UK Ofcom EMF licence condition
The mechanism that makes the ICNIRP general-public exposure limits legally enforceable in the United Kingdom, applied as a condition on spectrum licences since 2021.
Legally enforceableUKin force since 2021
Last verified 12 August 2026.
Also searched as: UK EMF limits, Ofcom EMF rules, UK ICNIRP limits
- Organization
- Ofcom
- Edition
- in force since 2021
- Jurisdiction
- UK
- Frequency range
- 100 kHz – 300 GHz
- Status of values
- Legally enforceable in at least one jurisdiction
Scope
Most Ofcom spectrum licences carry a condition requiring compliance with the ICNIRP general-public limits, for licensees authorised to transmit above 10 W EIRP (6.1 W ERP). The condition covers exposure of members of the public; it does not cover exposure of the licensee or of workers, which fall under separate occupational rules. The UK sets no numeric limit of its own — the numbers are ICNIRP's, and Ofcom supplies the enforcement route.
Sources
- ofcom-emf-policy Ofcom's rules on EMF exposure (EMF licence condition) — Ofcom, 2021. regulation, link checked 2026-08-12.
- ofcom-emf-guidance Guidance on EMF compliance and enforcement — Ofcom, 2021. government, link checked 2026-08-12.
- icnirp-2020 Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz) — International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection, 2020. guideline, link checked 2026-08-12.
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