Data sources
- FCC LMS public database (nightly download): station list, community of license, license expiration date, licensee, ownership reports.
- FCC online public inspection file API (publicfiles.fcc.gov): files in each station's Issues and Programs Lists folder (every subfolder and year), and, when that station's file-upload history has been retrieved, the history of every public-file folder (uploads, deletions, moves, renames). We also read the first two pages of PDFs whose names don't say which quarter they cover. FCC upload timestamps are converted to the station's local time (we use the westernmost time zone in the station's state, so a list is never called late because of time zones). We request at most one page per second and cache results. Each station page states which of these checks were actually run for that station.
Deadline rules
| License renewal application | First day of the 4th full calendar month before expiration (47 CFR 73.3539(a)) |
| Annual EEO public file report | Each anniversary of the renewal filing date; only for employment units with 5+ full-time employees (47 CFR 73.2080(c)(6), (d)) |
| Biennial ownership report | Normally Dec 1 of odd years (47 CFR 73.3615); currently June 1, 2027 per FCC DA 25-671 |
| Quarterly issues/programs lists | Jan 10, Apr 10, Jul 10, Oct 10 (47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(i), (e)(12); 73.3527(e)(8)). Class D and wholly instructional NCE stations are exempt. |
| Children's TV report and commercial-limit records | Commercial TV and Class A, Jan 30 (47 CFR 73.3526(e)(11)(ii), (iii)) |
| ETRS | Form One annually; Forms Two and Three after a nationwide test (47 CFR 11.61(a)(3)) — 2026 dates |
| Weekends and holidays | A deadline on a Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday moves to the next business day (47 CFR 1.4(j), 1.4(e)(1)) |
| LPFM | 47 CFR 73.801 doesn't apply the public file list, EEO or ownership report rules to LPFM. LPFM pages show renewal and ETRS dates only. |
| Not covered | FM translators and boosters, TV translators and low-power TV are outside this product. |
FCC extensions we apply
| FCC action | Change |
|---|---|
| FCC Public Notice, Oct 7, 2024 (Hurricanes Helene/Milton)released Oct 7, 2024 | Q3 2024 issues/programs lists extended to Nov 10, 2024 for stations in FL, GA, NC, SC and TN only (Nov 10 is a Sunday, so 1.4(j) rolls it to the next business day). Other states stayed Oct 10. |
| DA 25-943released Nov 17, 2025 | Q3 2025 issues/programs lists (originally due Oct 10, 2025) extended to Dec 1, 2025 after the Oct 1 - Nov 12, 2025 funding lapse. |
| DA 25-943released Nov 17, 2025 | EEO filings originally due Oct 1, 2025 extended to Nov 24, 2025. |
| DA 25-943released Nov 17, 2025 | General rule of DA 25-943: filings due Oct 1 - Nov 17, 2025 (inclusive) became due Nov 18, 2025, unless a specific system/program rule above says otherwise. |
| DA 25-671released Jul 29, 2025 | The FCC waived the Dec 1, 2025 biennial ownership report (Form 323 / 323-E) filing and set June 1, 2027 'or until further notice'. LMS shows 0 stations with a 2025-cycle biennial, consistent with the waiver. |
What the quarterly list labels mean
- List detected A file for that quarter was found, first uploaded on or before 11:59 PM local time on the deadline. This includes lists filed in another folder (often "Additional Documents"), combined multi-quarter files, and earlier on-time copies that were later replaced.
- Uploaded late (by FCC timestamp) Every file we matched to the quarter (by name, folder or PDF text) was first uploaded after the deadline, and the file history shows no deletions or bulk re-posting that could mean an on-time copy was replaced. Otherwise we show "Can't verify".
- No list detected The deadline passed and every search came up empty: no file name, folder name or PDF text mentions the quarter in any public-file folder, no unlabeled file was uploaded after the quarter that could be it, and no deleted or moved file matches. If any of those checks can't be completed, we show "Can't verify" instead. Each quarter on a station page has a "How we checked" detail and a "Report an error" link.
- Can't verify The public data can't support a conclusion, for example when many files were re-uploaded on one day (the FCC timestamp then shows the re-upload, not the original date).
These labels describe what public FCC data shows. They are not findings that any rule was broken. Stations should confirm with their own records and counsel.
Coverage of this build
- 19,360 licensed full-power AM/FM/TV, Class A and LPFM stations have computed deadlines.
- 10,847 stations had their public file checked in this build; 2,068 don't need quarterly lists.
- This public site currently publishes 500 station pages (first batch). More will be added once their public-file checks are complete.