Wireless microphone frequencies in Mexico
Mexico has no published IFT technical standard or frequency plan that names wireless microphones specifically — the Cuadro Nacional de Atribución de Frecuencias and IFT's technical-description documents do not mention radiomicrófonos, and no dedicated licensed microphone band, licensing product or fee schedule could be located. What is confirmed is IFT's free-use list (espectro libre), which includes 902–928 MHz at up to 1 W with 6 dBi antenna gain, and 2400–2483.5 MHz. The US UHF TV band at 470–608 MHz is not among the confirmed free-use bands, and an FCC ID is not Mexican homologación — equipment certification is a separate process. Anything beyond the confirmed free-use bands has to be established with IFT directly rather than assumed.
This page differs from the Canada and UK notes, and it is worth saying why up front. Those countries publish a wireless microphone rule you can read, cite and comply with. Mexico, as far as the primary record goes, does not — and pretending otherwise is more dangerous than admitting it.
What is confirmed: the free-use bands
IFT maintains an inventory of bands classified as espectro libre — free use, no individual concession or permit required. The May 2025 edition of that inventory is the solid ground in this article.
| Range | Limits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 902–928 MHz | Max 1 W, 6 dBi antenna gain | Subject to homologación (Mexican equipment certification) |
| 2400–2483.5 MHz | General free-use conditions | Shared with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and everything else |
The inventory also lists some narrow VHF and UHF free-use channels. They look tempting to a mixer reading the numbers, and they are not what they appear to be.
| Range |
|---|
| 151.6125–151.6375 MHz |
| 153.0125–153.2375 MHz |
| 450.2625–450.4875 MHz |
| 455.2625–455.4875 MHz |
What could not be confirmed
A practical read — labelled as inference
What follows is inference from the confirmed record, not regulation — how a cautious mixer would plan a Mexican job given what can be verified. Check it with IFT rather than treating it as authority.
- The best-documented lawful options for a visiting production are the confirmed free-use bands:
902–928 MHzand2400–2483.5 MHz. These are the only ranges in this article backed by a current IFT free-use inventory entry. - Do not assume US UHF TV frequencies at
470–608 MHzare usable. They are not among the confirmed free-use bands, and no confirmed licensed microphone pathway exists to authorise them either. 902–928 MHzin Mexico is capped at 1 W with 6 dBi antenna gain. That is a different limit from the US Part 15 regime — do not port your US power settings across.- Both free-use bands are shared and busy. 900 MHz carries IoT and metering traffic; 2.4 GHz carries every Wi-Fi network on the location. Plan for a noisy floor and see troubleshooting dropouts and hits.
What RF Scout shows for a Mexican address
RF Scout scores Mexican addresses on an IFT-shaped band table. TV channels 14–36 are modelled as TV white space under IFT-009-2016, channel 37 (608–614 MHz) is hard-blocked for radio astronomy, and the 600 MHz band 614–698 MHz — awarded in IFT's Licitación IFT-7 in 2018 to AT&T Mexico and Telcel — is hard-blocked as carrier spectrum. Both blocks mirror the US picture.
Who to ask
- IFT — Instituto Federal de Telecomunicaciones
- The regulator. The free-use band list and the May 2025 espectro libre inventory are published on its site, linked in the sources below. Any question about licensed operation or a visiting-production process goes here.
- Your manufacturer or Mexican importer
- The only reliable source on whether a specific model carries homologación. An FCC ID does not answer this.
- A local Mexican sound mixer or rental house
- Useful for what actually happens on set — but treat it as practice, not citation. Ask which IFT document any claim comes from.
The honest summary: Mexico is the one destination of the three where the published record gives a travelling mixer no clean answer. Plan around the free-use bands you can verify, and pack gear that gives you options — see choosing blocks when you travel.
RF Scout scores locations in Mexico, Canada and the UK as well as the US. See the occupancy picture, then settle the licensing question with the regulator.
Score a Mexican addressCommon questions
- What frequencies can wireless microphones use in Mexico?
- The confirmed lawful options are Mexico's free-use bands, principally 902-928 MHz at up to 1 W with 6 dBi antenna gain and 2400-2483.5 MHz. No IFT technical standard or frequency plan naming wireless microphones specifically could be located, so there is no confirmed licensed microphone band to point to. Anything outside the free-use list needs to be confirmed with IFT directly.
- Can I use my 470-608 MHz wireless mics in Mexico?
- Do not assume so. The US UHF TV band is not among Mexico's confirmed free-use bands, and no confirmed licensed wireless microphone pathway could be found that would authorise it. Treat this as an open question to put to IFT rather than something to resolve on set.
- Does an FCC ID mean my gear is legal in Mexico?
- No. Mexican equipment certification is called homologación and is a separate regime from FCC certification. Free-use operation in 902-928 MHz is expressly subject to homologación, so confirm with your manufacturer or Mexican importer whether your specific model carries it.
- Do I need a licence for wireless microphones in Mexico?
- This could not be established from primary sources. No IFT wireless-microphone-specific licensing product, fee schedule or visiting-production process could be located, which means the question is genuinely open rather than settled. Direct it to IFT and be sceptical of anyone who describes a process without citing an IFT document.
Sources
Related notes
Field Notes are general reference, not legal advice or a substitute for the rule text. Spectrum rules change; verify anything you are relying on against the current source before you transmit. See the methodology and disclaimer.