Baofeng UV-5R in the UK: licence rules, setup and programming

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A Baofeng UV-5R is a handheld radio that can receive and transmit. If you own one or are thinking of buying one, start with the UK licensing rules. Then choose a programming method that matches your own model and the permissions on your licence.

At a glance

• Transmitting needs a licence unless an exemption applies.
• A UV-5R doesn't meet the PMR446 equipment requirements.
• For an emergency, call 999 or 112.

How to get a licence

Ofcom issues Foundation, Intermediate and Full amateur radio licences. The RSGB get-started guide explains ways to study, including local clubs and online learning. Foundation is a common starting point; technically competent candidates can also ask the RSGB about its Direct to Full exam. The RSGB booking page lists current exam routes.

1. Study through a club or an online course. The RSGB guide to getting started has further information.
2. Book the Foundation exam with the RSGB. It can be taken at home with remote invigilation.
3. After you pass, the RSGB gives you a pass certificate and candidate number.
4. Apply to Ofcom online using that candidate number. You can log in or register in the Ofcom licensing portal.

Check the RSGB booking page for current exam arrangements. Ofcom says online applicants receive their licence once the application is complete. Licences must be revalidated at least every five years. See Ofcom's licence guidance for current details.

For training, clubs and what an amateur licence does and doesn't let you do, read our guide to amateur radio and licensing. Ofcom also provides its amateur radio rules and licensing information.

The equipment links later in this guide include a Baofeng UV-5R. You need an Ofcom amateur radio licence to transmit on it.

What a Baofeng UV-5R is

The UV-5R is a dual-band VHF/UHF handheld transceiver. A transceiver both transmits and receives. Baofeng's product page lists transmit ranges of 136–174 MHz and 400–480 MHz, 128 channels and an FM broadcast receiver. The maker gives different FM ranges in different places on that page, so we don't repeat a range. It has no DAB receiver.

Some lookalike radios use similar menus, but details can vary. A radio's ability to tune a frequency doesn't mean you have permission to transmit on it. The manufacturer's UV-5R product information describes the device, not the UK permissions for its use.

The UK rules in plain terms

Transmitting needs permission

Under section 8 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, you must not install or use radio apparatus unless you have an Ofcom licence or a licence exemption applies. Ofcom says unauthorised use is a criminal offence. Its radio rules page explains the distinction. To transmit on a UV-5R in amateur bands, you need an Ofcom amateur radio licence and must follow its conditions.

A UV-5R isn't PMR446 equipment

PMR446 is an exemption for equipment that meets technical requirements. It doesn't make every radio set to 446 MHz licence-exempt. Ofcom's PMR446 information sheet and Interface Requirement 2030 specify the conditions. They include operation in 446.0–446.2 MHz, a maximum of 0.5 W ERP, hand-portable use with an integral antenna, no base station or repeater use, no airborne use, and simplex peer-to-peer operation, as set out in the Ofcom technical requirement. Ofcom's Business Radio Guidance also covers PMR446.

For the household plan and using licence-free walkie-talkies in a household plan, see our communications guide.

The UV-5R has a removable antenna and is a programmable multi-band transceiver. It therefore doesn't meet the integral-antenna requirement for PMR446 equipment. Selecting low power or a 446 MHz channel doesn't change that. Ofcom does not name the UV-5R in this guidance, so this conclusion follows from its equipment requirements and the radio's removable antenna.

Receiving and privacy

Ofcom says use of radio receivers is generally exempt unless the equipment can also transmit. Its general reception wording covers licensed broadcasts and hobby radio, while the 1989 exemption applies to apparatus capable only of receiving. A UV-5R can transmit, so Ofcom's receiver wording doesn't clearly cover it. Ofcom says it can't give legal advice on receiving. If listening is all you want, a scanner or an ordinary radio is the clear option. If you're working towards a licence, listen on amateur calling channels as part of your learning and don't press transmit.

Section 48 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act makes it an offence, without lawful authority, to use radio apparatus to get information from a message you aren't an intended recipient of, or to pass on what you heard. Don't listen in on, record or share private or service messages. Ofcom's receivers exemption regulations cover apparatus capable only of receiving.

What not to transmit on, and how to call for help

Transmit only on frequencies your licence covers and within its conditions. Other frequencies are assigned to other licensed users, including emergency services, marine, aviation, business radio and mobile networks. A UV-5R's tuning range reaches beyond amateur bands. Deliberate interference is a separate offence under section 68 of the Act. Don't program other users' channels.

In an emergency, call 999 or 112 from a phone. Both are free UK emergency numbers. An amateur channel isn't a monitored emergency line. Our amateur radio guide explains why to keep the emergency role realistic.

First setup

Read the manual supplied with your exact radio. Variants and firmware can differ, so check your radio's screen and manual for menu names and positions. Fit the antenna before any transmit test. Only transmit if your licence permits it. Charge the battery as the manual says, then set a comfortable volume and squelch level.

The UV-5R display has A and B lines. Use the A/B key to select the line you want to work with. VFO/MR switches between frequency mode and saved-channel mode. Channel numbers appear in channel mode. BAND selects the VHF or UHF band. MENU opens and confirms options; EXIT backs out. The maker's manual and programming article describe these controls, but menus may differ across variants.

Common menu names include SQL for squelch, STEP for frequency steps, TXP for transmit power, W/N for channel width, T-DCS and T-CTCS for tones, SFT-D and OFFSET for repeater settings, and MEM-CH and DEL-CH for saving and clearing a memory channel. Check your own radio's manual or screen before changing a setting. Menu numbers vary by model and firmware.

Program a channel on the keypad

1. Set the radio to frequency mode with VFO/MR, then select the upper display line with A/B.
2. Enter the frequency as six digits without a decimal point. Some values need more decimal places than the keypad accepts, so check the display and manual.
3. Set only the options needed for that channel, using the option names shown by your radio. Menu numbers vary by model and firmware.
4. If the channel is already occupied, choose MENU 28 (DEL-CH), select the target channel, then press MENU to clear it.
5. Choose MENU 27 (MEM-CH), select the channel number, then press MENU to save. Press VFO/MR to check the saved entry.

Baofeng's official manual-programming article says channel data can't be edited in place; clear the channel and save it again. For a repeater, a licensed operator may need a shift direction, offset and tone. The offset is the difference between the receive and transmit frequencies. A tone helps the repeater recognise an incoming signal. Check the RSGB band plan for current UK repeater conventions rather than assuming a split. The manufacturer's programming article gives MENU 28 for DEL-CH and MENU 27 for MEM-CH, and says there is no separate “are you sure?” prompt. It describes voice confirmation after clearing. Menu numbers can vary by model and firmware, so check your radio's screen and manual.

Program with CHIRP

CHIRP is free radio programming software, and the UV-5R appears in its supported-radio list. Download it only from the official CHIRP download page. You'll need a USB programming cable that fits the radio's two-pin socket.

1. Connect the radio and cable. In CHIRP, choose Radio, then Download From Radio. Select the computer port, Baofeng as the vendor and UV-5R as the model.
2. Save a backup copy before editing.
3. Edit channels in the grid. The relevant columns include Frequency, Name, Tone Mode, Duplex and Offset.
4. To make a channel receive-only, set Duplex to off where the radio supports it. Use this for every PMR446 listening channel and any channel you aren't licensed to transmit on.
5. Choose Radio, then Upload To Radio to send the edited file to the set.

Follow the CHIRP beginners guide and its memory editor column guide. Save a separate copy of the original radio image before you upload changes.

A UK example channel set

The table is a programming reference, not permission to transmit. PMR446 entries below are receive-only on a UV-5R. On the keypad, five decimal places may not be accepted; CHIRP takes the full value. We don't promise how a keypad rounds a value.

Ofcom lists sixteen analogue PMR446 channels at 12.5 kHz spacing across 446.0–446.2 MHz. The carrier plan comes from CEPT ECC/DEC/(15)05. The RSGB's 2026 band plan lists 145.500 MHz and 433.500 MHz as FM calling channels. Licensed amateurs usually make contact on a calling channel, then move to a simplex channel. For local broadcast details, see our guide to finding your local station.

Is a Baofeng right for you?

• Only want news in a power cut? A wind-up or battery radio is the simpler buy. See our wind-up radio guide.
• Want to talk to family nearby without an amateur licence? Choose a proper PMR446 set and follow the listing checks. Our guide covers using walkie-talkies in a household plan.
• Interested in the hobby and happy to take the Foundation exam? A UV-5R is a common starter handheld once you're licensed.

Common questions

Is a Baofeng UV-5R legal in the UK?

You may buy and own one. Transmitting needs an Ofcom amateur radio licence and must follow its conditions. Read Ofcom's radio rules.

Can I use a Baofeng on PMR446 without a licence?

No. It has a removable antenna and doesn't meet the PMR446 integral-antenna requirement. See Ofcom's PMR446 information sheet.

Do I need a licence just to listen?

Ofcom's receiver exemption is written for equipment capable only of receiving. A UV-5R can transmit, so Ofcom's wording doesn't clearly cover it. A scanner or ordinary broadcast radio is the clear licence-free option if listening is all you want.

How do I get an amateur radio licence?

Study for and pass an RSGB exam, then apply to Ofcom online using your candidate number. Start with the RSGB get-started guide and Ofcom's licensing portal information. Our amateur radio guide covers training and the licence in more detail.

Which frequencies can I save on it?

The PMR446 entries in the table are for receive-only use on a UV-5R. The 145.500 MHz and 433.500 MHz calling channels are for licensed amateurs only, within their licence conditions.

Can I use it to call for help in an emergency?

No. Call 999 or 112 from a phone. Amateur channels aren't monitored emergency lines.

Do I need CHIRP?

No. You can program channels from the keypad. CHIRP is free and makes it easier to edit a channel and set it to receive only.

Equipment mentioned

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Related guides

Sources

• Ofcom amateur radio information and radio use and the law (checked 4 November 2026).
• Ofcom licensing portal information and online licensing portal (checked 4 November 2026).
• Ofcom guidance on becoming a radio amateur and licence guidance for licensees (checked 4 November 2026).
• RSGB get started in amateur radio, student information and exam booking and fees (checked 4 November 2026).
• Ofcom PMR446 information sheet, Interface Requirement 2030 and Business Radio Guidance (checked 4 November 2026).
• CEPT ECC/DEC/(15)05 (checked 4 November 2026).
• Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, section 8, section 48 and Receivers Exemption Regulations 1989 (checked 4 November 2026).
• UK emergency numbers: 999 and 112 (checked 4 November 2026).
• CHIRP home and supported radios, download page, beginners guide and memory editor columns (checked 4 November 2026).
• Baofeng UV-5R product page and manual programming article (checked 4 November 2026).
• RSGB band plan page and 2026 band plan PDF (checked 4 November 2026).

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check current Ofcom rules and the manual for your radio before use. Read the affiliate disclosure.