Full Licence Exam Practice

The ultimate amateur radio qualification. Maximum power, all frequencies, complete freedom.

Start practising · Topic Study · Sample questions

What's on the Paper

  1. Licensing conditions and station identification (7 questions): Message content and encryption, undue interference and clean transmitters, EMF assessments, and Schedule 1, including the Notice of Coordination.
  2. Technical aspects (11 questions): Time constants, reactance and impedance, sampling and aliasing, transformers, crystals, Q, transistor amplifiers and switch-mode supplies, with resonance, Q and turns-ratio calculations.
  3. Transmitters and receivers (12 questions): The largest section: modulation index, PLL and DDS synthesisers, PA linearity, unwanted emissions, dynamic range, superhets, SDR I/Q and transverters, including image-frequency sums.
  4. Feeders and antennas (4 questions): Velocity factor, baluns, dipole lengths, feed-point impedance, SWR and return loss, and matching, including quarter-wave transformer calculations.
  5. Propagation (3 questions): Inverse square law, E and H fields, circular polarisation, MUF and critical frequency, NVIS, moonbounce, auroral propagation, galactic noise and link budgets.
  6. Electromagnetic compatibility (10 questions): Blocking, cross-modulation and intermodulation, IF and image interference, filters and ferrites, RF bonding, balanced antennas, mobile installations, complaints and field-strength calculations.
  7. Good operating practices and procedures (2 questions): Split operation, interference testing, the 5 MHz and 472 kHz band plans, operating abroad under CEPT and HAREC, and the ITU regions.
  8. Safety (4 questions): Lethal voltages, PME earthing, live working, ICNIRP exposure guidance, lightning, mobile and outdoor hazards, risk assessment, insurance and generators.
  9. Measurements and construction (5 questions): Meter shunts and multipliers, frequency accuracy, PEP, SWR meters, oscilloscopes and spectrum analysers, with dB, dBW, dBm and dBV calculations.

How the Exam Works

Format
58 multiple-choice questions in 2 hours. You pass with 35 correct (60%).
Where
On a computer, at home with a remote invigilator or at a club with an invigilator in the room.
Results
A provisional result as soon as you finish, confirmed after about six working days. You then apply to Ofcom for your licence online.
Formulae
All are given, but they aren't labelled or explained: you have to recognise which one you need, and you may have to rearrange it.
Reference booklet
The RSGB reference booklet (EX309) is provided, with Schedule 1 of the licence, the band plan and the formulae. Our quizzes show the same booklet.
Before you sit it
You need a pass at Intermediate, or take Direct to Full instead.

How Many People Pass

Source: RSGB. Pass rates for every level since 2022

Where People Lose Marks

On this site, people score lowest in feeders and antennas (46% of answers right) and transmitters and receivers (48%). In feeders and antennas, standing waves, SWR and return loss go wrong most. Transmitters and receivers (12 questions), technical aspects (11) and EMC (10) carry the most marks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Full Amateur Radio Licence?

The Full Licence is the highest tier of UK amateur radio licensing. It allows up to 1000 watts on bands where amateur radio has a primary allocation (lower limits apply on secondary allocations) and grants access to all amateur frequencies. It requires comprehensive knowledge of radio theory and regulations.

How many questions are on the Full exam?

The Full exam consists of 58 multiple-choice questions. You have 2 hours to complete it and need 60% (35 correct answers) to pass.

What is the pass rate for the Full exam?

According to the RSGB, 76.7% of Full candidates passed in 2025 (211 of 275), and 63.5% in 2024.

Is there a formula sheet in the Full exam?

Yes. All the formulae are in the RSGB reference booklet (EX309), but they aren't labelled or explained: you have to recognise which one you need, and you may have to rearrange it.

Do I need Intermediate to take Full?

If progressing through the standard route, yes - you need an Intermediate Licence first. However, you can take the Direct to Full exam to go straight from nothing to a Full Licence.

Ready for the Challenge?

The Full Licence exam is comprehensive but achievable with proper preparation. Use our mock exams and topic study to identify and strengthen your weak areas.