Third‐order elastic coefficients can be derived from sound speed measurements in statically stressed crystals. The necessary relations between experimental data and elastic coefficients are here presented for orthorhombic, tetragonal, cubic, rhombohedral, and hexagonal crystal classes. For each symmetry a sufficient number of wave modes and stress systems is selected to determine all third‐order coefficients and to allow experimental cross checks. All the modes considered are pure longitudinal or transverse. They are selected so as to minimize the number of specimen orientations required, and following experimental procedures for uniaxial static stress, only wave modes propagating at right angles to the stress direction are considered.