ACMA

ACMA Licences API

Radiocommunications and 400 MHz band spectrum licence records.

Documentation GitHub OpenAPI

Business capability

Spectrum Licence Management BC-2670.20

Operations 4

GET /LicenceSearchXML Search radiocommunications licences (XML) #

GET /LicenceSearchJSON Search radiocommunications licences (JSON) #

GET /400MHZSearchXML/{searchText}/{searchTarget} Search the 400 MHz band spectrum licence register (XML) #

GET /400MHZSearchJSON/{searchText}/{searchTarget} Search the 400 MHz band spectrum licence register (JSON) #

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OpenAPI Specification

openapi: 3.2.0
info:
  title: ACMA Spectrum Licensing Licences API
  version: '1.0'
  summary: Public, anonymous read access to the Australian Communications and Media Authority's Register of Radiocommunications Licences.
  description: The ACMA Spectrum Licensing API is an application programming interface which allows members of the public to query the ACMA's spectrum licensing data.
  contact:
    name: ACMA
    email: info@acma.gov.au
    url: https://www.acma.gov.au/contact-us
  license:
    name: Licence to use the Register of Radiocommunications Licences
    url: https://www.acma.gov.au/radiocomms-licence-data#terms-and-conditions
  termsOfService: https://www.acma.gov.au/radiocomms-licence-data#terms-and-conditions
  x-source: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx
  x-wsdl: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc?wsdl
  x-generated-by: API Evangelist enrichment pipeline
  x-generated-on: '2026-07-25'
servers:
- url: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc
  description: Production REST endpoint (HTTPS). The guide publishes the same path over HTTP; HTTPS is live and verified.
security: []
tags:
- name: Licences
  description: Radiocommunications and 400 MHz band spectrum licence records.
paths:
  /LicenceSearchXML:
    get:
      operationId: licenceSearchXML
      summary: Search radiocommunications licences (XML)
      description: 'Returns an XElement containing all licences for the specified search terms.


        A single query returns at most 2,000 records; page with the offset parameter to retrieve more. For the whole dataset, ACMA publishes a same-day full RRL extract as a zip download rather than serving it through this API.'
      tags:
      - Licences
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/searchTextQuery'
      - name: searchField
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to search; any detail can be used to search all fields.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - LICENCE_NO
          - CLIENT_NO
          - CALLSIGN
          - SHIP_NAME
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/searchOption'
      - name: sortBy
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to sort the results by.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - licence_no
          - category
          - callsign
          - ship_name
          - rownum
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/offset'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/resultsLimit'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Matching records. The service returns HTTP 200 with an empty result array when nothing matches.
          content:
            application/xml:
              schema:
                type: string
                description: An XElement document. The element structure mirrors the JSON envelope of the matching *JSON operation; the XML Schema for the SOAP projection of this service is published at https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc?xsd=xsd0 and harvested to wsdl/acma-spectrum-licensing-xsd0.xsd.
        '400':
          description: Malformed request - an unparseable URI template, or a parameter value the WCF service cannot bind (for example a non-numeric offset).
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '404':
          description: Unknown web method - the leading path segment does not match a published operation name.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '500':
          description: Service fault. The WCF endpoint returns an HTML fault page rather than a structured error body; there is no RFC 9457 problem+json envelope.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
      x-evidence:
        documented_in: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx
        verified_live: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/LicenceSearchXML?searchText=Moon&resultsLimit=1
        verified_on: '2026-07-25'
        verified_status: 200
  /LicenceSearchJSON:
    get:
      operationId: licenceSearchJSON
      summary: Search radiocommunications licences (JSON)
      description: 'Returns a JSON string containing all licences for the specified search terms.


        A single query returns at most 2,000 records; page with the offset parameter to retrieve more. For the whole dataset, ACMA publishes a same-day full RRL extract as a zip download rather than serving it through this API.'
      tags:
      - Licences
      parameters:
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/searchTextQuery'
      - name: searchField
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to search; any detail can be used to search all fields.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - LICENCE_NO
          - CLIENT_NO
          - CALLSIGN
          - SHIP_NAME
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/searchOption'
      - name: sortBy
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to sort the results by.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - licence_no
          - category
          - callsign
          - ship_name
          - rownum
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/offset'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/resultsLimit'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/isJSONP'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/jsonpCallback'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Matching records. The service returns HTTP 200 with an empty result array when nothing matches.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/LicenceSearchResponse'
              examples:
                live:
                  summary: Live response captured 2026-07-25 from https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/LicenceSearchJSON?searchText=Moon&resultsLimit=1
                  value:
                    Licence:
                    - TOTAL_RESULT: 11.0
                      RESULTS_INDEX: 1.0
                      SORT_LICENCE_NO: 000000000011265050/1
                      LICENCE_NO: 11265050/1
                      CLIENT_NO: '20047712'
                      CALLSIGN: null
                      STATUS_TEXT: Granted
                      DATE_EXPIRY: '2027-05-31T00:00:00'
                      SHIP_NAME: null
                      LICENCE_CATEGORY: Land Mobile - Ambulatory System
                      DETAILS_URL: http://web.acma.gov.au/pls/radcom/licence_search.licence_lookup?pSOURCE=RADCOM&pLICENCE_NO=11265050/1
        '400':
          description: Malformed request - an unparseable URI template, or a parameter value the WCF service cannot bind (for example a non-numeric offset).
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '404':
          description: Unknown web method - the leading path segment does not match a published operation name.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '500':
          description: Service fault. The WCF endpoint returns an HTML fault page rather than a structured error body; there is no RFC 9457 problem+json envelope.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
      x-evidence:
        documented_in: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx
        verified_live: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/LicenceSearchJSON?searchText=Moon&resultsLimit=1
        verified_on: '2026-07-25'
        verified_status: 200
  /400MHZSearchXML/{searchText}/{searchTarget}:
    get:
      operationId: spectrumLicence400MHzRegisterSearchXML
      summary: Search the 400 MHz band spectrum licence register (XML)
      description: 'Returns an XElement containing all (usually just one) 400 MHz spectrum licence details for a specified licence number or client number.


        A single query returns at most 2,000 records; page with the offset parameter to retrieve more. For the whole dataset, ACMA publishes a same-day full RRL extract as a zip download rather than serving it through this API.'
      tags:
      - Licences
      parameters:
      - name: searchText
        in: path
        required: true
        description: The search text (licence number or client number).
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: searchTarget
        in: path
        required: true
        description: Licence No. or Client No.
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: sortBy
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to sort the results by.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - licence_no
          - client_no
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/strOffset'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/strLimit'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Matching records. The service returns HTTP 200 with an empty result array when nothing matches.
          content:
            application/xml:
              schema:
                type: string
                description: An XElement document. The element structure mirrors the JSON envelope of the matching *JSON operation; the XML Schema for the SOAP projection of this service is published at https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc?xsd=xsd0 and harvested to wsdl/acma-spectrum-licensing-xsd0.xsd.
        '400':
          description: Malformed request - an unparseable URI template, or a parameter value the WCF service cannot bind (for example a non-numeric offset).
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '404':
          description: Unknown web method - the leading path segment does not match a published operation name.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '500':
          description: Service fault. The WCF endpoint returns an HTML fault page rather than a structured error body; there is no RFC 9457 problem+json envelope.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
      x-evidence:
        documented_in: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx
        verified_live: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/400MHZSearchXML/1137801/Client No.
        verified_on: '2026-07-25'
        verified_status: 200
  /400MHZSearchJSON/{searchText}/{searchTarget}:
    get:
      operationId: spectrumLicence400MHzRegisterSearchJSON
      summary: Search the 400 MHz band spectrum licence register (JSON)
      description: 'Returns a JSON string containing all (usually just one) 400 MHz spectrum licence details for a specified licence number or client number.


        A single query returns at most 2,000 records; page with the offset parameter to retrieve more. For the whole dataset, ACMA publishes a same-day full RRL extract as a zip download rather than serving it through this API.'
      tags:
      - Licences
      parameters:
      - name: searchText
        in: path
        required: true
        description: The search text (licence number or client number).
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: searchTarget
        in: path
        required: true
        description: Licence No. or Client No.
        schema:
          type: string
      - name: sortBy
        in: query
        required: false
        description: The field to sort the results by.
        schema:
          type: string
          enum:
          - licence_no
          - client_no
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/strOffset'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/strLimit'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/isJSONP'
      - $ref: '#/components/parameters/jsonpCallback'
      responses:
        '200':
          description: Matching records. The service returns HTTP 200 with an empty result array when nothing matches.
          content:
            application/json:
              schema:
                $ref: '#/components/schemas/FourHundredMHzSearchResponse'
              examples:
                live:
                  summary: Live response captured 2026-07-25 from https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/400MHZSearchJSON/1137801/Client No.
                  value:
                    Client No:
                    - LICENCE_NO: 10000002/1
                      LIC_TYPE: Land Mobile
                      LIC_SUBTYPE: Ambulatory System
                      STATUS: '1'
                      DATE_OF_EXPIRY: '2027-05-05T00:00:00'
                      DATE_HELD: null
                      HOLD_REASON: null
                      EXEMPTIONS: null
                      MONTH_EXPIRY: May-2027
                      ASSIGN_FREQ: 462.1125
                      RELATED_FREQ: 462.1125
                      SPLIT: null
                      SINGLEFREQ: X
                      BANDWIDTH: 12.5
                      EMISSION: 10K1F3E
                      EIRP: 8.3
                      TRANSMITTER_POWER: 5.0
                      OP_MODE: Transmitter
                      SEGMENT: S-W
                      RELATED_SEGMENT: RS-W
                      SITE_ID: null
                      STATE: null
                      COVERAGE: Sub-Local
                      ACCESS_AREA: New South Wales
                      LICENSING_AREA: HDA
                      CLIENT_NO: 20027747.0
                      TYPE_ID: 5.0
                      RADCOM_CLIENT_TYPE: Company
                      TRADING_NAME: Aussie Lift & Shift (SYD) Pty Ltd
                      ORGANISATION_NAME: Aussie Lift & Shift (SYD) Pty Ltd
                      ABN: '71141098455'
                      PREFIX: null
                      CONTACT_GIV_NAME: null
                      CONTACT_SURNAME: null
                      SUFFIX: null
                      POSTAL_STREET: 35b Heathcote Road
                      POSTAL_SUBURB: MOOREBANK
                      POSTAL_STATE: NSW
                      POSTAL_POSTCODE: '2170'
                      EMAIL_ADDRESS: belinda@aussiehoist.com.au
                      RENEWABLE: R
                      SF: 1.0
                      CALC_CLIENT_TYPE: NON-GOVT
                      NARROW_1: null
                      LOWPOWER_1: null
                      RELOCATE_1: null
                      NARROW_2: null
                      LOWPOWER_2: null
                      TRANSITION_2: null
                      RELOCATE_NON_GOVT_2: null
                      RELOCATE_GOVT_2: null
                      RELOCATE_RIO_2: null
                      RELOCATE_NON_GOVT_3: null
                      RELOCATE_GOVT_3: null
                      RELOCATE_RIO_3: null
                      LETTER_REQUIRED: null
                      RESULTS_INDEX: 46131.0
                      TOTAL_RESULT: 81512.0
                      STATUS_TEXT: Granted
        '400':
          description: Malformed request - an unparseable URI template, or a parameter value the WCF service cannot bind (for example a non-numeric offset).
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '404':
          description: Unknown web method - the leading path segment does not match a published operation name.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
        '500':
          description: Service fault. The WCF endpoint returns an HTML fault page rather than a structured error body; there is no RFC 9457 problem+json envelope.
          content:
            text/html:
              schema:
                type: string
      x-evidence:
        documented_in: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx
        verified_live: https://api.acma.gov.au/SpectrumLicensingAPIOuterService/OuterService.svc/400MHZSearchJSON/1137801/Client No.
        verified_on: '2026-07-25'
        verified_status: 200
components:
  parameters:
    offset:
      name: offset
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The number of records to skip over. Used with resultsLimit to page beyond the 2,000-record cap (0, 2000, 4000, ...).
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 0
    strOffset:
      name: strOffset
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The number of records to skip over.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 0
    strLimit:
      name: strLimit
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The number of records to return after the offset. The service caps any single query at 2,000 records.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        maximum: 2000
    resultsLimit:
      name: resultsLimit
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The number of records to return after the offset. The service caps any single query at 2,000 records.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 1
        maximum: 2000
    isJSONP:
      name: isJSONP
      in: query
      required: false
      description: true or false, depending on whether JSONP is used.
      schema:
        type: boolean
    jsonpCallback:
      name: jsonpCallback
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The callback function name to wrap the response in for JSONP.
      schema:
        type: string
    searchTextQuery:
      name: searchText
      in: query
      required: true
      description: 'The text to search for. Mandatory, and must always be supplied on the query string (documented exception in the ACMA guide: it is passed as a query parameter rather than a path segment so it may itself contain ''/'', which appears in many licence numbers).'
      schema:
        type: string
    searchOption:
      name: searchOption
      in: query
      required: false
      description: 'How searchText is matched: matches, begins with, or sounds like.'
      schema:
        type: string
        enum:
        - matches
        - begins with
        - sounds like
  schemas:
    Licence:
      type: object
      title: Licence
      description: A radiocommunications licence record from the Register of Radiocommunications Licences.
      properties:
        TOTAL_RESULT:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        RESULTS_INDEX:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        SORT_LICENCE_NO:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LICENCE_NO:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        CLIENT_NO:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        CALLSIGN:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        STATUS_TEXT:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        DATE_EXPIRY:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SHIP_NAME:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LICENCE_CATEGORY:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        DETAILS_URL:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
    FourHundredMHzSearchResponse:
      type: object
      title: FourHundredMHzSearchResponse
      description: 400 MHz band spectrum licence register results.
      properties:
        Client No:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/FourHundredMHzLicence'
    FourHundredMHzLicence:
      type: object
      title: FourHundredMHzLicence
      description: A 400 MHz band spectrum licence record, including licensee contact details and conversion flags.
      properties:
        LICENCE_NO:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LIC_TYPE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LIC_SUBTYPE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        STATUS:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        DATE_OF_EXPIRY:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        DATE_HELD:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        HOLD_REASON:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        EXEMPTIONS:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        MONTH_EXPIRY:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        ASSIGN_FREQ:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        RELATED_FREQ:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        SPLIT:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SINGLEFREQ:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        BANDWIDTH:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        EMISSION:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        EIRP:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        TRANSMITTER_POWER:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        OP_MODE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SEGMENT:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELATED_SEGMENT:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SITE_ID:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        STATE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        COVERAGE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        ACCESS_AREA:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LICENSING_AREA:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        CLIENT_NO:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        TYPE_ID:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        RADCOM_CLIENT_TYPE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        TRADING_NAME:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        ORGANISATION_NAME:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        ABN:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        PREFIX:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        CONTACT_GIV_NAME:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        CONTACT_SURNAME:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SUFFIX:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        POSTAL_STREET:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        POSTAL_SUBURB:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        POSTAL_STATE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        POSTAL_POSTCODE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        EMAIL_ADDRESS:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RENEWABLE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        SF:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        CALC_CLIENT_TYPE:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        NARROW_1:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LOWPOWER_1:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_1:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        NARROW_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LOWPOWER_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        TRANSITION_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_NON_GOVT_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_GOVT_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_RIO_2:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_NON_GOVT_3:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_GOVT_3:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RELOCATE_RIO_3:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        LETTER_REQUIRED:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
        RESULTS_INDEX:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        TOTAL_RESULT:
          type:
          - number
          - 'null'
        STATUS_TEXT:
          type:
          - string
          - 'null'
    LicenceSearchResponse:
      type: object
      title: LicenceSearchResponse
      description: Licence search results.
      properties:
        Licence:
          type: array
          items:
            $ref: '#/components/schemas/Licence'
externalDocs:
  description: ACMA Spectrum Licensing API guide (DOCX, v1.0, 17/06/2016)
  url: https://www.acma.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-11/Spectrum%20licensing%20API.docx