Amateur Radio Operator Classes
Empirical license class breakdown across Technician, General, Amateur Extra, and grandfathered licenses in the FCC Universal Licensing System.
License Class Distribution
| Class Code | Operator License Class | Valid Licensees | Share of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| T | Technician | 357,704 | 49.1% |
| G | General | 184,024 | 25.3% |
| E | Amateur Extra | 157,011 | 21.6% |
| A | Advanced (Grandfathered) | 25,390 | 3.5% |
| N | Novice (Grandfathered) | 4,031 | 0.5% |
| P | Technician Plus (Grandfathered) | 0 | 0.0% |
| Valid individual licenses | 728,160 | 100.0% | |
Shares are of valid licenses held by individuals: active and not past their expiry date. Licenses in the 2-year grace period may not be used, so they aren't counted. The 11,032 club, military recreation and RACES stations are licensed through a trustee and carry no operator class, so they are counted apart.
Licensing Service Breakdown (HA vs HV)
The FCC administers amateur radio under two distinct service codes: HA (regular sequential call signs) and HV (vanity call signs requested under Part 97.19).
| Service Code | Description | Valid Licenses | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| HA | Regular Amateur | 577,129 | 78.1% |
| HV | Vanity Amateur | 162,063 | 21.9% |