List of RFID Frequency Bands

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) uses various frequencies for different applications. Here is a list of RFID frequency bands commonly used globally:

Low Frequency (LF)

  • 125 kHz to 134 kHz
    • Commonly used for animal tracking, access control, and anti-theft systems.
    • 125 kHz is a widely used frequency for passive RFID systems.

High Frequency (HF)

  • 13.56 MHz
    • Used for smart cards, library book tracking, and proximity cards.
    • This frequency is standardized by ISO/IEC 14443 and ISO/IEC 15693.

Ultra-High Frequency (UHF)

  • 860 MHz to 960 MHz
    • Widely used for supply chain management, asset tracking, and inventory control.
    • This band is regulated differently in various regions:
      • North America: 902 MHz to 928 MHz
      • Europe: 865 MHz to 868 MHz
      • Japan: 952 MHz to 955 MHz (now moved to 916.8 to 923.4 MHz)
  • Compliant with EPCglobal Gen2 (ISO 18000-6C) standards.

Microwave Frequency

  • 2.4 GHz
    • Used for specialized applications requiring higher data transfer rates.
  • 5.8 GHz
    • Less commonly used but available for certain high-speed data transfer applications.

Specific Use Cases and Standards

  • Animal Tracking: 134.2 kHz (ISO 11784/11785)
  • Contactless Payment and Ticketing: 13.56 MHz (ISO/IEC 14443)
  • Electronic Toll Collection: 860 MHz to 960 MHz (EPCglobal Gen2)

Sources