Testing and Licensing: How it works

You go to a CCARC Testing Session. These typically start at 10AM, so 10:30 is a great time to show up. Bring your social security card, some form of identification and $15 per try you want. Each testing session lasts until you want to leave or fail a test, and costs $15. If you really study, you could get all three licenses for $15 in testing fees, if you took and passed all three tests in order.

For testing times and locations, go to http://www.w7aia.org/licclass.htm

Now what?

After you finish your test, you may be wondering what to do. The Volunteer Examiners likely told you when you came in, but you should take your testing materials to the Test Proctor (The person walking around). You should now sit down again while they take your test to the scorers, who will score your test then and there before telling the Proctor, who will come and tell you your results. If you passed, you can then take the next test up if you would like, or you can leave. If this is your first time, you will receive an email from the FCC and a letter from CCARC. In the email for the FCC will be instructions on obtaining your license. For financial reasons, the FCC does not send physical licenses, but rather will give you a PDF to print, looking something like this, but not marked as a reference copy. The large license is for posting at your home station, should you choose to assemble one in the future, and the smaller one happens to be wallet sized. (Click the images for higher resolution).

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