Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described that support listen before talk (LBT) for uplink transmissions using multiple subbands. A base station may support communication with a user equipment (UE) via multiple subbands and may transmit an uplink grant to the UE that allocates resources of the multiple subbands for transmission of a shared data channel by the UE. The base station may include an indication within the uplink grant that indicates to the UE to perform a given type of LBT for each subband. After transmitting the uplink grant, the base station may transmit control information or other signaling (e.g., channel occupancy time system information (COT-SI)) that indicates subbands on which the UE is to perform a given type of LBT or other subbands on which the UE is to perform a different type of LBT.