Walkie Talkie Licences in the UK: What's Free and What Needs One
Once a conventional business-radio system needs a licence, choose the class around its equipment and locations. For the initial exemption question, start with Do you need a licence?.
Compare the Business Radio licence classes
- Simple UK Light
- For hand-portable or mobile equipment across the UK, on the listed shared frequencies. Users self-coordinate; base stations are excluded.
- Simple Site Light
- For a small-area system using a base station and/or mobile stations, with one licence per site. Users self-coordinate on the listed frequencies.
- Suppliers Light
- A specialist class for radio suppliers. It is not the general choice for an organisation operating its own staff fleet.
- Technically Assigned or Area Defined
- These require Ofcom technical coordination for the proposed site or area and frequency requirements.
Prepare the application around the actual system
Record the legal licence holder, radio models and band, operating locations, and any fixed antenna or repeater. A repeater proposal needs the appropriate system and licence arrangement; Simple UK Light is not a base-station licence.
Ofcom provides a licensing portal for Light licences and a separate application route for technical licences. Fees vary by class and, for technical licences, the requested details. Use the current Ofcom fee information when planning costs.
Source: Ofcom Business Radio Guidance, sections 1.3 and 2. Keep the issued conditions with the equipment records.
Compare the relevant handsets and compatible setup choices in the Hytera radio selection guide.