As of February 1996, the FCC permits volunteer examiners to distribute license preparation material to applicants (with or without a profit) and the previous Section 97.509(b)(5) has been removed from the rules.

Volunteer examiners may also teach (paid or unpaid) Amateur Radio license preparation classes and participate in course-ending license examinations. Three VEs are still required and all Part 97 Rules must be followed.

Under no circumstances, however, should an examinee be required to purchase study materials or attend an Instruction Class for which a fee is charged as a prerequisite to taking an Amateur license examination. The only fee that may be charged an examinee is the examination/application fee established by the W5YI-VEC in effect at the time of the exam.