If you’re touring with wireless microphones, IEMs, guitar wireless packs or any radio-frequency audio equipment, there’s a good chance you’ll need some sort of license for that equipment.
This guide is written from my experience as a tour manager working with UK artists in the UK and Europe, and is not intended as legal advice. It just details how I understand things to work in practice, and it’s important to note that the rules are subject to change. This information should be correct as of May 2026.
Importantly, this information is COMPLICATED and BORING and if you’re not experienced with it, it might be hard to unpick. I am not that person either, and so while I’ve researched it here, I also struggle when having to interact with it in a practical sense. I’ve highlighted some key sections in orange to make it easier.
If the information contained here is worth anything to you, you can chuck me a tip here.
The Basics
Radio frequencies are a finite shared resource. Governments allocate specific bands to specific uses – mobile broadband, emergency services, TV broadcast etc. When spectrum gets auctioned off or reassigned, there can be knock-on effects. Equipment that was previously legal five years ago may not be legal now, and equipment that works fine in your home country may be illegal the moment you cross a border.
For touring, this matters in two ways: one is the risk of interference (your IEMs cutting out because a venue is running licensed gear in the same space) and the other is the legal implications of transmitting on a frequency you’re not entitled to use.
The UK
In the UK, wireless audio for live performance falls under Programme Making and Special Events (PMSE) licensing, administered by Ofcom under the Wireless Telegraphy Act. Using a radio transmitter without the appropriate licence is a criminal offence – penalties can include substantial fines and imprisonment, though enforcement against touring artists specifically has historically been uncommon.
Wireless Zones
Channel 38: 606 – 614 MHz (Licensed, Shared) This is the main working band for touring wireless audio in the UK. A Channel 38 Shared Licence covers the full 606.500 – 613.500 MHz range anywhere in Great Britain. It’s a shared access licence, meaning multiple licence holders have equal rights to use the band – there’s no exclusive frequency assignment. You’re expected to coordinate with other users in the same space. Most mid-tier and professional wireless systems (Sennheiser, Shure etc.) have UK-market variants tuned to operate in this range.
There are annual PMSE licences available, but more often I’ve booked short term licenses for the specific shows in question.
Channel 70: 863–865 MHz (Licence exempt) A narrow band available without any licence. Limited to 10mW (handheld) or 50mW (body-worn), and realistically supports no more than 3 – 4 channels in the same space before interference becomes a problem. Fine for a small acoustic act with one vocal mic and a guitar pack. Not suitable for a full production with IEMs, multiple vocal mics, and an instrument pack.
Interleaved spectrum: Channels 21 – 37 and 39 – 48 (Coordinated, Site-Specific) The white space spectrum between TV channels – 470 – 606 MHz and 614 – 694 MHz – can be licensed on a coordinated, site-specific basis. These coordinated licences grant exclusive access to specific frequencies at a specific location and date, which is why most festivals and larger venues use them. The coordination is managed by Arqiva PMSE on Ofcom’s behalf. If you’re playing a major event that has a designated RF coordinator, this is likely the system they’re working within. Submit your frequency requirements in advance.
The Illegal Zone: 694 MHz and Above
Everything from 694 MHz upward was progressively reassigned to mobile broadband. As of May 2020, it became illegal to operate any PMSE device in the 694–790 MHz band. Prior to that, Channel 61–69 (790–862 MHz) had already been cleared in 2013. If you have older gear that tunes into these ranges, it is not legal to operate in the UK.
This is complicated by the fact that some older systems are capable of physically tuning into now-illegal spectrum. The fact that a receiver can lock to a frequency doesn’t mean you’re permitted to use it.
Major Events
For festivals and other designated major events, Ofcom handles PMSE coordination directly and online booking is typically suspended. You’ll need to submit your requirements – number of channels, system tuning ranges – to the PMSE team directly well in advance. Ofcom publishes a list of upcoming major events on their website. Standard processing time is three working days, but this extends significantly during peak season (April – September). Don’t leave it late.
What I’ve Generally Done
If its your first time touring in the UK, this is what I would recommend doing: In general I email pmse@ofcom.org.uk with a list of the venues and dates that I need licensing for the tour, as well as a list of the wireless frequencies I need and number of them. They will then reply asking for information about the entity licensing the frequencies and potentially have you complete a form. They are super helpful and patient, especially if you’re communicating with plenty of time before the licenses are needed.
Europe
Post-Brexit, the UK operates its own spectrum framework independently of the EU. European countries each have their own national regulatory authority and their own rules – though there is meaningful harmonisation across much of the continent via CEPT/ECC recommendations, particularly around licence exempt bands.
Several frequency bands work across virtually all of Europe without a licence, however the licensed spectrum varies significantly, and some countries require advance applications that can take weeks.
My approach has historically been to ask promoters / venues in these countries to help me with the licensing / confirmation that licences aren’t needed. As with OfCom in the UK, list out your equipment and the frequency bands and ask them to help you arrange licenses if needed.
The Pan-European Licence-Exempt Bands
These bands can generally be used across Europe without a licence (subject to power limits):
- 823 – 832 MHz – Largely licence-exempt across most of Europe, and sits just above the mobile band. This is increasingly the go-to band for professional touring wireless that needs to cross borders cleanly.
- 863 – 865 MHz – The European equivalent of UK Channel 70. Available without a licence across the EU, low power, limited channel count.
- 2.4 GHz (2400 – 2483.5 MHz) – Works globally without a licence, which is its main selling point. The downside is congestion: this band is shared with WiFi, Bluetooth, microwave ovens, and anything else that operates on 2.4 GHz. Range is also reduced (shorter wavelength), and you’re realistically limited to around 6 simultaneous channels before things get difficult.
Germany
The main licensed band is 470 – 694 MHz, which requires a permit from the Bundesnetzagentur (Federal Network Agency). Permits are location-specific and valid for up to 30 days. Applications are available for download from their website. Given the volume of touring activity through Germany, most production-level tours either use a local RF company or coordinate through a production manager who handles this routinely.
France
Wireless audio licensing is handled by ARCEP. The 470 – 694 MHz range requires an application, valid for up to two months. ARCEP publishes application forms on their website. For smaller acts or short runs, many touring parties rely on the licence-exempt bands rather than navigating the application process for a one-off date.
The Netherlands
The 470 – 694 MHz band is shared with digital broadcast and availability varies by region. The Telecom Agency provides an online tool called Microphonetapes that shows available frequencies at a specific location. Coordination with venue production or local hire companies is strongly recommended.
Belgium
Licence – exempt bands are similar to the wider EU standard. For other frequencies, licensing goes through the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT). Belgium is generally more relaxed in enforcement terms than Germany or France, but it’s worth checking with your local production contact.
Other Territories
Across Scandinavia, Austria, Switzerland, and the rest of the EU, the same general principles apply: licence-exempt bands (especially 863 – 865 MHz and 823 – 832 MHz) work without paperwork, and the 470 – 694 MHz range requires national licensing.
A Note for US Acts Touring the UK and Europe
This is where things get complicated. The FCC and Ofcom don’t agree on what frequencies are available for wireless audio, and the gaps between them are where US artists can run in to issues.