Do you need a licence for two-way radios in South Africa?

The short answer

For most professional two-way radio in South Africa, yes. Operating radio on licensed frequencies requires a radio frequency spectrum licence from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), applied for under the Land Mobile category¹. Two further points are worth knowing up front: the radio equipment itself must be type-approved by ICASA before it is used, supplied or sold², and push-to-talk over cellular (PoC) needs no spectrum licence of its own, because it runs on a mobile operator's already-licensed network.

Who regulates radio in South Africa

Radio spectrum in South Africa is managed by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), the regulator for the communications sector, operating under the Electronic Communications Act. ICASA assigns frequencies, issues radio frequency spectrum licences, and type-approves equipment. Business two-way radio is licensed under its Land Mobile category, which sits alongside other categories such as citizen band, aircraft, and ship stations¹.

What needs a licence, and what does not

Needs a licence

• Land Mobile radio on licensed VHF/UHF frequencies, such as DMR and analogue systems
• Systems with your own repeaters or base stations
• Most commercial, industrial and organisational deployments

Does not need a spectrum licence

• PoC (push-to-talk over the cellular network), which uses the mobile operator's own licence
• Reception-only equipment

How to apply

At a practical level, putting a licensed radio system into service in South Africa follows this shape¹:

1. Make sure the radios you intend to use are, or will be, type-approved by ICASA. Reputable resellers supply type-approved models as standard.
2. Apply to ICASA for a radio frequency spectrum licence under the Land Mobile category, using the prescribed application form.
3. ICASA assigns your frequency or frequencies and issues the licence, against the applicable spectrum fees.
4. Renew the licence before it expires. ICASA publishes renewal and transfer forms for this.

In practice, a good reseller will guide or handle most of this for you as part of the project, since they apply on these frequencies routinely.

Cost and validity

Spectrum-licence fees in South Africa are set by ICASA and are calculated from a published spectrum-fee schedule, and the licence is renewed before it expires¹. We are deliberately not quoting a figure here, because these fees change and depend on the specifics of your assignment. Confirm the current fees and validity period with ICASA, through its fees page³, or ask your reseller, who will usually know the current cost for a fleet of your size.

Equipment type-approval

Separately from the spectrum licence, radio equipment must be type-approved by ICASA before it is used or sold in South Africa. This is a legal requirement: under section 35(1) of the Electronic Communications Act, no person may use, supply, sell, lease or hire electronic communications equipment, including radio apparatus, unless it has been approved by the Authority². Two-way radios are treated as radio-frequency equipment and fall squarely within this. In practice this means buying models that are already type-approved, which a reputable local reseller will supply. Non-approved equipment can be sealed or seized, so it is worth checking approval status before importing radios yourself.

Operating without a licence

Using radio frequencies without a spectrum licence, or using equipment that is not type-approved, is prohibited under the Electronic Communications Act, and ICASA has the power to seal or seize unauthorised equipment². Beyond the legal risk, unlicensed transmissions can interfere with other users and be traced, so getting the licence in place is simply part of deploying a system that works reliably and lawfully.

How RadioSelect helps

The free needs analysis flags whether your likely solution needs a licence in South Africa, and connects you to a vetted local reseller who handles the ICASA process routinely, so you are not navigating it alone.

Common questions

Do I need a licence for PoC / push-to-talk over cellular in South Africa?

Generally no. PoC runs over a mobile operator's already-licensed network, so there is no separate spectrum licence for you to obtain. You still buy or subscribe to the service, but the spectrum side is covered by the operator.

Does my two-way radio equipment need to be type-approved?

Yes. Under section 35(1) of the Electronic Communications Act, radio apparatus must be approved by ICASA before it is used, supplied or sold. Buy type-approved models, which a reputable reseller supplies as standard.

What licence category does business two-way radio fall under?

Business and industrial two-way radio is licensed under ICASA's Land Mobile category. Your reseller will apply under the correct category for your system.

Can my reseller arrange the licence for me?

In most cases yes. Resellers deploy on these frequencies routinely and will typically guide or handle the ICASA application as part of the project.