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. This data can be queried programmatically so that it can be used by external application developers to produce mobile or web applications.


    The service exposes both a REST endpoint (browser-consumable, XML or JSON per operation suffix) and a SOAP endpoint over the same operations. Every operation is a read; there are no writes, no authentication, no API key and no registration. A single query returns at most 2,000 records, deliberately, to discourage bulk extraction through the API - the full dataset is published as a daily zip download instead.


    PROVENANCE: this OpenAPI is an API Evangelist reconstruction of an API that ACMA documents but does not describe in OpenAPI. Paths, parameters, enumerated values and operation semantics are taken verbatim from ACMA''s published guide ''Spectrum Licensing API'' v1.0 (17/06/2016) and from the live WSDL at OuterService.svc?wsdl; response schemas are derived from live responses captured on 2026-07-25. Every operation carries an x-evidence block naming the documentation source and the live URL that was probed.'
  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:
    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
    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
    isJSONP:
      name: isJSONP
      in: query
      required: false
      description: true or false, depending on whether JSONP is used.
      schema:
        type: boolean
    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
    jsonpCallback:
      name: jsonpCallback
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The callback function name to wrap the response in for JSONP.
      schema:
        type: string
    strOffset:
      name: strOffset
      in: query
      required: false
      description: The number of records to skip over.
      schema:
        type: integer
        minimum: 0
    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
    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
  schemas:
    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'
    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'
    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