amateur licensees are required to submit applications using the Universal Licensing System (ULS). Common filing tasks include:
