Broadcasting Services 
Licence Types
Licence Types
Restricted Service Licences - RSLs
An RSL, or a "Restricted Service Licence" to give its full title, is a term set by OFCOM.
An RSL will broadcast to a localised area (approximately 3-4 miles radius of the transmitter) and can be on-air for up to 28 days. A station may broadcast a maximum of two RSLs per year, and at least four months must separate each RSL.
There are long term RSLs available. An example of a longer term RSL would be radio stations that are only on-air to cover football matches on Saturday afternoons, then go off air, but then return a week later go cover another match, then go off air again.
Restricted Service Licences are available for a range of uses, broadly falling under three headings: Short-term RSLs, Long-term RSLs and Audio Distribution Systems RSLs.
Short-term RSLs are granted for up to 28 days and for a limited coverage area (typically coverage of a town or part of a city). They are issued on a 'first come, first served' basis at OFCOM's discretion, and are subject to frequency availability.
Long-term RSLs are granted to serve a particular non-commercial establishment, such as a hospital or university campus. They are issued on demand, for a maximum period of 5 years, and are subject to various legal and technical criteria, as well as frequency availability.
Audio Distribution Systems (ADS-RSLs) are for the transmission of audio content for direct reception within a small restricted area. A licence permits a radio service to be broadcast to a specific closed user group.
An RSL will broadcast to a localised area (approximately 3-4 miles radius of the transmitter) and can be on-air for up to 28 days. A station may broadcast a maximum of two RSLs per year, and at least four months must separate each RSL.
There are long term RSLs available. An example of a longer term RSL would be radio stations that are only on-air to cover football matches on Saturday afternoons, then go off air, but then return a week later go cover another match, then go off air again.
Restricted Service Licences are available for a range of uses, broadly falling under three headings: Short-term RSLs, Long-term RSLs and Audio Distribution Systems RSLs.
Short-term RSLs are granted for up to 28 days and for a limited coverage area (typically coverage of a town or part of a city). They are issued on a 'first come, first served' basis at OFCOM's discretion, and are subject to frequency availability.
Long-term RSLs are granted to serve a particular non-commercial establishment, such as a hospital or university campus. They are issued on demand, for a maximum period of 5 years, and are subject to various legal and technical criteria, as well as frequency availability.
Audio Distribution Systems (ADS-RSLs) are for the transmission of audio content for direct reception within a small restricted area. A licence permits a radio service to be broadcast to a specific closed user group.
OFCOM
The following information, taken from the OFCOM website, is correct as at June 2010. To check for updates to Radio Broadcasting Licensing regulations, visit the official OFCOM website.
Short-term RSLs
Short-term RSLs (S-RSLs) are granted for:
Licensees are limited to:
There are some exceptions to the consecutive days rule when covering a series of events:
- coverage of special events
- other special projects (e.g. training)
- trial services (e.g. in preparation for applying for a community radio licence)
Licensees are limited to:
- a small coverage area
- usually a maximum of 28 consecutive days
- a maximum of two licences per year, with a minimum four-month gap between the end of the first and the start of the second (but only one per year within the M25)
There are some exceptions to the consecutive days rule when covering a series of events:
- on AM at low power
- within a stadium on FM at very low power
- up to 25 watts at a specific event-related venue, where the surrounding locality has low SRSL activity.
Long-term RSLs
Long-term RSLs (L-RSLs) are granted for:
- a service provided within a clearly-defined single site occupied by an establishment such as a university, hospital, military barracks, marina or shopping centre
- broadcasting usually on AM only (FM is available in some locations)
- up to five years (renewable)
ADS RSLs
Audio Distribution Systems RSLs (ADS-RSLs) are granted for:
- services provided within a site, such as a sports stadium or conference centre
- coverage of events or other temporary purposes (e.g. commentary, translation services)
- services provided at the same site, or at a number of different locations
- low power services broadcasting on spectrum other than FM or AM, the access to which has been secured separately
- a five year period