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Radios, receivers and servos: the race sets the limits, the regulator sets the bands.

An RC car is driven through a transmitter, a receiver in the car and one or more servos. The race's rule book limits what that equipment may do, and the radio regulator of the country decides which bands it may use. This guide covers both and names the categories. It gives no setup steps and never advises on modifying a transmitter. See also radios and receivers.

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Race within the rules

This page explains what governing bodies, regulators, standards bodies and researchers publish. It is not a substitute for your class's rule book, a track's safety rules, the race director or the makers' instructions.

What racing rules say about transmitters

IFMAR's rule books name two kinds of transmitter, "2.4GHz DSM/DSS systems" and crystal-controlled fixed-frequency sets, each usable only on frequencies permitted in the organising country (1/8 IC off-road 2024, 3.25; electric off-road 2019, 2.19). Other points, each from the IFMAR book named:

  • All transmitters must be inspected and approved before use, and a driver on either kind of system cannot ask for a delay for radio problems (electric off-road 2019, 4.2 and 2.19).
  • Transmitters are limited to the maker's recommended voltage, and external transmitter battery packs are not permitted (1/8 IC track 2023; 1/8 IC off-road 2024, 3.27).
  • With almost all drivers on 2.4 GHz, transmitter impound can be dropped, but radios may be switched on only for the heat running and the next group (1/10 IC track 2024, 2.14; 1/8 IC off-road 2024, 3.25 and 3.26).

EFRA's 2026 Appendix 3 (A 4.5) lets the organiser inspect any car and its transmitter at any time. ROAR's rule book update of 18 October 2024 deleted the ban on switching radios on in the pits (8.15.10) while keeping the ban on radio use during a race that affects another driver's car (8.14.3.9); its National Guidelines (revised 13 October 2026, 5.4.3 and 5.4.4) allow only FCC-legal frequencies and keep transmitters off until the driver is on the stand and the warm-up has been called.

How 2.4 GHz systems work is not defined in any rule. The AMA's magazine Model Aviation (February 2015), writing about aircraft radios using the same kinds of system, describes frequency hopping, direct sequence or both, and names makers' systems such as FASST, DSM2, DSMX and AFHSS. These are makers' names as trade press reports them; this site makes no claim about how any of them performs.

What the rules say about receivers, servos and driver aids

  • IFMAR electric off-road (2019): at most two control devices, such as two servos or a servo and a speed control (4.2); the receiver may have only those two connected plus an optional separate battery; traction control, active suspension, gyroscopic steering control and active telemetry are not allowed (4.5).
  • IFMAR 1/8 IC track (2023): more than two servos are not allowed (5.27), and the aerial must bend completely under the weight of an inverted car (5.11).
  • EFRA (2026, Appendix 3, A 4.1 to 4.4): the receiver may operate steering and motor management but may not capture signals from sensors; automated steering, gyroscopes controlling car movement, traction control and active suspension are banned; no signal other than the official transponder's may leave the car.
  • Receiver packs (a disagreement): IFMAR's March 2023 battery rules (3.15) allow a separate receiver or servo pack in 1/12 and 1/10 off-road but not 1/10 touring; EFRA's 2026 Appendix 3 allows receiver batteries in 1/12 (A 3.1) and bans them in 1/10, off-road included (A 3.2 and 3.3).

Talking to the pit crew

The bodies disagree. IFMAR's 1/10 IC track rules (2024) allow driver-to-mechanic radio only on designated public service bands at no more than 500 mW, through a single earpiece, and ban 2.4 GHz equipment for it. IFMAR's electric off-road rules (2019) and EFRA's 2026 Appendix 3 (A 5.10) ban driver-to-pit communication that gives an advantage during heats and finals. EFRA's 2024 General Rules (8.6.2.b), the edition read for this site, allow driver-to-mechanic radio at certain classes, on designated public service bands at no more than 500 mW and through a single earpiece.

The regulator decides the bands

Each regulator's text applies only in its own country. This is a summary, not legal advice, and the regulator's current text governs. Detail is on radio equipment rules and radio rules by country.

JurisdictionWhat was read, and what it rests on
United States (FCC)The Radio Control Radio Service, 47 CFR Part 95 Subpart C: 95.763 lists six shared 27 MHz channels, fifty 72 MHz channels and thirty 75 MHz channels (75.41 to 75.99 MHz). Under 95.731, read only in an unofficial copy of the 5 October 2017 edition, 72 MHz is for model aircraft only, 75 MHz for model surface craft only, and 27 MHz for any device. Under 95.305 no individual licence is needed. 47 CFR 15.247 covers the 2400 to 2483.5 MHz band, but no regulator text read says 2.4 GHz car radios come under it. The FCC's own pages refused access.
United KingdomSI 2021/493 (regulation 4) exempts short range devices from licensing if they comply with Interface Requirement IR 2030; SI 2026/396 pointed it to the April 2026 edition. Ofcom's pages refused access, so the model-control bands in IR 2030 (27 MHz general and 40 MHz surface, per search summaries) are unconfirmed.
Europe (CEPT and EU)CEPT ERC/DEC/(01)12 (adopted 12 March 2001, updated 10 June 2022) harmonises 40.665, 40.675, 40.685 and 40.695 MHz for model control without individual licences. Radio equipment on the EU market falls under Directive 2014/53/EU, whose Article 3 sets essential requirements.
Canada (ISED)RSS-210 Issue 11 (notice of 25 June 2024) covers licence-exempt equipment including remote control devices; the notice does not mention model control. No ISED page setting model-car bands was read.
New Zealand (a body rule, not law)The NZRCS Rulebook 2026 (v1.2, section 4) requires 2.4 GHz or DSM radios at its meetings and names 75 MHz among prohibited frequencies; the regulator's own text was not read.

Our picks by category

PICK 1

Radio transmitters

Surface radio transmitters. IFMAR accepts 2.4 GHz systems and crystal sets only on frequencies the host country permits, limits transmitters to the maker's recommended voltage with no external packs (1/8 IC books), and inspects them before use. Which bands are permitted is the regulator's decision in each country, as set out above.

Best for: Every driver whose car does not come with a radio

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PICK 2

Receivers

Receivers for RC cars. The rules limit what may be connected: two control devices plus an optional battery under IFMAR's electric off-road rules (2019, 4.5), and no capture of sensor signals under EFRA's 2026 Appendix 3 (A 4.1). Whether a separate receiver pack is allowed depends on the body and class, as above.

Best for: Drivers matching the car's side of the link to their transmitter's system

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PICK 3

Steering servos

Servos for steering and throttle. IFMAR allows at most two servos in 1/8 IC track (2023, 5.27) and at most two control devices in electric off-road (2019, 4.2). Makers' speed and torque figures are their claims and were not tested for this site.

Best for: Drivers fitting or replacing the steering or throttle servo

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Sources

  1. IFMAR Electric Off Road Racing and Technical Rules, version 13 November 2019
  2. IFMAR 1/8th I.C. Off-Road Racing and Technical Rules, World Championship 2024
  3. IFMAR 1/8th I.C. Track Racing and Technical Rules, World Championship 2023
  4. IFMAR 1/10th I.C. Track Racing and Technical Rules, World Championship 2024
  5. IFMAR, Electric Racing Batteries and Motors, version March 2023
  6. EFRA Handbook 2026, Appendix 3, Electric Cars (v4, June 2026)
  7. EFRA Handbook 2024, General Rules
  8. ROAR, rule book update (18 October 2024)
  9. ROAR, Appendix C: National Guidelines for National Race Management Team Events (revised 13 October 2026)
  10. Model Aviation, RC Spread Spectrum Demystified (February 2015)
  11. Cornell LII, 47 CFR Part 95 Subpart C (Radio Control Radio Service)
  12. Cornell LII, 47 CFR 95.763
  13. 47 CFR 95.731, 5 October 2017 edition (unofficial mirror)
  14. Cornell LII, 47 CFR 95.305
  15. Cornell LII, 47 CFR 15.247
  16. Wireless Telegraphy (Exemption) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/493
  17. Ofcom, Radio-controlled models (search-result summary only; page refused access)
  18. CEPT, ERC/DEC/(01)12
  19. Directive 2014/53/EU (Radio Equipment Directive), chapter I
  20. ISED, Notice 2024-DRS0007, RSS-210 Issue 11 (25 June 2024)
  21. NZRCS Rulebook 2026, version 1.2

Keep reading

Radios and receivers

2.4 GHz and crystal transmitters as IFMAR names them, the spread-spectrum terms trade press uses, transmitter impound, the driver-to-pit radio disagreement, receiver and servo limits, and the transponder rules of EFRA and IFMAR.

Radio equipment rules

The law on model-control radios kept by jurisdiction: the FCC's Radio Control Radio Service and Part 15, the UK exemption regulations and IR 2030, CEPT's 40 MHz decision and the EU Radio Equipment Directive, ISED's RSS-210, and what could not be read.

Radio rules by country

The FCC's Radio Control Radio Service and 2.4 GHz rule, the UK exemption regulations and IR 2030, CEPT's model-control bands, ISED and ACMA, each kept to its own country.

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