The FeliCa Lite (reference RC-S965) is Sony's first consumer tag chip from Sony: it opened FeliCa technology, the queen of contactless transit and payments in Japan, to the world of the NFC label. Designed to operate in a very weak electromagnetic field, it slips with an ultra-thin antenna into stickers and smart posters. Compliant with the ISO/IEC 18092 standard (NFC-F) and the NFC Forum Type 3 Tag format, it offers 224 bytes of user memory in 16-byte blocks, MAC-based card authentication on reading and a count block. It is now replaced by the FeliCa Lite-S (covered in a dedicated page) and remains readable and writable by the vast majority of recent NFC smartphones.
Information
| Manufacturer | Sony |
| Family | FeliCa Lite |
| Reference | RC-S965 (FeliCa Lite) |
| Standard | ISO/IEC 18092 (NFC-F, FeliCa technology) |
| NFC Forum type | Type 3 Tag |
| Operating frequency | 13.56 MHz |
| Data rate | 212 kbit/s |
| Unique identifier (IDm) | 8 bytes, factory programmed |
| Operating distance | A few centimeters depending on the antenna |
| User memory | 224 bytes (14 blocks of 16 bytes), plus a count block |
Memory
The memory of the FeliCa Lite carries the signature of FeliCa technology: large 16-byte blocks, in a flat structure with no hierarchy:
| Area | Content | Access |
|---|---|---|
| User memory (14 blocks of 16 bytes) | 224 bytes hosting the NDEF message (the first block serves as the attribute block) | Two attributes to choose from per block: read/write or read-only |
| Count block | A subtraction-only value | Decrement only, for counters and consumable rights |
| System area | 8-byte IDm, card key, memory configuration | Managed through the chip's dedicated commands |
Used as an NFC Forum Type 3 tag, the 224 bytes represent an NDEF message of around 200 URL characters, with the first block hosting the attributes. Each user block can be individually and permanently set to read-only.
Features & security
- The universal Type 3: compliant with the NFC Forum's Type 3 Tag format, the chip talks to standard NFC smartphones and readers (smart posters, pairing), while remaining native in the FeliCa ecosystem of Japanese readers.
- MAC-based card authentication: a message authentication code, added to the read data and computed from the card's key, lets the reader verify the tag's authenticity: a light rampart against counterfeiting. Writing, however, is not MAC-controlled: that is precisely what the FeliCa Lite-S brought.
- Per-block access attributes: each user block can be set to read/write or permanently read-only, independently of its neighbors.
- Count block: a subtraction-only value counts down trips, points or rights with no way back, the ticketing heritage of the FeliCa family.
- Built for the label: its reduced power consumption lets it operate in a very weak electromagnetic field, and its ultra-thin antenna destines it for media beyond the card, stickers and posters first.
Sony evolved the chip in 2011 with the FeliCa Lite-S, which adds MAC-based write-access control (making mutual authentication complete), a third MAC-controlled access attribute and the anti-tearing mechanisms with a per-block CRC code: it is the one equipping new projects, with the Lite remaining present in deployed fleets.
Compatibility
The FeliCa Lite uses NFC-F technology (ISO/IEC 18092), supported by the vast majority of recent NFC smartphones. On Android, reading and writing work natively with NFC Tools, without any particular restriction. On iPhone, automatic background reading is available from the iPhone XS and XR onwards; models from the iPhone 7 can read and write the chip via NFC Tools on iOS 15.6 or later, by starting the scan manually from the app.
With NFC Tools, the FeliCa Lite chip supports reading technical information, reading and writing NDEF records, erasing and locking. The card key and the access attributes are managed through the chip's dedicated commands. The list of compatible models is available in the article on compatibility.
FeliCa Lite vs FeliCa Lite-S
| Chip | User memory | Security | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| FeliCa Lite | 224 bytes | MAC on reading; read-only or read/write attributes | The first generation, existing fleets |
| FeliCa Lite-S | 224 bytes | MAC on reading and writing, anti-tearing and CRC | The current replacement |
With equal memory, the Lite-S completes the Lite where it stopped: the MAC extends to writing (mutual authentication becomes complete), a MAC-controlled access attribute is added, and transactions gain anti-tearing with a per-block CRC code. For a new Type 3 project, the Lite-S is the way to go; outside the FeliCa ecosystem, the NTAG213 remains the reference for consumer tags.
Frequently asked questions
How much data can be stored on a FeliCa Lite?
The chip offers 224 user bytes in 14 blocks of 16 bytes, i.e. an NDEF message of around 200 URL characters (the first block serving as the attribute block), plus a subtraction-only count block.
What is the difference between FeliCa Lite and FeliCa Lite-S?
The memory and the protocol are identical. The Lite-S adds MAC-based write-access control (the combination of MAC-protected reading and writing enabling complete mutual authentication), a third per-block access attribute and the anti-tearing mechanisms with a CRC code: it replaces the Lite for any new project.
Is the FeliCa Lite compatible with iPhones?
Yes. Background reading works from the iPhone XS and XR onwards, and both reading and writing are possible via NFC Tools from the iPhone 7 on iOS 15.6 or later.
Can a FeliCa Lite be protected against rewriting?
Yes: each user block can be permanently set to read-only through the memory configuration. There is however no key-based write protection: for MAC-controlled writing, the FeliCa Lite-S is the way to go.
Useful links
