The FCC Media Bureau officially rescheduled the upcoming filing window for new noncommercial educational reserved band FM translator station construction permits. Originally planned for late summer, the application window will now open on November 4, 2026, and close on November 17, 2026. This extension follows formal requests filed by College Broadcasters, Inc. and multiple community groups who argued that an August timeline creates significant operational hurdles for student-run media operations, tribal communities, and small rural broadcasters trying to coordinate filings. To accommodate this shift and stabilize the engineering database, the Bureau implemented a strict freeze on minor modification applications for low power FM, FM translator, and FM booster stations. This freeze will begin on October 2, 2026, and remain in effect until the close of the filing window in mid-November. Commercial and noncommercial radio station operators must adjust their engineering and facility modification timelines accordingly, as any minor change applications submitted during the freeze period will be dismissed without consideration. The snapshot date used to establish points and evaluate mutually exclusive applications has also been moved to November 17, 2026. Potential applicants can access the electronic database to begin drafting data entries starting August 3, 2026.
Source: FCC Public Notice