United States · License examQuestion pools, practice exams, books and classes compared
| Option | Price | Free to use | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official question pools | |||
NCVEC question poolsThe official pools for the Technician, General and Amateur Extra exams, with syllabus and diagramsEvery exam question comes from these pools. Each pool page lists its errata. | No charge; Word and PDF files on NCVEC’s site | NCVEC releases each pool into the public domain | |
| Free practice exams | |||
ARRL Exam Review for Ham RadioOnline practice exams built from the pools in use, from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL)Random practice exams for all three pools, with short explanations. Review by pool topic or by chapter of ARRL’s manuals, and print as many exams as you want. Needs its own login, separate from an ARRL website account. | No charge | Yes, ARRL says it’s free and you don’t need to be a member | |
| Apps and websites | |||
HamStudy.orgStudy website for the US pools, with study mode, practice tests and an exam session listCarries the 2026-2030 Technician, 2023-2027 General and 2024-2028 Extra pools. W5YI-VEC recommends it and suggests passing at least five practice tests before booking an exam. NCVEC links to its exam session finder. | Website free; offline apps sold in the app stores | HamStudy.org says its website is and will always be free | |
HamTestOnlinePaid online course that combines study material with question drillCourses for each pool, including the Technician pool effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. It says it refunds the subscription if you fail the exam. General and Extra courses have higher list prices. | Technician course, 3 months: $34.95 list price | The first 50 questions, in its own words | |
| Books | |||
ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, 6th editionARRL’s textbook for the Technician examTeaches the Technician material chapter by chapter and pairs with Exam Review. ARRL posts updates and corrections on the manual’s page. ARRL also publishes General and Extra Class License Manuals. | $32.95 in the ARRL store | No | |
| In person | |||
ARRL license class finderDatabase of local and online license classes run by instructorsSearch by ZIP code and distance, or by state. Type “Online” in the keyword box for online classes. Instructors add classes themselves. | Set by each class | Not listed | |
Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
Where can you take a ham radio technician license practice test?
ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio gives you randomly generated practice exams using questions from the actual pools, with short explanations of each answer. ARRL says it’s free and you don’t need to be a member, though you set up a separate login for it. You can review by chapter of ARRL’s manual or by pool topic, and print as many practice exams as you like.
HamStudy.org has the 2026‑2030 Technician pool, the 2023‑2027 General pool and the 2024‑2028 Extra pool, with a study mode that tracks what you’ve seen. It says its website is and will always be free, and it sells offline apps. W5YI-VEC, one of the Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs), recommends HamStudy.org and suggests passing at least five practice tests before you book an exam.
HamTestOnline is a paid course that mixes study material with question drill. It says the first 50 questions are free and that it refunds the subscription if you fail the exam.
Study straight from the question pool
NCVEC publishes each pool as a Word file and a PDF, with the syllabus at the top and any diagrams alongside. Every question has four answers, and the correct letter is printed in parentheses after the question number, sometimes followed by a rule reference in square brackets. On the real exam, neither one appears.
Pools get corrected between releases. NCVEC posts each change as an errata notice on the pool’s page, and a question it withdraws stops appearing on exams. Download the file again shortly before you test, and check the pool’s dates against your exam day.
Books and classes for each license
ARRL’s Ham Radio License Manual, 6th edition, is its textbook for the Technician exam. ARRL publishes a General Class License Manual and an Extra Class License Manual for the General and Extra exams, and each one works with Exam Review.
If you’d rather learn in a group, ARRL keeps a database of license classes. Search by ZIP code and distance, or type “Online” in the keyword box to see online classes.
Which way to study suits you
- You learn by doing questions: drill the pool on ARRL Exam Review or HamStudy.org until you’re passing practice exams at 26 of 35 or better.
- You want to understand the radio, not just pass: read a license manual first, then use the pool to check yourself.
- You want a teacher: find a local or online class through ARRL’s class search.
- You’re aiming for General or Amateur Extra: the same sites carry those pools, and the exam pages show what each covers.
Sources: ARRL · NCVEC · W5YI-VEC and 4 more. Checked October 2026.
- ARRL: Exam Practice ↗
- ARRL: Ham Radio License Manual ↗
- ARRL: Find an Amateur Radio License Class ↗
- NCVEC: Amateur Question Pools ↗
- W5YI-VEC: Find An Exam Session ↗
- HamStudy.org: home and app pages ↗
- HamTestOnline: home and price list ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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