Who gets licensed?
Anyone. There is no minimum age, no maximum age, no technical background needed, and in the United States you do not have to be a citizen.
The youngest licensed operators in the US are around five or six years old. The oldest are well past ninety. In between are teachers, farmers, students, nurses, pilots, retired police officers, scout leaders, software developers, and a great many people who simply got curious.
What you actually need
- To pass one exam. The entry-level Technician exam is 35 multiple-choice questions. You need 26 correct.
- A mailing address. Your licence is a public record tied to an address.
- A few weeks of casual study. The whole question pool is published in advance, and free practice sites drill you on it.
What you do not need
- Morse code. The code requirement was dropped in 2007. No licence class requires it today.
- An engineering background. The exam covers rules, safety, and basic concepts - not maths-heavy theory.
- US citizenship. Non-citizens living in the US can hold a US licence.
- Expensive gear. You can pass the exam before you own a radio.
Children and families
There is no age limit at all, and exam sessions routinely test whole families together. A parent or guardian can help a young child with the paperwork; the child still has to pass the exam themselves.
Accessibility
Exam teams can provide accommodations - readers, extra time, large print, and oral exams - for candidates with disabilities. Contact the session organiser ahead of time and they will arrange it. Amateur radio has a long history as a hobby that works well for people with limited mobility, since the whole world comes to your desk.
The three licence classes
| Class | Exam | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Technician | 35 questions | All the VHF/UHF bands - local and regional contacts, repeaters, satellites - plus limited shortwave. |
| General | 35 more | Most of the shortwave bands, so worldwide contacts open up. |
| Amateur Extra | 50 more | Every frequency available to US amateurs. |
You start at Technician. You can take all three exams on the same day for one fee if you want to, but almost nobody needs to rush.