Part 73, Subpart G, Section 73.873 is a regulation that addresses the license terms for LPFM stations.
License terms for LPFM stations
The license terms for LPFM stations are normally the same as other radio broadcast stations as such, they renew at the same time as other radio stations.
The initial licenses for LPFM stations will be issued with an expiration date that is the same for all other broadcast stations in that state, therefore the term will be less than 8 years.
Renewal of station licenses
Renewal term
LPFM licenses are normally renewed for a full 8-year term and will be renewable again at the same time as other radio broadcast stations in the same state.
Shortened license terms
Licenses for any broadcast station may be shortened if it is determined by the Commission that during the license term, the station had an excessive amount of time being silent or for other compliance reasons. Stations on a shortened license term need to remain aware of their shortened expiration date as it may not always reflect in station license documents or in the LMS system.
Filing deadline
Stations need to be aware that the filing deadline for filing renewals is actually 4 months prior to the expiration date, including licenses granted for a shortened term. Stations must timely file their applications prior to the actual deadline date. Stations that do not file prior to the deadline four months before the expiration are subject to a forfeiture. In the past renewal cycle, the FCC did offer a grace period of 30 days after the filing deadline for late filings before proceedings would being to levy forfeitures. It cannot be guaranteed that the Commission will follow that same process in the next renewal cycle so it is important for stations to renew in time. During the previous renewal cycle, the forfeiture for late filing was $1,500.
Silent stations
Stations that are currently not broadcasting due to silence must still file their renewal 4 months prior to the expiration date. Silent stations will need to note on their application that they are currently silent. When the station resumes operation, in addition to filing a resumption of operations, stations also need to renew their renewal application to indicate that the station is on the air. They also need to disclose any period of silence for more than 30 days during the license term and explain the circumstances behind those silent periods in an attachment.
Public notice requirement
Broadcast stations, including LPFM stations must run Public Notice messages after the filing of the renewal application.
Petitions to Deny and Informal Objections
For timely filed applications, the deadline for the filing of Petitions to Deny against the renewal is 30 days prior to the expiration date of the license. During this time, any person who is considered a party in interest, such as a local resident or competing broadcaster may file a Petition to Deny. Any person, regardless of location may file an Informal Objection against the renewal any time up until the FCC's decision on the application.
Granting of renewal applications
Timely filed applications for stations that are on the air, have no objections, no previous silent periods or other administrative issues ("clean renewals") are normally granted approximately two weeks prior to the license expiration date.
Late filed applications will have a minimum 90 day delay before grant to allow for Petitions to Deny and Informal Objections.
Renewal applications will not be acted on by the FCC while the station is silent.
If the license is not granted by the expiration date, the station is still authorized to broadcast as long as they filed the renewal prior to the expiration date.
Stations that fail to file their license renewal application by the expiration date of the license will have their license cancelled as expired.
Renewal calendar for radio broadcast stations
The FCC divides the country into several renewal groups. Stations will need to file their renewal based on their renewal group. The state that the station is in is based on the state listed as the community of license for the facility, even if the transmitting site is physically in an adjacent state with a different renewal deadline date. If a deadline falls on a weekend or federal holiday, then the deadline is extended to the next business day.
| Renewal Group | States and territories in this group | Renewal applications must be filed by this date | Licenses will expire on this date. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia & West Virginia | June 1, 2027 | October 1, 2027 |
| 2 | North Carolina & South Carolina | August 2, 2027 | December 1, 2027 |
| 3 | Florida, Puerto Rico & US Virgin Islands | October 1, 2027 | February 1, 2028 |
| 4 | Alabama & Georgia | December 1, 2027 | April 1, 2028 |
| 5 | Arkansas, Louisiana & Mississippi | February 1, 2028 | June 1, 2028 |
| 6 | Indiana, Kentucky & Tennessee | April 3, 2028 | August 1, 2028 |
| 7 | Michigan & Ohio | June 1, 2028 | October 1, 2028 |
| 8 | Illinois & Wisconsin | August 1, 2028 | December 1, 2028 |
| 9 | Iowa & Missouri | October 2, 2028 | February 1, 2029 |
| 10 | Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota & South Dakota | December 1, 2028 | April 1, 2029 |
| 11 | Kansas, Nebraska & Oklahoma | February 1, 2029 | June 1, 2029 |
| 12 | Texas | April 2, 2029 | August 1, 2029 |
| 13 | Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah & Wyoming | June 1, 2029 | October 1, 2029 |
| 14 | California | August 1, 2029 | December 1, 2029 |
| 15 | Alaska, American Samoa, Guam, Hawaii, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Oregon and Washington | October 1, 2029 | February 1, 2030 |
| 16 | Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont | December 3, 2029 | April 1, 2030 |
| 17 | New Jersey & New York | February 1, 2030 | June 1, 2030 |
| 18 | Delaware & Pennsylvania | April 1, 2030 | August 1, 2030 |
Regulatory history
This rule was established in the original 2000 LPFM Report and Order. In 2012, it was amended in the Sixth Report and Order to remove references to successive license terms.
Federal Register citation
78 FR 2109, Jan. 9, 2013.
Text of regulation 47 CFR §73.873 LPFM license.
§ 73.873 LPFM license period.
(a) Initial licenses for LPFM stations will be issued for a period running until the date specified in § 73.1020 for full service stations operating in the LPFM station's state or territory, or if issued after such date, determined in accordance with § 73.1020.
(b) The license of an LPFM station that fails to transmit broadcast signals for any consecutive 12-month period expires as a matter of law at the end of that period, notwithstanding any provision, term, or condition of the license to the contrary.