The United States has three amateur radio licence classes you can earn today: Technician, General and Amateur Extra. Each one adds privileges, and each has a written exam. If you're deciding what to study next, the useful question is not "which is best?" but "what do I want to do on the air in the next year?" This guide compares the three classes so you can answer that. Transmitting requires the right licence, and you must follow the rules of the country you're operating in.
The three classes at a glance
All three classes are issued by the FCC, and there is no Morse code test for any of them. You climb the ladder by passing written exams, called elements. Technician is Element 2, General is Element 3 and Amateur Extra is Element 4. Each higher class builds on the one below, so you pass Element 2 first, then 3, then 4.
Technician: the entry ticket
The Technician exam has 35 questions covering basic regulations, operating practice, electrical principles, antennas and safety. Passing earns you every amateur privilege above 30 MHz. That includes the 6 metre, 2 metre and 70 centimetre bands, local repeaters, satellites, and all the modes used up there.
Technicians also get a small slice of HF. You can use Morse code on parts of the 80, 40 and 15 metre bands. On 10 metres you can use data modes, and voice on the upper part of the band, roughly 28.3 to 28.5 MHz. HF power for Technicians is limited to 200 watts PEP, which is plenty for most stations.
General: the HF licence
The General exam also has 35 questions, but the material goes deeper into HF operating, propagation, antennas and rules. Passing gives you most of every amateur band, using all modes. That opens up the world of long-distance HF voice, digital and Morse operating, and it also brings you access to the 60 metre band.
Some small segments of the HF bands remain reserved for Amateur Extra. General is where most people find HF really opens up, because you can use the most popular voice and data frequencies on every band. HF power for General and Extra is limited to 1500 watts PEP, though most operators run far less.
Amateur Extra: every privilege
The Extra exam has 50 questions and is the most technical of the three. It covers advanced electronics, antenna theory, propagation, signals and more detailed regulations. Passing gives you every privilege the amateur service offers, including those exclusive segments at the lower edges of several HF bands.
Extra is not required for anything most people do day to day. It's for operators who want the full set of frequencies, or who enjoy the deeper theory. Plenty of active operators stay at General for years and are happy there.
What about Novice and Advanced?
You may see references to Novice and Advanced licences. The FCC stopped issuing these classes in 2000. Existing holders can keep renewing them, but new applicants choose from Technician, General and Extra.
What the exams involve
The pass mark is 74 percent, which is 26 correct answers out of 35 or 37 out of 50. Exams are run by Volunteer Examiners, often through a local club or at an online session, and you can take more than one element in a single session. Each question pool is revised on a multi-year cycle, so always check that your study materials match the pool that is currently active.
The practice questions are a good way to check your readiness, and the American crash course gives you a fast structured path to Technician and General.
How to decide what to study next
Match the licence to your goals:
- Local contacts, repeaters, emergency communication and satellites: Technician gives you everything you need.
- Talking to other countries, digital modes on HF, contests and awards: General is the natural next step.
- Every band segment, or a love of advanced theory: Amateur Extra.
- Curious but unsure: start with Technician, listen and try things, then decide.
Practical steps to upgrade
- Choose your target class and read the syllabus for it.
- Study with a current guide, then test yourself with licence exam practice until you pass comfortably.
- Find an exam session near you. A local club is a good place to start, and you can find a club in your area.
- Bring valid identification and any details your examiners ask for.
- After you pass, confirm that your new class appears in the FCC database.
Your examiners will explain how and when your new privileges begin, so ask them directly rather than assuming.
Common mistakes
- Memorising without understanding. Answers get reworded. Knowing why something is true helps you on the exam and on the air.
- Studying an outdated pool. Old books may not cover the current questions.
- Assuming your new privileges apply everywhere. Band segments and modes have limits, so check the band plan before you transmit.
- Skipping RF safety. Higher power and new antennas mean you should re-evaluate your station's RF exposure, keeping antennas away from people.
- Rushing an upgrade before you've used what you have. Time on the air makes the exam material make sense.
Preparing for the HF bands
Once you hold General, conditions matter more than power. Checking the live HF propagation page before you operate shows which bands are open, and the first HF contact walkthrough takes you through the process. If you're thinking about equipment, see the beginner's transceiver guide.
A note for Canadian readers
Canada does not use these US classes. Its qualifications, exams and privileges differ, and a US licence does not automatically let you transmit in Canada. Our Canadian licence guide explains that system.
Wrap-up
Technician gets you on the air, General opens up HF, and Amateur Extra completes the set. Pick the licence that matches what you want to do next, study for it steadily, and log your progress along the way with the free online logbook. Then pass your exam and enjoy the new privileges.
How HamRadioList can help
Ready to start studying? Work through the free license exam practice questions for the US, or follow the American crash course if you're heading for Technician and General. Once you're on the air, log each contact in the free HamRadioList logbook and check the live HF propagation page before you call CQ.
- License exam practice - practice questions for the US and Canadian amateur exams.
- American crash course - a fast path to the US Technician and General exams.
- Free online ham radio logbook - log every contact, import and export ADIF, sync with QRZ.com and keep your awards organised.
- Live HF propagation - see current band conditions before you call CQ.
- Find a club - locate a local amateur radio club.
New here, or getting back on the air? Create your free HamRadioList account to log contacts, check band conditions and practise for your exam, or browse more guides from the blog. HamRadioList is built by amateur radio operators in Nova Scotia for operators everywhere.