Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) usage in CEPT
This table gives an overview of the PLB usage in the listed CEPT countries. It is updated by ECO when new information is received from CEPT administrations. Therefore ECO cannot be made responsible for any harm caused by use of this information. For the most up-to-date information on PLB, users are advised to directly contact relevant authorities within CEPT administrations.
| Country |
Are PLBs
permitted within the country |
Permitted operational environment(s) |
Are there any PLB license or authorisation
requirements |
Is an operator certificate required |
Are PLBs which are permitted by another administration, temporarily accepted within your administration |
Accepted PLB coding protocol(s) |
Required PLB registration database |
National
Administration |
Additional information |
| Albania |
Yes |
All |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
AKEP |
|
| Austria |
Yes |
All |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Serial User Protocol |
National |
Telecommunications Authority Republic Austria |
Austria |
| Belgium |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
NA |
IBRD |
BIPT |
|
| Croatia |
Yes |
Not specified |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
SUP/SLP |
MInistry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure |
Hakom |
Croatia |
| Cyprus |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
Serial Number - Assigned by competent authority
(JRCC Larnaca) |
National |
JRCC Larnaca |
Cyprus |
| Czech Republic |
Possession/
No usage |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Possession/
No usage |
NA |
NA |
CTU |
Czech Republic |
| Denmark |
Possession/
No usage |
NA |
NA |
NA |
Possession/
No usage |
NA |
NA |
Agency for Data Supply and Infrastructure |
Denmark |
| Estonia |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
National |
Estonian Technical Regulatory Authority |
Estonia |
| Finland |
Yes |
All |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
SUP/NLP |
National |
Traficom |
Finland |
| France |
Yes |
Maritime |
Only in case MMSI |
No |
|
|
National |
ANFR |
France |
| Georgia |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
|
GNCC |
Georgia |
| Germany |
No |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
NA |
|
Germany |
| Greece |
Yes |
Maritime |
Yes |
No |
No |
NA |
NA |
EETT |
|
| Iceland |
Yes/No |
Land |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Under Review |
National |
PTA |
Iceland |
| Ireland |
Yes |
National |
No |
No |
Yes |
SLP |
National |
COMREG |
Ireland |
| Latvia |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
SLP |
IBRD |
MRCC, Electronic Communications Office of Latvia |
Latvia |
| Lithuania |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
SUP/SLP |
Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration
Transport Competence Agency |
Lithuanian Transport Safety Administration
Transport Competence Agency |
| Malta |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
SLP |
IBRD |
MCA |
The framework regulating the installation or use, including registration requirements for PLBs is currently established by the General Authorisations (Radiocommunications Apparatus) Regulations (S.L.399.40 of the Laws of Malta). Please refer, in particular, to the “Thirty-Third Schedule” in the following link: http://www.justiceservices.gov.mt/DownloadDocument.aspx?app=lom&itemid=11475&l=1
Amongst other things, these Regulations require that PLBs must be coded with the Maltese country code 256 (by using the Serial Standard Location Protocol). The coding of PLBs with the other country codes of Malta is not permitted. |
| Moldova |
Yes |
Maritime |
Yes |
Yes |
|
|
National |
ANRCETI |
|
| Montenegro |
Yes |
? |
No |
|
Yes |
|
|
Ekip |
Montenegro |
| The Netherlands |
Yes |
Maritime |
Yes |
No |
Under strict conditions |
SUP |
National |
Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure |
|
| Norway |
Yes |
All |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
SUP/NLP/RLS |
National |
Norwegian Communications Authority |
Norway |
| Poland |
Yes |
All |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
|
National |
Uke |
|
| Portugal |
Yes |
Maritime |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
MMSI |
National |
DGRM |
Portugal |
| Romania |
Yes |
Land |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
National |
ANCOM |
Romania |
| Slovak Republic |
Pending |
Pending |
Yes |
No |
Pending |
NA |
NA |
Telecommunications Office of the Slovak Republic |
|
| Slovenia |
Yes |
All (at sea, in air, on land) |
No (general authorisation) |
No |
Yes |
SUP/SLR/LSR |
IBRD |
AKOS |
Slovenia |
| Spain |
Yes |
See info |
No |
No |
|
MMSI |
Yes |
Yes |
Spain |
| Sweden |
Yes |
All |
No |
No |
Yes |
SUP/SLP |
IBRD |
Sjofartsverket |
Sweden |
| Switzerland |
Yes |
All |
No, Self-Registration by user in IBRD |
No |
Yes |
SLP/SUP |
IBRD COSPAS-SARSAT |
OFCOM |
Switzerland |
| Türkiye |
Yes |
All |
Under examination |
Under examination |
Yes |
SUP/SLP |
Undersecretary for Maritime Affairs /Main Search & Rescue Coordination Centre |
|
Türkiye |
| The United Kingdom |
Yes |
Maritime |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
SUP/SLP |
National |
Ofcom |
The United Kingdom |
Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) Background Information:
A PLB is a 406 MHz distress beacon designed to be carried by an individual. PLBs operate via the satellite based Cospas-Sarsat system. They may be used on land, be carried on aircraft, or onboard vessels at sea or on inland waterways. The use of PLBs is subject to national regulation which varies from country to country. Therefore, users of PLBs must consult the conditions under which their use may be permitted.
The effectiveness of PLBs for search and rescue communications depends upon the correct identification, programming, registration, and licencing of each device. The availability of accurate PLB information provides search and rescue authorities with access to crucial contact information in the event of a beacon activation.
In general, administrations maintain a national registry of PLBs. The International Beacon Registration Database (IBRD) is made available by Cospas-Sarsat for use by administrations who do not provide a national beacon register.
PLBs are not designed to the same performance standards as an Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) which are used onboard vessels operating in the maritime environment. Additionally, PLBs are not designed to the same performance standards as an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) which are used by aircraft. Therefore, PLBs cannot be considered as an equivalent device to an EPIRB or ELT.
Users should follow all regulatory requirements. Additionally, users should follow PLB manufacturer operational guidelines including recommendations for the regular testing of beacons. Further information regarding PLBs is available on the Cospas-Sarsat web site.
CEPT administrations are welcome to provide updates to Susanne Have ([email protected]).
Updated: 08 April 2024, 11:09
