This document describes techniques and devices for controlling radar transmissions within a licensed frequency band. In particular, a network is given control over whether or not a user equipment 110 transmits a radar signal within at least a portion of one or more licensed frequency bands associated with coverage of the network. With this control, the network can balance the use of the licensed frequency band for wireless communication operations and radar-based applications. The network can further control operations of the user equipment 110's radar system to control an amount of interference that is present within the licensed frequency band. With permission from the network via a radar grant message 524, the radar system can utilize frequencies within the licensed frequency band for radar-based applications, such as gesture recognition, presence detection, collision avoidance, and so forth.