Parents & youth

A parent's quick answer: amateur radio is a licensed, rules-based technical hobby with no minimum age. A young person studies, passes a written exam, gets an FCC call sign, and then talks to people locally and around the world with radios and antennas they learn to set up themselves. It rewards curiosity about electronics, weather, space, maps and computers — and it comes with a long tradition of adults teaching newcomers.

This page is written for parents first and young operators second. Independent guide; not affiliated with ARRL, Scouting America, Girl Scouts of the USA, ARISS, or any youth program named below.

Parents & youth v1.0 · written 2026-10-08 · costs and program details checked as of Oct 2026

Is there an age limit?

No. FCC rules set no minimum age for an amateur license (§97.5). The Technician exam is 35 multiple-choice questions from a public pool; a young reader who can study the pool can pass it. Younger children can still talk on the air before they are licensed, with a licensed control operator right beside them (see below).

What it costs a minor (as of Oct 2026)

Path	Session fee	FCC $35	Net
Test under ARRL VEC	$5 for under 18	Paid in CORES, then reimbursed by ARRL's Youth Licensing Grant once the license is issued	$5
Test under GLAARG	$0 (waived for 17 and under, with proof)	$35	$35
Test under Laurel VEC	$0 (Laurel never charges)	$35	$35

Sources: ARRL Youth Licensing Grant · ARRL VEC exam fees · Laurel VEC FAQ · GLAARG. Full table for adults and upgrades: What a license costs.

Study materials: free. Ticket to Talk on this site is free forever for Technician, General and Extra. A first radio can wait — many clubs lend gear or let new licensees use the club station.

Safety and privacy, honestly

On the air

Everything is public. Anyone with a receiver can hear an amateur conversation, and encryption is not allowed. That openness is a safety feature: there is no private channel.
Personal details stay off the air. A call sign, first name and general location (city or grid square) are normal. Home address, school schedule and phone numbers are not needed in a contact.
Before licensing, a licensed adult supervises. An unlicensed young person may speak on an amateur station only when the licensed control operator is present at the station and continuously supervising (§97.115(b)). International contacts by unlicensed participants are limited to countries with a third-party agreement with the US (ARRL third-party list).

The license record

The FCC license database is public: the licensee's name and mailing address show on the ULS record. A family can use any mailing address where mail is reliably received — a PO box is common — instead of a home street address. Keep it current; FCC mail that bounces can cause problems (§97.23).
Many ham websites (call sign lookups, logbooks) repeat what ULS shows. Choosing the mailing address up front is the simplest privacy step.

RF exposure and electrical safety

Licensees must make sure their stations do not expose people to RF above FCC limits (§97.13(c)). For a handheld at a few watts the practical habits are simple: keep the antenna off the face, use low power, and do not touch antennas while transmitting. For home stations, see ARRL RF exposure.
Antenna work outdoors: never near power lines, and an adult on any ladder or mast job. Lightning means disconnect and go inside. More on Ethics, safety & etiquette.

Online and in person

Treat ham websites, forums and video chats like any other online space: parents should know which accounts their child uses.
Youth organizations have their own adult-supervision rules. Scouting America, for example, requires its registered adults to complete Safeguarding Youth training (Scouting America). Ask any club or event how it handles adult supervision of minors.

What young operators can do

Activity	Why kids like it	Where to read more
Talk to astronauts	Schools and youth groups can apply to host a scheduled ISS contact through ARISS; licensed hams can also use the ISS voice repeater when it is on.	ARISS contacts · Satellites
Jamboree on the Air (JOTA)	The world's largest radio Scout event, every October. 2026: Oct 16–18.	Scouting & ham radio · jotajoti.info
Kids Day	A twice-yearly on-air event where licensed hams let young people make contacts.	ARRL Kids Day
Youth on the Air	Camps and events run by and for young hams in the Americas. More groups (YLRL, Handiham): Community.	Youth on the Air
Parks on the Air	Operating from a park is a mix of hiking, radio and a game of "how many contacts can we make."	First activation · Programs
Contests and QSO parties	Timed events with a score — competitive kids love them.	Contesting
Field Day	The June weekend when clubs set up outdoor stations; visitors and youth are welcome, with a youth-participation bonus.	Field Day
Build something	A wire antenna that actually works is a great first project.	Antennas
School and college clubs	Many schools and universities have club stations.	ARRL in the classroom · Collegiate amateur radio

What it teaches (beyond radio)

Electronics and troubleshooting; how waves, antennas and the ionosphere behave; geography and time zones (all logs are in UTC); clear speaking and listening on a shared channel; following written rules; planning an outing; and patience. Radio also opens doors to STEM study, meteorology, aviation, IT and public safety careers.

A simple path for a family

Listen together. A scanner or SDR on a laptop lets you hear local repeaters and nets with no license.
Visit a club meeting (ARRL club search · Clubs and Elmers). Ask about youth members and loaner radios.
Get on the air supervised at a club station, Field Day site, Kids Day or JOTA station.
Study the Technician pool in Ticket to Talk — short sessions beat cramming.
Book a session (HamStudy sessions · ARRL exam finder). Create the FRN in CORES first — a parent can help.
First contact on a local repeater or net: First repeater contact.
Grow into parks, satellites, contests or emergency service when ready.

Checklist — parents

Mailing address for the license chosen (PO box is fine)
Session fee and VEC confirmed; ARRL youth grant form if testing under ARRL VEC
Supervising adult (licensed) for any on-air time before the call sign appears
House rules for online accounts and personal info on the air
Antenna and power-line rules agreed before any outdoor project

Sources (checked Oct 2026)

47 CFR §97.5, §97.13, §97.23, §97.115.
ARRL: Youth Licensing Grant, VEC exam fees, Kids Day, Youth, RF exposure. Laurel VEC. GLAARG. ARISS. JOTA-JOTI. Youth on the Air.

Unfamiliar words? The Glossary explains them in plain language.

v1.0, 2026-10-08.

Notes & edits

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