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Ofcom Wireless Licensing Beyond Channel 38: Shared, Fixed Site and PMSE
The shared licence covers most people, but not everyone. What the other PMSE licences are for, and when you need one.
~7 min read · Updated August 2026 · By the Stage Supply team
In this guide:PMSE · Licence types · When to move on · Equipment · Picks · FAQ
Most people running wireless microphones in the UK need the shared licence, buy it once a year, and never think about it again. That is the right answer for the large majority of bands, schools, churches and small venues, and it is covered in detail in our Channel 38 guide.
This guide is about the cases where the shared licence is not the right instrument, which is where people get caught out.
What PMSE means
PMSE stands for Programme Making and Special Events, and it is the category the regulator uses for the spectrum that radio microphones, in-ear monitors and talkback live in. Licensing is administered on Ofcom’s behalf, and the licence types differ in what they cover and how they are coordinated.
The important idea is that a licence is permission to use particular frequencies, in a particular way, sometimes in a particular place. It is not a certificate for the equipment.
The licence types, in plain terms
| Licence | Covers | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| Shared (Channel 38) | The shared band, anywhere in the UK, alongside other users | Bands, schools, worship, small venues, most hire stock |
| Fixed site | Named frequencies at a named location | Theatres, venues and studios with a permanent installed system |
| Event or area based | Coordinated frequencies for a specified event or area | Festivals, large productions, broadcast |
| Licence exempt | The small licence-exempt allocations | Very low channel counts and consumer equipment |
The shared licence is exactly what its name says: shared. You are one of many users in the same band, coordination is your responsibility, and nobody guarantees you a clear channel.
When the shared licence is not enough
Move the conversation to a coordinated licence when any of these apply.
- Channel count is high enough that you cannot reliably fit in the shared band alongside whoever else is in the building.
- The system is a permanent installation and needs known, protected frequencies.
- The event is large, televised, or shares a site with other users who are also running wireless.
- Failure has real consequences, such as a broadcast or a conference where a dropout is not recoverable.
At that point the question stops being which licence to buy and becomes who is coordinating the site, which is a job in itself on a large event.
Buying equipment that matches the licence
Wireless equipment is sold in frequency variants, and the variant decides which band the unit can tune to. Buying the wrong variant produces equipment that is either illegal to use here or unusable in the band you are licensed for.
- Check the band designation in the product code before ordering. Manufacturers use their own naming, such as GB, K3E or S1-7, and the mapping to UK bands is not obvious.
- Equipment tuned to a retired band cannot be made legal by any licence. UK spectrum has changed more than once and older kit can be stranded.
- Second-hand wireless is where this bites hardest. Check the band before buying, not after.
This is a description, not advice
Licensing requirements change, and the definitive position is whatever Ofcom and its PMSE licensing administrator publish today. Check the current position before committing to a system, particularly for a large or permanent installation.
Popular picks from the shop
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence for radio microphones in the UK?
For the shared Channel 38 band, yes, an annual shared licence. Some low-power allocations are licence exempt. Other bands need a site or event specific licence.
Does one shared licence cover all my systems?
The shared licence covers use of the band, and the terms set out what it permits. For large channel counts, the practical limit is the band itself rather than the licence.
What happens if two users share the band at the same venue?
You coordinate between yourselves, because the shared licence gives nobody priority. This is a common cause of interference at multi-act events and is why frequency coordination is a real job.
Is my old wireless still legal?
It depends on the band it was built for. Some older bands have been reallocated, and equipment tuned to them cannot legally be used regardless of condition. Check the frequency range on the label against the current allocations.
