FCC Public Notice: Proposed 2027 FM Radio Station Auction

Helpful FCC Links and Resources Included

Public Comment Period

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice explaining the proposed auction rules and procedures, along with a separate list of available FM channels and their minimum opening bids.

• Comments are due by June 9, 2026

• Reply comments are due by June 24, 2026

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If approved, these procedures will govern the FCC’s February 2027 FM station auction.

Highlights

The FCC plans to hold an auction in February 2027 for the rights to build new FM radio stations on 132 available FM channels. This will be the first FCC auction for new FM stations since 2021.

Anyone interested in participating must first submit a “short form” application before the auction date.  The available channels include:

• Channels that were not sold in previous auctions

• Newly created FM channels

• Channels tied to stations whose licenses were canceled

The FCC lowered many of the minimum opening bids from previous auctions after several channels went unsold.

Important Changes Proposed for This Auction

• The FCC will not publicly identify which channels applicants plan to bid on before the auction.

• The FCC will not publicly disclose which applicants qualify for bidding credits.

• The FCC also will not publicly reveal the identity of the highest bidder during each round of bidding.

Upfront Payment Requirements

Applicants must submit enough upfront money to cover the minimum bids for the channels they hope to win.

• If you want to compete for two channels with minimum bids of $10,000 and $20,000, you must submit $30,000 upfront to have a chance to win both channels.

• If you are only willing to win one of the two channels, you would only need to submit $20,000 upfront.

What Happens After the Auction?

Winning bidders must:

1.     Pay the remaining balance of their winning bid

2.     File a detailed “long-form” application showing their technical plans and legal qualifications

If the FCC approves the application and grants a construction permit, the winning bidder will have three years to build the station.

Important Reminder Before You Bid

Anyone interested in building a new FM station should carefully research the channel before bidding.

• Transmitter site availability

• Zoning rules

• FAA requirements

• Signal coverage

• Technical and regulatory restrictions

• Whether the station can realistically serve the intended community

Winning a bid is a legal financial commitment. Even if you later discover you cannot build the station, you are still responsible for paying the full amount of your winning bid.

The FCC strongly encourages potential applicants to work with a qualified broadcast consulting engineer before participating in the auction.

FCC Links and Additional Information

• FCC Auction 114 Public Notice: https://www.fcc.gov/document/auction-114-fm-broadcast-announced-comment-sought

• FCC Auction 114 PDF Document: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-26-444A1.pdf

• FCC Auctions Main Page: https://www.fcc.gov/auctions

• FCC Low Power FM Information: https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/lpfm

The public can review auction procedures, available channels, deadlines, and filing information through the FCC Auction 114 webpage and related FCC documents.