The License Exam Process

Harrisburg Radio Amateurs’ Club provides numerous opportunities each year for those who require assistance with administrative actions to correct existing licenses, obtaining their first license, upgrading a current license, or taking action to renew an expired license. As a team of VEs authorized to conduct test sessions on behalf of the Laurel VEC, we are proud to offer this service entirely free of charge. We want to help you, but we also need your help to make testing sessions smoother and more efficient for you and for us! We require pre-registration for exams. This helps us ensure that we have the level of staffing required to conduct an exam. If you are seeking your first license and have not previously transacted business with the FCC and do not already possess a Federal Registration Number (FRN), we require that you first obtain an FRN in advance of registering for an upcoming exam. Please work your way vertically through the expanding Frequently Asked Questions to the right. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us for more information.

GENERAL EXAM CONTACT FORM

This form should be completed to make general inquiries regarding the exam process.  Please use the “Exam Pre-Registration Form” button above to register for an upcoming exam session.

When can I take my exam?

TEST SESSIONS BEGIN AT 9:00 AM

UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

License Exam Dates

DATELOCATIONNOTES
Feb 18, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Apr 15, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Jun 17, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Aug 19, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Oct 21, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Dec 16, 2023VVoA - HBGSee FAQ Below
Where are the tests held?

 

Test sessions are held at the Vietnam Veterans of America, 8000 Derry Street, Harrisburg, PA 17111. 

 

View Larger Map

 

How do I apply for the REQUIRED FRN?

An FRN number issued by the FCC is a unique identification number by which you are known to the FCC and with which your license will be associated. If you have a commercial, GMRS or various other forms of licensure, you may already have an FRN. If you don’t already have one, applying online to the FCC in advance for your FRN number also allows us to avoid asking for your Social Security Number during the testing session. If you are already a licensed amateur, you most likely have an FRN (with some exceptions – including where the license pre-dates the existence of the FCC’s Universal Licensing System). Check the ULS first by entering your callsign here: http://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/UlsSearch/searchLicense.jsp If you don’t already have one, applying for your FRN is fairly simple.

An FRN number must be obtained in advance of our testing sessions.

The FCC system is retiring the former registration system on 3/1/2019.  Older instructions on this process will no longer be useful.  We recommend taking a few minutes to watch the video below, which will help you navigate the process in the new system:

How do I submit the REQUIRED pre-registration form?
 Please complete form linked below to pre-register for your exam. This information will also be used by the VE team to prepare the necessary paperwork for the testing session. Please complete the form completely and accurately to prevent delays at the testing site.

Important Note: DO NOT PROVIDE your social security number (“SSN”) via this website. This website is NOT secure. If you have not previously transacted business with, nor been issued a license by the FCC, please use the appropriate FAQ above for information on how to first apply for an FRN number through the FCC’s website.

If you are upgrading your license, you probably already have an FRN unless your last license pre-dates the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS). Check your documents carefully. If you have an FRN, it probably appears as a ten-digit number on your current license and/or in the ULS.

 

Online Pre-Registration Form

How will I receive my license? Will it be mailed?
Please see the FAQ titled “How Do I apply for the REQUIRED FRN” above. It addresses both registration and how to notify the FCC of your desire to received paper documents via the mail.

What do I need to bring?
Required Materials

  • Two legal forms of identification (one with a photo)
  • Original Amateur License (if licensed)
  • Copy of Amateur License (if licensed)
  • Original of any CSCE (if upgrading)
  • Copy of any CSCE (if upgrading)
  • FCC Registration Number – “FRN”

The following information should help assure that you have everything needed when you attend our test session: Application forms will be supplied.

1. Bring a pen and a pencil.

2. Bring two forms of identification, to be sure. At least one of these should, if possible, be a photo ID such as a driver’s license. If you currently hold a valid Amateur Radio license, the original (not a copy) of this license can serve as one of these IDs. At least one of these IDs should show your current mailing address.

3. If you are currently licensed, bring the original of your current license as well as a copy that we may keep.

4. If you plan to submit a valid “Certificate Of Successful Completion Of Examination” (CSCE), or any other acceptable documentation for credit toward an upgrade, bring the original of the documentation as well as a copy for us.

5. If you have conducted business in the past with the FCC, you may have been assigned an FCC Registration Number (FRN). Several possibilities, but not the only ones, are that you may already hold an Amateur Radio License, a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) License or a Commercial License. If you are currently a holder of an Amateur License, the FRN may appear on the actual license. Visit the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) at http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls. Please see the appropriate FAQ for information on how to obtain your FRN number if you do not already have one. We need your FRN at the time of pre-registration for an exam.

6. If you plan to use a calculator for your written exam, do not bring one that is unnecessarily complex. You will not be permitted to use it unless you can satisfy the VEs that all memory is completely cleared.

7. If you are handicapped and will require special attention, we must be informed of the circumstances ahead of time so that appropriate preparations can be made.

If you have questions about the above requirements, please let us know.

How do I contact someone to ask questions?
Please use the contact form on the bottom left of this page to send your inquiry to the VE team.