Ham radio operators in Washington, D.C.
572 licensed amateur radio operators; 46 new in the past 12 months. Updated weekly from FCC data.
At a glance · Data as of
- New hams · last 30 days
- 4
- New hams · last 12 months
- 46
- ▲ 28% vs prior 12 mo
- Active licensed hams
- 572
- Upgrades · 12 mo
- 13
- Vanity callsigns · 12 mo
- 12
- Address updates · 12 mo
- 11
- Often a move into the area
- Expiring · next 6 mo
- 25
Washington, D.C. has no county subdivisions, so this is the most detailed page for the District.
About ham radio in Washington, D.C.
46 new hams got their start in Washington, D.C. over the past 12 months, a 28% jump from the prior year. Washington, D.C. ranks tied for #50 of 52 states and territories for new licenses. Technicians make up 53% of local licensees, above the U.S. average of 48%, a lot of newer operators who could use a mentor and a club to call home. 13 operators upgraded their license in the past year, the moment many buy their first HF rig. 25 licenses expire in the next six months, a chance for clubs to reconnect.
New hams by month
Show data table
| Month | New hams |
|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 8 |
| Dec 2025 | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | 2 |
| May 2026 | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | 4 |
| Total | 46 |
License classes
| Class | Hams | Share | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technician | 305 | 53% | 48% |
| General | 116 | 20% | 25% |
| Amateur Extra | 123 | 22% | 21% |
| Advanced | 14 | 2% | 3% |
| Novice / Other | 14 | 2% | 2% |
Bar = Washington, D.C. share · Tick = U.S. share
In the past 12 months, 7 operators upgraded to General and 6 to Amateur Extra.
How Washington, D.C. compares
Tied for #50 of 52 states and territories for new hams in the past 12 months
| Per 1,000 active hams | D.C. | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| New hams, past 12 months | 80.4 | 32.3 |
| Upgrades, past 12 months | 22.7 | 14.7 |
| Expiring, next 6 months | 43.7 | 57.3 |
46 new hams in Washington, D.C. this past year. Get next month’s list free.
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Figures may be reused with credit to Ham Recruiter (CC BY 4.0).
Questions about hams in Washington, D.C.
How many ham radio operators are in Washington, D.C.?
572 active amateur radio licensees are on file for Washington, D.C. as of Oct 1, 2026.
How many new hams were licensed in Washington, D.C. last year?
46 people in Washington, D.C. received their first FCC amateur radio license in the 12 months ending Oct 1, 2026.
Where does this data come from?
From the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) public amateur license database, which we download every Monday. Addresses are matched to counties with the U.S. Census Bureau geocoder. This page shows totals only.
Can I see the names or call signs on this page?
No. Public pages show totals only. Verified Ham Recruiter users can search and export lists for outreach; see how licensee information is handled.
About this data
Data as of . Source: FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS) weekly amateur license database; county from U.S. Census Bureau geocoding. Aggregates only, no individual licensee data is shown. Aggregate figures © Ham Recruiter, CC BY 4.0.
How we count
- New ham: an active licensee whose first license was granted in the period.
- Address updates: a change of FCC mailing address, often a move into the area.
- Counts use each licensee’s current FCC address. Someone licensed here who later moved is counted where they live now.
- Each license keeps only its most recent event of each type, so two upgrades in one year count once.
- PO-box-only addresses often can’t be matched to a county, so rural counties are slightly undercounted.