Online Testing Options

Are you looking for online testing? This page will be updated on a regular basis as new information is learned. You can share this page by using the link https://bit.ly/onlinehamtest. It will be pinned on the Learning and Passing the Ham Radio Exams group on Facebook as well.

First a disclaimer, I am trying my best to bring the most factual and up-to-date information that I can find. If anything is found to be untrue or if there is information missing, please please contact me and I will get it updated or removed as soon as possible.

The hottest topic in Amateur (Ham) Radio today is “how can I take my test?” and “can I take it online?” The COVID-19 pandemic has shut down most testing sessions making it difficult for many people that normally had easy access to testing in the past. Also, factor in that many of the VEs are at an age where they are more susceptible to getting infected and that makes for a possible bad situation. Up until recently, I was in the same situation of needing to take my test and there was no place to take it.

We live in the internet age, there has to be testing online right? There was… sort of, but it was rare and in only in special cases. The FCC updated the rules back in 2014 to allow remote testing via the internet as long as the VEs were watching the test real-time via a streaming video solution. As I understand it, several VECs have created remote testing procedures for rare instances, but not for the regular testing we need today.

As I write this on April 19th, 2020, online testing is happening. There are many videos explaining how it works and how they prevent cheating. If you are a naysayer, please watch these videos before replying to this post. They cover a lot of your concerns and they are doing their best to keep the test to the standard it always has had. This is not going to replace in-person testing. But we can't easily do in-person testing right now, so we utilize the tools we have available and make it work. This is much like what we do in ham radio, figure out how to make something work, even if it isn't ideal.

This list is by no means comprehensive, but this lists the best places to look for online testing. If I have anything incorrect and you are a VEC or a VE team, please reach out to the contact listed in the “To the VE Teams” section below. DISCLAIMER: The information found in this section is subject to change at any time. I encourage you to email the VE team about questions relating to specific tests or contact me with any issues with the information on this page. Test sessions fill quickly, check often.

VERY IMPORTANT read everything the VE team gives you on requirements and procedures. If you get it wrong, they may not test you.

  • Anchorage Amateur Radio Club - They use a remote proctor to take the test. Learn more here and here.
  • HamStudy Sessions - Lists dates that VE teams that are using Ham Exam for fully remote testing along with other testing happening. Please look at each one carefully and reach out to the VE team if you have any questions.
  • W5YI is doing fully remote testing. - I have been unable to find a page pointing to information. Please reach out to them for information.
  • ARRL/VEC has a couple of VE teams doing fully remote testing. - I am unsure how to find these teams at this time.
    • K4CXS is one club doing remote testing.

This section is for VECs that are rumored to be doing remote tests of some sort. You may reach out to them about taking a test but these are rumors and it does NOT mean they are accepting tests from anyone at this time.

VECs and VE Teams, if I got anything wrong or you would like your information on this list please contact me.

de WX0MIK

  • licensing/us/onlinetesting.txt
  • Last modified: 2020/05/14 12:06
  • by wx0mik