What is the read range for a typical RFID tag?

Modified on Fri, 30 Aug at 2:52 PM

There really is no such thing as a "typical" RFID tag, and the read range depends on whether the tag is active or passive. Active tags broadcast a signal, so they have a much longer read range—100 meters or more—than passive tags. 


The read range of passive tags depends on many factors: the frequency of operation, the power of the reader, interference from other RF devices, and so on. In general, low-frequency and high-frequency tags can be read up to 1 meter but for applications like payment, access control, or secure documents, the read range is limited to a few centimeters. 


For UHF passive (RAIN) tags, the read range is typically several meters (up to 15 meters in very special cases). UHF readers with phased array antennas and very high sensitivity can read tags up to 20 meters. What is often more important than the read range itself is the shape of the volume in which tags can be read. 


This volume strongly depends on the reader’s antenna (directivity and gain), electromagnetic wave polarization, and tag’s orientation.

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