RFID Frequencies and Ranges
RFID frequency ranges
The frequency range of industrial RFID systems is divided into 3 types by frequency ranges: LF, HF and UHF.
LF is Low Frequency, 125-135 kHz. The technology of this range, including tags, readers and exchange protocols, is used in access control systems, in animal tags.
HF is High Frequency, 13.553-13.567 MHz. This range is used by the technology for transport travel systems, wireless bank cards, and the widely used NFC tags.
UHF (Ultra High Frequency) is an ultra-high-frequency range of radio waves. Ranges for RFID technology are 300 - 1000 MHz. UHF is divided into two sub-ranges: Lower UHF 300 - 1000 MHz TV broadcasting, radio communications, RFID, radio microphones Upper UHF 1 - 3 GHz Mobile communications, Wi-Fi (partially), radars.
| Range | Frequency | Tag Type | Reader Type | Typical Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LF | 125–134.2 kHz | Passive | Short Range | 0.5 – 10 cm | Works well near water and metal |
| HF | 13.56 MHz | Passive | Short range | 5 – 100 cm | Maps, tickets, libraries, bracelets |
| NFC | 13.56 MHz (HF) | Passive | Smartphone / terminal | 1 – 10 cm | Near field technology for phones and tags |
| UHF | 860-960 MHz | Passive | Long range | 1 - 10 m | Warehouses, logistics, vehicles, clothing |
| UHF | 860-960 MHz | Active | Receiver | 20 - 100 m and more | Tags with battery, actively transmits signal |
| Microwave | 2.45 GHz and above | Passive / Active | Dedicated reader | up to 10 m (passive) up to 100+ m (active) |
High speed, requires line of sight |
