ExamTools is a web-based platform for administering amateur radio license exams. It supports the full exam lifecycle — from scheduling a session and registering applicants to proctoring exams, signing forms, and submitting results to your VEC.
Who uses ExamTools?
ExamTools has three main user types:
| Role | Who they are | What they do |
|---|---|---|
| Volunteer Examiner (VE) | An accredited amateur radio operator credentialed to give exams | Proctor exams, witness signatures, sign NCVEC Form 605 |
| Team Lead | A VE who holds team lead credentials from their VEC (some VECs call this a CVE) — this is a VEC-granted accreditation, not an ExamTools permission level | Create and manage exam teams, designate the responsible lead for each session, submit results to the VEC |
| Applicant | A person taking a license exam | Register for a session, take the exam, receive results |
Team lead vs. session permissions: Team lead is a VEC credential, not an ExamTools role. People with team lead credentials typically hold Owner or Co-owner permissions on their ExamTools team account — but not always. These are separate concepts throughout ExamTools.
Most VEs start as regular VE team members and may eventually take on team lead responsibilities through their VEC.
In-person vs. remote sessions
ExamTools supports both in-person and remote (online-supervised) exam sessions. The platform works the same way for both — the difference is where the applicant physically sits and how VEs verify their identity. Steps that differ between the two are called out in the relevant guides.
The two environments
ExamTools has two separate environments:
| Environment | URL | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Production | exam.tools | Real exams with real applicants |
| Sandbox | examtools.dev | Practice and training — no real exams |
If you are setting up for the first time or training new VEs, use the sandbox. Everything works the same, but no real license data is created or submitted.
Key concepts
Session — A scheduled exam event. One session can have multiple applicants testing for different license elements (Technician, General, Extra).
Team — An administrative account in ExamTools used to organize sessions and manage scheduling privileges. Teams correspond roughly to a local club or VEC affiliate. All sessions are scheduled under a team.
VEC (Volunteer Examiner Coordinator) — A national organization that accredits VEs and receives exam results. ExamTools is VEC-agnostic and works with multiple VECs. See the FCC list of VECs.
Element — The level of exam being administered: Element 2 (Technician), Element 3 (General), or Element 4 (Amateur Extra).
NCVEC Form 605 — The official FCC application form that applicants and VEs sign during an exam session.