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E1E

COMMISSION RULES

Volunteer examiner program: definitions; qualifications; preparation and administration of exams; reimbursement; accreditation; question pools; documentation requirements

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E1E011 of 11§ 97.527

For which types of out-of-pocket expenses do the Part 97 rules state that VEs and VECs may be reimbursed?

Why Section 97.527 lets VEs and VECs recover out-of-pocket costs tied directly to the examination session itself: preparing the test materials, processing the paperwork, administering the exam, and coordinating it through the VEC. That is why a modest test fee may be collected from applicants, with the maximum amount set by rule and adjusted annually for inflation. Anything outside the exam process itself is not covered.
Watch out Teaching a license class or supplying study materials feels related, but those are training activities, not exam administration, so the rule does not authorize reimbursement for them; the choice saying no expenses are authorized ignores 97.527 entirely.
Reimbursable = the four exam verbs: prepare, process, administer, coordinate. Teaching and textbooks are on your own dime.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.527 Reimbursement for expenses.

VEs and VECs may be reimbursed by examinees for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in preparing, processing, administering, or coordinating an examination for an amateur operator license.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E022 of 11§ 97.523

Who is tasked by Part 97 with maintaining the pools of questions for all US amateur license examinations?

Why Section 97.523 states that there shall be a single question pool for each written exam element, and that the pools must be maintained by all of the VECs (Volunteer Examiner Coordinators) working cooperatively. The FCC delegated that job to the VEC system; in practice the VECs' Question Pool Committee (under NCVEC) writes and revises the pools on a rotating schedule. VEs administer the exams, but they do not write the questions.
Watch out The FCC is tempting because it owns the rules, but it gave up question-writing to the coordinators; the ARRL is only one of several VECs, not the sole authority.
97.523: one pool per element, maintained by all the VECs together. VEs give the test, VECs own the questions.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.523 Question pools.

All VECs must cooperate in maintaining one question pool for each written examination element. Each question pool must contain at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single examination. Each question pool must be published and made available to the public prior to its use for making a question set. Each question on each VEC question pool must be prepared by a VE holding the required FCC-issued operator license. See ยง 97.507(a) of this part.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E033 of 11§ 97.521

What is a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator?

Why Under 97.521, a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator is an organization, not an individual, that has signed an agreement with the FCC to coordinate, prepare, and administer amateur license exams. The VEC accredits Volunteer Examiners, maintains the question pools through the NCVEC, collects the paperwork from test sessions, and files the results with the FCC. Examples include the ARRL VEC and the W5YI VEC.
Watch out The choice describing a person who volunteers to administer exams defines a Volunteer Examiner (VE), the individual who actually sits on the three-member test team; the VEC is the sponsoring organization above them.
VE = a person, VEC = an organization with an FCC agreement. The extra C means Coordinating body.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.521 VEC qualifications.

No organization may serve as a VEC unless it has entered into a written agreement with the FCC. The VEC must abide by the terms of the agreement. In order to be eligible to be a VEC, the entity must:

(a) Be an organization that exists for the purpose of furthering the amateur service;

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Agree to coordinate examinations for any class of amateur operator license;

(d) Agree to assure that, for any examination, every examinee qualified under these rules is registered without regard to race, sex, religion, national origin or membership (or lack thereof) in any amateur service organization;

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E044 of 11§ 97.509, 97.525

What is required to be accredited as a Volunteer Examiner?

Why Accreditation is the process by which a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator confirms that a would-be examiner meets the FCC's qualifications in Part 97: at least 18 years old, holding a General, Advanced or Amateur Extra license, never having had an amateur license suspended or revoked, and having no disqualifying interest in a business that prepares license materials. The FCC sets the standards under 97.509 and 97.525, but it is the VEC, not the Commission, that verifies them and issues the accreditation.
Watch out The idea that the license grant automatically makes you a VE is tempting because holding General or higher is a prerequisite, but the license alone is only one of several requirements and you must still be accredited by a VEC. The FCC neither accredits individual VEs nor gives any VE examination.
The FCC writes the rules; the VEC does the paperwork. Accreditation always comes from a VEC.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509 Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
47 CFR 97.525 Accrediting VEs.

(a) No VEC may accredit a person as a VE if:

(1) The person does not meet minimum VE statutory qualifications or minimum qualifications as prescribed by this part;

(2) The FCC does not accept the voluntary and uncompensated services of the person;

(3) The VEC determines that the person is not competent to perform the VE functions; or

(4) The VEC determines that questions of the person's integrity or honesty could compromise the examinations.

(b) Each VEC must seek a broad representation of amateur operators to be VEs. No VEC may discriminate in accrediting VEs on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin; nor on the basis of membership (or lack thereof) in an amateur service organization; nor on the basis of the person accepting or declining to accept reimbursement.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E055 of 11§ 97.509(j)

What must the VE team do with the application form if the examinee does not pass the exam?

Why Under 97.509(j), when a candidate fails the exam element, the VE team simply hands the application paperwork back to the examinee; nothing is filed with the VEC or the FCC because no license action is being requested. Only successful candidates generate paperwork that moves forward: the team issues a CSCE and forwards the application to the coordinating VEC (which must reach the VEC within 10 days). The unsuccessful examinee keeps the document and is free to try again, at that session if the team allows or at a later one.
Watch out Sending the form and grade to the FCC is wrong because the FCC never sees exam grades at all; results flow only from the VE team to the VEC, and only for passing candidates.
Fail means the paperwork goes home with you; pass means it goes to the VEC within 10 days.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509(j) Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E066 of 11§ 97.509

Who is responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision during an amateur operator license examination session?

Why Section 97.509(b) states that each administering VE is responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of the examination session. The rule spreads accountability across all three (or more) VEs at the table, not onto one designated person; any VE who sees a violation must stop it and can refuse to certify the results. The VEC's role comes before and after the session, accrediting the VEs and processing the paperwork, not supervising the room.
Watch out The choice naming a session manager or lead VE is tempting because sessions often do have an organizer, but that is an administrative convenience with no basis in Part 97. Likewise, the coordinating VEC accredits VEs and screens the results, it does not supervise the exam itself.
97.509: every VE in the room owns the session. No single VE can pass the buck to a manager or the VEC.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509 Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E077 of 11§ 97.509, 97.511

What should a VE do if a candidate fails to comply with the examiner's instructions during an amateur operator license examination?

Why Under 97.509, the three administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct of the session, and the rules state that if a candidate does not comply with the examiners' instructions, the VEs must immediately terminate that candidate's examination. There is no warning step or grace period written into the rule. The VE team's authority to stop the exam on the spot is what keeps the session's integrity intact.
Watch out Warning the candidate first sounds fair and is how many proctored tests work, but Part 97 gives no such step; likewise, letting the candidate finish and then voiding the result is not what the rule directs, and nothing justifies shutting down the whole session for one person's conduct.
No warnings, no do-overs: fail to follow VE instructions and that candidate's exam ends immediately.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509 Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
47 CFR 97.511 Examinee conduct.

Each examinee must comply with the instructions given by the administering VEs.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E088 of 11§ 97.509

To which of the following examinees may a VE not administer an examination?

Why Section 97.509 bars a VE from administering an exam to a candidate who is a close relative, and the rule spells out the list: spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and the in-law equivalents. The idea is to remove any obvious conflict of interest in a volunteer-run testing system. Nothing in the rule disqualifies other personal or business connections.
Watch out Employees and friends are tempting because they look like conflicts of interest too, but the FCC only names family relationships, so the sweeping choice that includes all three is wrong.
Family only: a VE can test a buddy or an employee, but not a relative on the 97.509 list.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509 Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E099 of 11§ 97.509

What may be the penalty for a VE who fraudulently administers or certifies an examination?

Why Section 97.509 governs how exam sessions are run, and the FCC's enforcement remedy against a volunteer examiner who cheats the process is administrative, not criminal: the Commission can revoke that person's amateur station license grant and suspend the operator license grant. The VE program is self-policing, so the FCC's leverage is the VE's own ticket. Losing your license both ends your operating privileges and ends your ability to serve as a VE.
Watch out The monetary fine and the prison term are criminal-style penalties that this rule does not impose, so the choice combining everything is also wrong; Part 97 enforcement here works through license revocation and suspension.
Cheat as a VE and the FCC takes your ticket, not your wallet: revoke the station, suspend the operator.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509 Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E1010 of 11§ 97.509(m)

What must the administering VEs do after the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license?

Why Under 97.509(m), the VE team grades the exam themselves right at the session, and once the applicant passes, the administering VEs forward the application paperwork to their coordinating VEC following that VEC's procedures. The VEC, not the VE team, is the entity that deals with the FCC, filing the data electronically so the license or upgrade gets issued. The chain is always applicant to VE team to VEC to FCC.
Watch out The idea that the documents go to the VEC for grading is wrong because grading is done immediately by the three administering VEs at the session; the VEC only receives and processes the completed application. Nothing in the modern process has the VEs or the applicant mailing paperwork straight to the FCC.
Paper flows one link at a time: applicant, VEs, VEC, FCC. VEs grade on the spot, the VEC talks to the FCC.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509(m) Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
E1E1111 of 11§ 97.509(i)

What must the VE team do if an examinee scores a passing grade on all examination elements needed for an upgrade or new license?

Why Under 97.509(i), when an applicant passes, the three administering VEs must certify on the paperwork (the CSCE and application) that the examinee is qualified for the license or upgrade and that the VEs themselves complied with all the administering requirements of Part 97. That three-VE certification is what the VEC relies on when it submits the application data to the FCC. The VE team's job ends with testing, grading, certifying, and forwarding the documents to their coordinating VEC within the required time.
Watch out Only the FCC grants licenses; VEs can issue a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) giving immediate operating privileges, but that is not a license. Exam documents go to the coordinating VEC, not directly to the FCC.
Three VEs administer, three VEs certify. VEs certify, the FCC grants.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
47 CFR 97.509(i) Administering VE requirements.

(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be administered by a team of at least 3 VEs at an examination session coordinated by a VEC. The number of examinees at the session may be limited.

(b) Each administering VE must:

(1) Be accredited by the coordinating VEC;

(2) Be at least 18 years of age;

(3) Be a person who holds an amateur operator license of the class specified below:

(i) Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class in order to administer a Technician Class operator license examination;

(ii) Amateur Extra or Advanced Class in order to administer a General Class operator license examination;

(iii) Amateur Extra Class in order to administer an Amateur Extra Class operator license examination.

(4) Not be a person whose grant of an amateur station license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or suspended.

(c) Each administering VE must observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the examinee to comply with their instructions.

(d) No VE may administer an examination to his or her spouse, children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents, stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

(e) No VE may administer or certify any examination by fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted. Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the grant of the VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the grant of the VE's amateur operator license.

(f) No examination that has been compromised shall be administered to any examinee. The same question set may not be re-administered to the same examinee.

(g) [Reserved]

(h) Upon completion of each examination element, the administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers. For examinations administered remotely, the administering VEs must grade the examinee's answers at the earliest practical opportunity. The administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness of the examinee's answers.

(i) When the examinee is credited for all examination elements required for the operator license sought, 3 VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that the VEs have complied with these administering VE requirements. The certifying VEs are jointly and individually accountable for the proper administration of each examination element reported. The certifying VEs may delegate to other qualified VEs their authority, but not their accountability, to administer individual elements of an examination.

(j) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an examination element, the administering VEs must return the application document to the examinee and inform the examinee of the grade.

(k) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. The administering VEs may require a physician's certification indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special procedures must be used.

(l) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee who scores a passing grade on an examination element.

(m) After the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license, the administering VEs must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC's instructions.

eCFR text as of 1 Sep 2026 · read on ecfr.gov
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