Proposed changes to Personal Locator Beacon registration announced

December 5, 2024

Personal Locator Beacon registration in the UK could become mandatory, under new proposals by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

Known as PLBs, the devices are designed to send an SOS signal, along with your location, to the rescue authorities when manually activated by the user.

The MCA wants to bring PLBs under the same mandatory registration requirements as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs).

It would apply to all PLBs used at sea, along the coast, and on inland rivers, lakes and canals.

Registration information would include: the vessel name, radio call sign, PLB manufacturer’s serial number and any locating frequencies and identifiers; a brief description of the vessel (if applicable), including its type, gross tonnage, superstructure, deck colours and identifying marks; the HEX ID ( hexadecimal identity which are 15 characters for first-generation beacons and 23 characters for second-generation beacons) which provides a unique code transmitted by 406 MHz beacons; the PLB owner’s name, address, telephone number and email; up to three alternative 24-hour emergency contacts including name and telephone number (alternative contact ashore); the passenger and crew capacity of the vessel.

HM Coastguard said the introduction of mandatory Personal Locator Beacon registration reflected the changes in technology and would extend registration obligations to hovercraft and other types of watercraft covered by the Merchant Shipping (Watercraft) Order 2023.

This includes any personal watercraft which is capable of moving under power and can carry one or more people such as power boats, RIBS, tenders, sailing dinghies, keel boats, motor or sailing yachts, jet skis, Fliteboards and E-foils.

The MCA is currently consulting on the changes, and the public has until 30 January 2025 to comment.

Details of the consultation can be found at www.gov.uk.

Depending on the outcome of the consultation, mandatory Personal Locator Beacon registration could come into effect by summer 2025.

The UK Distress and Security Beacon Registry Manager, Linda Goulding, said: “Spending just 15 minutes registering a PLB online could make all the difference to being found and recovered safely from a life-threatening situation.

“Simply register any existing 406MHz PLBs, and any new ones you buy in future, on our customer self-serve webpage, as people currently do with their EPIRBs.

“Make sure you keep your registration up to date to ensure search and rescue teams can find you in an emergency,” she added.

To register a PLB or EPIRB free of charge, visit: www.gov.uk/register-406-beacons.