Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026

Administered by Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts

Legislation au F2026N00343 In force Notifiable Instrument

Legislation content

 

Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026

 

The Australian Communications and Media Authority makes the following instrument under paragraph 77A(4)(a) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992.

Dated: 21 May 2026

Adam Suckling

[signed]

Member

 

Michael Brealey

[signed]

General Manager

 

Australian Communications and Media Authority

 

 

 

 

 

1  Name

  This is the Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026.

2  Commencement

  This instrument commences at the start of the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Note 1: The Federal Register of Legislation is available, free of charge, at www.legislation.gov.au.

Note 2: This instrument is a notifiable instrument.

3  Authority

  This instrument is made under paragraph 77A(4)(a) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992.

4  Interpretation

  In this instrument:

accredited person means a person who holds an accreditation of the type specified in the Radiocommunications Accreditation (General) Rules 2021.

Act means the Radiocommunications Act 1992.

application form means a form approved under paragraph 77A(4)(b) of the Act.

required information means such information and documents that have been specified by the ACMA under subsections 77A(6) and 77A(7) of the Act, that must accompany an application.

Note 1: The required information has been specified by the ACMA by legislative instrument in the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Licence Renewal – Information and Documents) Instrument 2026.

Note 2: A number of other expressions used in this instrument are defined in the Act, including the following:

(a) ACMA;

(b) accreditation;

(c) licence.

5  References to other instruments

  In this instrument, unless the contrary intention appears:

 (a) a reference to a legislative instrument is a reference to that legislative instrument as in force from time to time; and

 (b) a reference to any other kind of instrument or writing is a reference to that other instrument or writing as in force or existing from time to time.

Note 1: For references to Commonwealth Acts, see section 10 of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901; and see also subsection 13(1) of the Legislation Act 2003 for the application of the Acts Interpretation Act 1901 to notifiable instruments.

Note 2: All Commonwealth Acts and legislative instruments are registered on the Federal Register of Legislation.

Note 3: See section 314A of the Act.

6  Approval of manner of application – licence renewal

 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 77A(4)(a) of the Act, the ACMA approves each manner that is set out in this section for making an application under subsection 77A(1) of the Act.

Note: This section does not affect the operation of subsection 77A(10) of the Act, which deems an application for renewal to be made in certain circumstances.

Electronic provision of application by the applicant

 (2) A person (the applicant) may:

 (a) send, by email, an electronic copy of a completed application form to the ACMA; and

 (b)  if the application must be accompanied by required information – provide the required information by uploading it to an electronic file sharing system managed by the ACMA.

Electronic provision of application by an accredited person

 (3) The applicant may arrange for an accredited person to:

 (a) send, by email, an electronic copy of a completed application form to the ACMA; and

 (b) if the application must be accompanied by required information – provide the required information by uploading it to an electronic file sharing system managed by the ACMA.

Electronic provision of application form – format and address

 (4) For paragraphs (2)(a) and (3)(a):

 (a) the completed application form must be attached to the email in Word format or Portable Document Format (PDF); and

 (b) the applicant or accredited person must send the email to the ACMA by addressing it to ESL@acma.gov.au

Note: For paragraph (2)(b) and (3)(b), the ACMA will provide applicants written instructions to access the electronic file sharing system.

Example: Microsoft Teams is an electronic file sharing system.

 

Overview

The Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026 is a notifiable instrument issued by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) under paragraph 77A(4)(a) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992. It was enacted to address the need for a streamlined process for applying for the renewal of spectrum licences. The instrument provides approved methods for making such applications, aiming to enhance efficiency and accessibility in the application process. This instrument was designed to address the practical challenges in the renewal of spectrum licences, facilitating a smoother transition for licence holders. The instrument comes into effect the day after it is registered on the Federal Register of Legislation and sets out the approved manners for electronic submission of applications by either the licence holder or an accredited person. It specifies the required formats for the application forms and the procedures for uploading accompanying documents to an electronic file sharing system managed by the ACMA. The policy objective is to simplify and expedite the renewal process, ensuring that all relevant information is provided in a manner that is both secure and easily accessible to the ACMA.

Scope and Application

The Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026, made under the Radiocommunications Act 1992, governs the manner in which applications for the renewal of spectrum licences must be submitted to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). This instrument applies to both applicants directly and through accredited persons, who must adhere to the specified electronic submission procedures. It mandates that completed application forms be sent by email in Word or PDF format to a designated ACMA email address, with any required accompanying information uploaded to a secure electronic file-sharing system managed by the ACMA. This instrument operates on a national level, applying to all spectrum licence renewal applications across Australia. It does not explicitly state exclusions or exemptions but is complemented by other instruments, such as the Radiocommunications (Spectrum Licence Renewal – Information and Documents) Instrument 2026, which specifies the required information and documents for such applications.

Key Provisions

The Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026 primarily concerns the approved methods for making applications to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for the renewal of spectrum licences. Specifically, section 6 details the approved manners for making these applications. According to subsection 6(1), the ACMA approves the manners set out in this section for applications under subsection 77A(1) of the Radiocommunications Act 1992. Subsection 6(2) permits the applicant or an accredited person to send an electronic copy of a completed application form by email to the ACMA, attaching the form in Word format or Portable Document Format (PDF). Additionally, if the application must be accompanied by required information, this information can be provided by uploading it to an electronic file sharing system managed by the ACMA. Subsection 6(4) further specifies that the email must be addressed to ESL@acma.gov.au. The obligations and requirements imposed by this instrument on the parties it governs are primarily centred around the electronic submission of applications and required information. Subsection 6(2) mandates that the completed application form must be attached to the email in the specified formats (Word or PDF), and the email must be sent to the specified address (ESL@acma.gov.au). Additionally, if the application requires accompanying required information, this information must be uploaded to the ACMA's electronic file sharing system as per the written instructions provided by the ACMA. These requirements ensure that applications and accompanying documents are submitted in a manner that is both efficient and consistent with ACMA's systems. There are no explicit offences, penalties, or civil/criminal consequences outlined in the Radiocommunications (Approval of Manner of Applications – Spectrum Licence Renewal) Instrument 2026 itself. However, any failure to comply with the requirements for submitting applications and required information could potentially lead to delays or rejections of the applications under the Radiocommunications Act 1992. For instance, if an application is not submitted in the correct format or through the approved methods, it may not be processed by the ACMA, resulting in the potential non-renewal of the spectrum licence. While the instrument does not specify maximum penalties, any subsequent non-compliance or procedural issues could be addressed under the broader provisions of the Radiocommunications Act 1992.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.