After you pass

Check your FCC application status by FRN

Enter the FCC FRN you used for your WEARC online exam. We will show where your application appears to be in the post-exam process and what, if anything, you should do next.

Check my FRN FCC CORES login
FRN lookup New license status Upgrade status ARRL VEC workflow
New applicants: If your status shows Redlight Review Completed, look for the FCC payment email or proactively log in to FCC CORES to check whether your FRN has a pending application fee.
Upgrade applicants: If you already had a call sign before the exam and tested for General, Extra, or both, you normally do not need to pay the FCC application fee. Watch for the FCC modification record, application grant, and paperless authorization.
FRN status lookup

Look up your application

This lookup is for candidates who tested with the WEARC online VE team. We only show status information for the FRN entered.

We do not display your email address or phone number.

Step 1

WEARC completes the session

After the exam session is complete, the session data and manifest move through the VE/VEC process.

Step 2

ARRL VEC submits to FCC

Our exams are usually in the evening. The ARRL VEC typically submits the batch to the FCC on the next business day, excluding weekends and U.S. federal holidays.

Step 3

FCC posts the application

New licenses move through FCC application review and payment. Upgrades move through FCC license modification, grant, and paperless authorization.

What to do next

Understanding your status

  • Not found yet: Your session may still be moving through normal post-exam processing.
  • New Application Received: The FCC appears to have received a new license application.
  • Modification Received: The FCC appears to have received an upgrade or license-class modification.
  • Redlight Review Completed: New Technician applicants should check for the FCC payment email or log in to FCC CORES to check for a pending application fee.
  • Application Granted: The FCC has granted the application. For upgrades, the paperless authorization may follow shortly.
  • Paperless Authorization Printed: The FCC upgrade authorization appears to have been generated and the upgrade should be posted.
  • Call sign assigned: For a new Technician applicant, the FCC license appears to be issued.
Log in to FCC CORES After you pass guide
FCC support

When to contact the FCC

Please avoid calling the FCC during normal processing. Most applications move through the ARRL VEC and FCC process without any candidate phone call.

Consider contacting FCC Licensing Support only if the FCC has already received the application, the status appears stuck for a few business days, and you have already checked the status here, checked your FCC email, and confirmed your FRN is correct.

If you are not sure whether the application is truly stuck, please contact the WEARC VE team first so we can help you interpret the status.

FCC Licensing Support Center: 1-877-480-3201
Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time, except federal holidays.
Call FCC Licensing Support 1-877-480-3201
FAQ

Common FRN status questions

When should I expect to see FCC status?

Our sessions are usually in the evening. After the session is complete, the ARRL VEC typically submits batches to the FCC on the next business day, excluding weekends and U.S. federal holidays.

When do I pay the FCC fee?

For a new amateur radio license application, payment is normally made after the FCC receives the application and Redlight Review is completed. At that point, check your email from the FCC or log in to CORES.

How are license upgrades different?

If you already had a Technician or General license before the exam and you tested for General, Extra, or both, this is normally an upgrade application. Upgrade applications usually appear in FCC data as a license modification, then Redlight Review Completed, Application Granted, and finally Paperless Authorization Printed.

Standard license class upgrades generally do not need to pay the FCC application fee.

Do upgrade candidates need to pay the FCC application fee?

Standard license class upgrades generally do not need to pay the FCC application fee.

What if my FRN is not found?

Confirm that you entered the correct 10-digit FRN. If your exam just ended, check again after normal post-exam processing. If the delay continues, email the WEARC VE team for help.

When should I contact FCC Licensing Support?

Please avoid calling the FCC during normal processing. A call is usually not needed just because an application is newly received, payment is newly pending, an upgrade was granted, or a license was just issued.

Consider contacting FCC Licensing Support only if the FCC has already received the application and it appears stuck for a few business days after normal processing should have completed.

FCC Licensing Support Center: 1-877-480-3201. They are available Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Eastern Time, except federal holidays.

If you are unsure whether the status is stuck, contact the WEARC VE team first and we can help you interpret the result.