You are able to apply for and issue the following licence types immediately online by logging into the Online Licensing System.
You are able to apply for the following types of licences using the online application form.
Simple UK Light:
This licence authorises the use of hand-portable or mobile radio equipment anywhere within the UK. Base station use is not permitted. Licensees have access to fifteen frequencies spread across four Business Radio frequency bands and must self-coordinate with other Simple UK Light licensees. The licence fee is £75 for five years.
Simple Site Light:
This licence authorises the use of a radio system operating a base station and mobile stations within a small area (typically 1 kilometre or less). Frequencies available under this licence class are typically used for radio paging systems. Licensees have access to a range of frequencies and must self-coordinate with other Simple Site Light licensees. The licence fee is £75 for five years.
Suppliers Light:
This licence is a specialist licence for radio suppliers and permits them to:
Licensees have access to a wide range of frequencies and must share and self-coordinate with other Suppliers Light licensees. The licence fee is £75 for five years.
Technically Assigned:
This is a flexible licence that authorises the use of a wide variety of business radio equipment. Licensees can choose from a wide range of frequencies across all Business Radio bands and a wide range of coverage areas, from very small (e.g. in-building coverage) to very large (e.g. a county).
Licence fees are calculated on the basis of several factors including the size of the coverage area and the popularity of the frequency band and typically range from £75 to £1480 for a single channel assignment.
Area Defined:
Area Defined licences give customers exclusive use of a frequency across either a 50km2 grid square, a country, or the whole of the UK. Licence fees are calculated using a combination of frequency width, frequency range and region covered.
As an example, a duplex 12.5kHz frequency between 450 and 470MHz to be used across the UK would cost £9,900. A duplex 12.5kHz frequency between 68 and 80MHz to be used across the UK would cost £3,300.
Availability of UK-wide channels is extremely limited above 165MHz, so if wish to purchase an Area Defined licence you should check spectrum availability with us first.
Contact details:
If you require further assistance regarding any of these products, call 020 7981 3131 or email Spectrum.Licensing@ofcom.org.uk.
If you apply for a Business Radio Light Licence via the Online Licensing System, you can apply, pay for and issue a licence immediately.
Business Radio Technically Assigned and Area Defined licences are issued within 42 days from the date that the completed application is received.*
Ofcom is committed to reducing the time it takes to issue new licences. Applying online eliminates postage times and speeds up the application process.
*Times stated exclude the period that an application is on hold for while we wait for payment, or if the licence requires national/international coordination.
For new applications, you have 28 days from the date that the invoice is issued. If no payment is received by this time, then the application may be cancelled and you will have to reapply.
For renewals, you have until your renewal date to pay for this licence. This will be the last day of the month in which you receive the renewal notice and invoice. You risk having your licence(s) revoked if payment is not received by this date.
Please submit a payment only once you have received an invoice. Early payments will be returned to you.
The quickest way to pay is via the online payment portal.
For general queries, you will be asked to confirm two of the following:
For billing enquiries, an invoice number (of the format 77XXXXXX) is required.
Please complete the contact update form, and choose to sign up for our e-communications service.
Via the Online Licensing System.
Check that all of the information that we currently hold for the licence(s) is correct. If all of the data is correct then no further action is required. If you need to make any changes or updates, please notify us immediately.
Contact details can be changed via the Online Licensing System.
Technical variations can be made through the Online Variation Form.
Trade requests and contact changes can also be made by completing the relevant sections of the validation notice, and returning the forms to Spectrum Licensing.
Spectrum Licensing
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London
SE1 9HA
Email: Spectrum.Licensing@ofcom.org.uk
Please note that any variation requests and trades received during the month of renewal cannot be processed until we receive your renewal payment.
We cannot make a technical change or surrender a licence while we are waiting for a renewal payment. Any technical changes or surrenders can be requested once the exact renewal fee has been paid. In this case, any credits or debits will be applied to the next renewal year.*
*This excludes credits for surrendered licences which cost £75 or less, which are non-refundable.
You are able to surrender the following licence types online by logging into the Online Licensing System.
You can make a surrender request for the following licence types using the Online Surrender Form.
For fees up to and including £5,000, the fastest way is to submit a credit/debit card payment through our online payment portal.
Or complete and return the remittance advice slip attached your invoice. Ofcom accepts the following methods of payment:
Simply name yourself as the relevant point of contact for the client's licence(s).
To update the contact details for an existing licence, visit the Online Licensing System.
All Business Radio Light Licence products, including Simple UK, Simple Site and Suppliers Light licences, cost £75 for a five-year term.
The licence fees for Business Radio Technically Assigned and Area Defined products are calculated by taking into account the technical details that you specify when making an application.
A more detailed overview of the fee calculation process can be found here (PDF, 114.5 KB).
The cost of a variation is applied at the next renewal date. We calculate a new yearly licence fee based on the updated licence details, and where appropriate, apply either a credit or debit to your next renewal. This credit or debit is calculated on a pro-rata basis.
In the following example, a licence is issued at the cost of £100 in January. Six months later, in July, a variation is made which reduces the yearly fee to £80. The next renewal fee is now £80, minus the pro-rated difference between the two fees.
Action | Calculation |
---|---|
Take the original licence fee, before any changes have been made. | £100 |
Take the new licence fee, after changes have been made. | £75 |
Subtract the new fee from the old fee. | £100 - £75 = £25 |
Divide this number by 12 to find the monthly difference, and multiply the result by the number of full remaining months until the next renewal date. | (£25/12)x6 = 12.50 |
To calculate the adjusted fee for the next renewal only, subtract this number from the new licence fee. | £75 - £12.50 =£62.50 |
*The full remaining months are August, September, October, November, December and January.
In the next example, a licence is issued in January at the cost of £150. Four months later, in May, a variation is made which increases the yearly fee to £300. The next renewal fee is now £300, plus the pro-rated difference between the two fees.
Action | Calculation |
---|---|
Take the original licence fee, before any changes have been made. | £150 |
Take the new licence fee, after changes have been made. | £300 |
Subtract the old fee from the new fee. | £300 - £150 = £150 |
Divide this number by 12 to find the monthly difference, and multiply the result by the number of full and partial remaining months until the next renewal date. | (£150 ÷ 12) x 9* = £112.50 |
To calculate the adjusted fee for the next renewal only, add this number to the new licence fee. | £300 + £112.50 =£412.50 |
*The full remaining months are June, July, August, September, October, November, December and January. The partial month is May.
Send a harmonisation request to Spectrum Licensing via email at Spectrum.Licensing@ofcom.org.uk. Please state your customer reference number, the licence number(s) that you would like us to harmonise, and your preferred harmonised renewal date.*
A harmonisation can only be performed if:
Once we have processed your request, we will send you a harmonisation letter.
If you want to harmonise a new licence with existing licences, please specify your preferred renewal date in the appropriate section of the application form.
*Please note that Ofcom will only issue a single invoice for the renewal fees of your harmonised licences if all licences share the same payment contact. If the licences you wish to harmonise do not currently have the same payment contact, and you would like to receive a single invoice, then please state your preferred payment contact when requesting the harmonisation of your licences.
We will issue an invoice to the payment contact for your licence(s) approximately one month before the old renewal date of these licences. The fee requested will be calculated on a pro-rata basis, covering the period between the old and harmonised renewal dates. Once this fee has been paid, the renewal date of your licences will move to the harmonised renewal date.
The most common reasons include: