Legal basics

Most people: license-free (FCC Part 15)

You don’t need a license to use a mesh radio in the US, as long as it operates as a license-free device in the 902–928 MHz band. These devices fall under FCC Part 15, which covers low-power transmitters that must accept interference and must not cause harmful interference.

The simple rules of thumb:

Buy FCC-certified hardware for the US band (the 915 MHz version) and use it as designed.
Set the region to US. That keeps the radio inside 902–928 MHz.
Don’t crank power past the defaults or add big amplifiers.
Mind antenna gain. Bigger antennas concentrate power, which counts against the limits.

Go deeper: what §15.247 says

FCC §15.247 covers frequency-hopping and digitally modulated transmitters in 902–928 MHz (and other bands). It sets, among other things:

Digital modulation: maximum 1 watt (30 dBm) conducted output power, with a minimum 6 dB bandwidth of 500 kHz.
Frequency hopping: 1 watt with at least 50 hopping channels; 0.25 watts with 25–49 channels.
Antennas over 6 dBi: if the antenna’s directional gain is more than 6 dBi, reduce the conducted power by the amount the gain exceeds 6 dBi. By our arithmetic, that caps a typical setup around 36 dBm EIRP.

How a particular LoRa product is certified (which section and which modes) is set by its FCC grant. We don’t claim a specific limit for every device and setting. Using certified hardware at its normal settings is the safe path.

Licensed hams (FCC Part 97)

With an amateur radio license, you can use amateur bands and higher power, under different rules:

No encryption. §97.113(a)(4) prohibits “messages encoded for the purpose of obscuring their meaning.” Meshtastic’s licensed mode turns encryption off and sends your call sign.
Identify. Transmissions must carry your call sign.
No business use, and the other Part 97 rules apply.

Because licensed-mode nodes send everything in the clear, they can’t join the normal encrypted mesh. See Ham radio crossover.

Other things to keep in mind

Roofs and towers: follow building codes, HOA rules and landlord agreements, and ground outdoor antennas for lightning safety.
Public land: check land-manager rules before leaving a repeater on a mountaintop. Many sites need permission.
Outside the US: different bands and limits apply. See Frequencies and regions.

Sources

Checked on October 18, 2026.