Team Leader & Team Requirements
Every specific obligation the LARC VEC places on teams and Team Leaders — deadlines, minimums, mandatory documents, and required applicant instructions — with direct references to the P&P.
Learning objectives
- List every mandatory team requirement with its P&P source
- Know all deadlines: scheduling, notification, paperwork, and retention
- Recite the complete required pre-exam instructions a Session Leader must give applicants
- Identify which tasks only a Team Leader or Deputy Team Leader may perform
- Understand what happens when a required obligation is not met
Every item in this lesson is a mandatory obligation from the LARC VEC P&P. Failure to comply may result in suspension or decertification of the team, disaccreditation of individual VEs, or referral to the FCC. P&P §7.6
What every team must have
| Requirement | Detail | P&P reference |
|---|---|---|
| Team Leader | Must hold an Amateur Extra class license. Appointed by the sponsoring organization or elected by team members. | §12.4.2, §12.5.1, Appendix 4 §1.1 |
| At least one Deputy Team Leader | Must hold an Amateur Extra class license. Designated as DTL on the team’s portal page. Must be trained to perform all TL duties during TL absence. | §12.4.2, Appendix 4 §2.15 |
| Minimum team size | A minimum of four VEs is recommended where possible. | Appendix 4 §2.2.1.2 |
| Minimum exam sessions per year | Teams are required to conduct a minimum of three exam sessions per year. A waiver may be requested from the RC. | §10.1, §10.2 |
| Sponsoring organization | Not required — but teams are accountable for any financial costs they incur. If there is a sponsor, the TL must coordinate as required. | §12.4.3, §12.4.5 |
No other VE may serve as Session Leader or create exam question sets. If neither the TL nor a designated DTL is available, the session cannot proceed. P&P §12.4.2.1, §12.4.2.2
Session scheduling requirements
| Obligation | Deadline / detail | P&P reference |
|---|---|---|
| Annual exam schedule | Post the upcoming year’s schedule (dates, times, locations, any registration requirements) on the team’s VE Portal page by 1 November each year. Exception: on-demand teams post as soon as known. | §9.1.1 |
| Session cancellations | Notify the Regional Coordinator within 2 days of the decision to cancel. Enter an explanation in the “Session Correspondence” dialog box in the portal — do not attach files to a cancelled session. | §9.1.4, Appendix 4 §2.17.3 |
| Session must be listed before upload | The session must appear in the Laurel portal before any session file is uploaded. Uploading to an unlisted session creates a corrupt entry with a midnight timestamp. | Appendix 4 §2.21, Appendix B workflow |
| Keep team page current | Contact information, exam registration requirements, session locations, and the exam schedule must be kept up to date at all times. | §6.1.2.4, Appendix 4 §2.6 |
| Contact info changes | Notify the RC of any change to TL or DTL contact information within 3 days. Keep personal VE portal info up to date at all times. | Appendix 4 §2.7.1, §2.9 |
Establishing a retest policy
Every team must create and publish a retest policy. The FCC does not require teams to offer retesting at all — the choice and conditions are entirely up to the team. P&P Appendix 4 §2.4
| Option | Rules that apply |
|---|---|
| No retesting | Fully permissible. Teams are not required to offer retesting. Use of the exam facility may be restricted by time and VE availability. |
| Retesting allowed | Teams may set conditions: a maximum number of failed questions (e.g., within 10–12 on Elements 2 & 3; 14–17 on Element 4) and/or a maximum number of attempts. |
If a team offers retesting, a different version of the failed exam must be used. VEs may never administer the same exam or question set to an applicant during the same session or on the same day. §97.509(f)
The retest policy must be communicated to applicants as part of the pre-exam instructions (see Part E). The Session Leader may exceed the stated policy at their discretion — for example, allowing an additional attempt when time permits and the applicant was very close to passing. P&P Appendix 4 §2.4
Post-session paperwork requirements
| Obligation | Deadline / detail | P&P reference |
|---|---|---|
| Enter session data into SessionManager | If not done during the session, complete entry after the session. Review for 100% accuracy and completeness before uploading. | Appendix 4 §2.20, Appendix 8 §13.4 |
| Scan all required documents | Must be legible. Includes: Session Summary Report, VE Sign-in Sheet, Registration Log, all Form 605s, all answer sheets (pass and fail), element credit copies. Scans must be cropped to the document. | Appendix 4 §2.20, Appendix 8 §13.5 |
| Upload to VE Portal | Attach scanned documents and encrypted ENC file to the correct session in the portal. If a TL or DTL had a family member apply, they may not upload — contact the RC. | Appendix 4 §2.21, Appendix 8 §13.6 |
| Notify RC of pending applications | If any applicant has a pending FCC application, notify the Team Leader no later than when documents are uploaded. Uploading their file prematurely may nullify their pending application. | Appendix 8 §13.4, workflow Appendix B |
| Retain originals 30 days, then destroy | Original paper documents must be retained for exactly 30 days from the session date, then destroyed. Teams may not keep originals beyond 30 days. SessionManager data may be retained indefinitely. | Appendix 4 §2.22, Appendix 8 §13.7 |
| Report cheating to RC | Notify the RC of all instances of cheating by an examinee. | Appendix 4 §2.23 |
| Respond to RC/Chairman queries | Respond to queries from the RC and VEC Chairman within 72 hours. | Appendix 4 §2.14 |
| No-show sessions | If VEs appear but no applicants show, still upload: a Session Summary Report, list of VEs who attended, and a SessionManager file showing no applicants. | Appendix 8 §13.8 |
If the TL and DTL will both be unavailable for the next scheduled session, the RC must be notified in advance. Extended TL absences where the TL will be unreachable must also be reported. P&P Appendix 4 §2.13
What the Session Leader must tell applicants before every exam
Creating these instructions is a Team Leader responsibility. P&P Appendix 4 §2.19 The instructions must be given verbally before administering any exam and may also be included in written form with exam booklets. Each item below is a required element — none may be omitted.
These are not suggestions. Giving these instructions is a compliance requirement tied to §97.509(c) and §97.511.
| # | Required instruction | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Examinees must follow all VE instructions. Failure to do so will result in the exam being terminated without further action and disqualification from the session. | §97.509(c), §97.511 · App. 4 §2.19.1–2.19.2 · App. 8 §6.1.1–6.1.2 |
| 2 | The following electronic devices are prohibited while taking the exam: cell phones, smart watches, tablets, earbuds and headphones, smart glasses (e.g., Apple Glasses, Google Glasses). | App. 4 §2.19.3 · App. 8 §6.1.3 |
| 3 | Personal calculators are permitted but must be inspected by a VE first to confirm no formulas are programmed or stored in memory. Applicants may be asked to demonstrate this. | App. 4 §2.19.4 · App. 8 §6.1.4 |
| 4 | Electronic devices such as phones, tablets, and smart watches may not be used as calculators. They must be turned off during the exam to avoid disturbing others. | App. 4 §2.19.4.1 · App. 8 §6.1.4.1 |
| 5 | Write all calculations and formulas on the back of the answer sheet. Additional scratch paper is available on request. | App. 4 §2.19.5 · App. 8 §6.1.5 |
| 6 | Instructions on how to mark the answer sheet and how to correct a selected answer. | App. 4 §2.19.6 · App. 8 §6.1.6 · App. 8 §6.2 |
| 7 | No talking while exams are being administered — maintain a library-like atmosphere. | App. 8 §6.1.7 |
| 8 | If you leave the examination area for any reason before completing your exam, your exam will be immediately graded and you will be informed of the result. | App. 4 §2.19.7 · App. 8 §6.1.8 |
| 9 | If VEs observe you cheating, your exam will not be graded. You will be informed, you must leave the facility, and other LARC VEC teams and other VECs may be notified. | App. 4 §2.19.8 · App. 8 §6.1.9 |
| 10 | The team’s retest policy — whether retesting is offered and under what conditions. | App. 8 §6.3 |
The P&P explicitly permits including these instructions in written form with exam booklets — in addition to verbal delivery, not instead of it. Many teams include a printed instruction sheet in each paper exam folder and display them on screen for computer exam takers. P&P Appendix 4 §2.19
While not part of the mandatory instruction list, the P&P grants applicants several rights the Session Leader should communicate: applicants may take any exam in any order §97.509; they do not have to pass one exam before starting another; they may take breaks between exams; large-print exams are available on request without proof of impairment. App. 8 §6.4
Creating exams and answer keys
Only the Team Leader and Deputy Team Leaders may create exams and answer keys. P&P §12.4.2.2, Appendix 4 §2.16 Three authorized tools are available through the VE Portal:
- ExamMaker — the current standard web-based exam generator replacing Exam Generator
- Exam Generator — legacy tool, still available
- ExamTools — authorized for in-person computer-based testing (Appendix 4 §2.16.4.1)
Exam booklets must be kept current — replace any out-of-date, incomplete, damaged, or written-on booklets before each session. P&P Appendix 8 §2.2.5.1
Deadlines at a glance
| Deadline | Requirement | P&P reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 November annually | Post next year’s exam schedule on the VE Portal team page | §9.1.1 |
| Within 2 days | Notify RC when a scheduled session is cancelled | §9.1.4 |
| Within 3 days | Notify RC of any change to TL or DTL contact information | Appendix 4 §2.7.1, §2.9 |
| Within 3 days | Notify RC when TL or DTL changes (new appointment, departure) | Appendix 4 §2.9 |
| Within 72 hours | Respond to queries from RC or VEC Chairman | Appendix 4 §2.14 |
| 30 days from session | Retain original paper documents — then destroy | Appendix 4 §2.22 |
| Minimum 3 per year | Conduct at least three exam sessions annually | §10.1 |
| Before testing begins | Apply any element credit in ET | Appendix 8 §5.3 |
| Before upload | Session must be listed in the Laurel portal | Appendix 4 §2.21 |
| 10 days (applicant) | Applicant must pay FCC fee after file number assigned | Appendix 8 §12.1.2 |
| 14 days (applicant) | Applicant who answered felony “Yes” must submit explanation to FCC | Appendix 8 §12.1.4 |
Knowledge check
By what date must a team post its upcoming year’s exam schedule on the VE Portal team page?
A team decides to allow retesting. An applicant fails Element 2 and wants to retest. What exam version must be used?
Which of the following is NOT a required pre-exam instruction under P&P Appendix 4 §2.19?
The Team Leader’s email address changed yesterday. By when must the RC be notified?
VEs arrive at a session but no applicants show up. What must be uploaded to the VE Portal?
An applicant says their calculator has a formula stored in memory. They offer to delete it before the exam. What is the correct VE response?
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